The Trans Mountain Legacy Fund
Steering Committee Meeting
August 11, 2015
Present:
Roy Howard, Fraser Headwaters Alliance
Dave Poulton, CPAWS and Alberta ENGOs
Wayne VanVelzen, MRPP
Anna McIndoe, BC
Ward Hughson, Jasper National Park
Mark LeRuez, Triton Environmental Consulting
Terry Antoniuk – Project Manager
Niki Wilson – Project Manager
Regrets:
Lexa Hobenshield
Agenda
 Updates: TMLF Effectiveness Survey - Terry (We have received submissions from
the Miistakis Institute (Terry to send), Green Analytics-Mike Kennedy (attached),
Wild Business-Joseph Bull (Attached).
 Budget – Terry
 Whitebark Pine Updates - Anna (re: thinning & pilot outside of Park)
 Yellowhead Creek Project Updates & Discussion about other Brook Trout
Sites/assessment - Mark LeRuez (Reply from Anna to some our questions for
Susanne.
 Swift Creek and McLellan Projects Updates – Wayne
 Talbot Lake and Adjacent Aquatic Connectivity Projects - Ward and Mark
 Holiday Creek: Roy and Mark updates (Mark’s photos attached & will recount
site visit), (email text and schematic from Roy attached)
 Possible funding for FRI to collar Grizzlies near MRPP - Ward to follow up
 Site 93 Update: Mark LeRuez
 Next Meeting
1. TMLF Effectiveness Survey
a. Three consultants submitted proposals: Miistakis Institute, Mike
Kennedy, and Joseph Bull.
b. The Steering Committee discussed the proposals.
c. The Steering Committee chose the Wild Business proposal as the winner
of the contract.
d. Terry will notify the winner, and let they others know they weren’t
successful. He will also entertain questions from unsuccessful candidates
regarding the reasons for the decision.
2. Budget
a. Terry Submitted a budget for review:
2015 - 2017 Budget
APPROVED/REQUIRED
Program Evaluation
Post Project Monitoring
Project Mgmt
Ecotrust Admin
$
$
$
$
26,250.00
50,000.00
15,000.00
10,000.00
Funds Remaining
$
$
$
$
$
$
$
16,500.00
7,500.00
53,000.00
50,000.00
228,250.00
391,000.00
162,750.00
POTENTIAL
Holliday Creek
Swift Creek
Talbot Lake
$
$
$
130,000.00
118,024.20
50,000.00
Swift Creek - sockeye
MRPP Whitebark Pine
Site 93
Yellowhead Brookies
Subtotal
Funds Available
(JNP project costs already expensed)
no firm cost estimate
(100,000 estimate too low according to Roy)
(cost estimate from DFO funding request)
(cost estimate from March meeting discussion)
3. Whitebark Pine Project Updates: Thinning and Pilot Outside of MRPP
a. Anna and Roy attended the Whitebark Pine workshop in July.
b. The committee discussed thinning to improve habitat for WBP. It was
suggested that thinning is something the TMLF should not be involved in,
as this is something that could be done through the BC government as
part of a larger recovery strategy.
c. The TMLF Steering Committee decided that TMLF money would be better
spent on other projects.
4. Yellowhead Brook Trout Projects
a. FLNRO owns structure and assumes liability, but don’t have the funds to
monitor it.
b. Mark Le Ruez visited the existing site with Susanne and Aaron from NHC.
i.
Suggested that lower weir could be repaired with BC in-house
crews (e.g. fire crew) and some sand bags.
ii.
c.
d.
e.
f.
Appears the upper weir is being quite effective, as Susanne and
Mark caught Rainbow trout above – more than ever before.
iii.
There is some need to do monitoring on the existing project.
Susanne suggested an alternative plan to NHC’s original monitoring
proposal–to hold back funds for three sites visits over 10 years, using
existing staff to monitor for weaknesses and only bringing in NHC
engineers if issues are identified. Suggested amount to hold in reserve for
NHC assistance: $5000.
Anna formally requested this $5000 to do monitoring on the existing
project this fall, and the SC approved it.
The Steering Committee decided to release the remainder of the $50,000
on hold for brook trout projects ($45,000) back into the budget for
discussion about other projects.
Regarding presence of brook trout in marsh complex upstream of weir:
i.
Susanne suggested there are likely brook trout everywhere in the
marsh complex.
ii.
Mark suggested that there might be value in putting together a
DNA sampling program to make sure the brook trout problem is
being fought in the right places, or might want to expand efforts
to other places.
iii.
The SC discussed the pros and cons of the DNA method (e.g. what
fish densities are needed for detection, etc), and decided they
needed to know more about the efficacy of the method and cost.
iv. Mark will provide more information and costs for next meeting.
5. Swift Creek and McLellan River Projects
a. TMLF was asked for more money to help with Swift Creek projects
($118,000), but was not able to approve through email, and required
more discussion in this meeting within scope of new budget. The project
would make just over 6300 square meters of salmon habitat available.
b. Wayne provided updates on the Swift Creek project since then.
c. The federal government has agreed to put forward $429,000 toward the
project.
d. The Swift Creek project managers have modified their request to the
TMLF, as some of the money has been raised through local groups and in
kind contributions. They are now asking the TMLF for $55,290 to up the
remainder of the $118,000 originally requested.
e. Given TMLF interest in funding other projects, the SC wondered if less
money would help keep the Swift Creek project viable (e.g. less than
$35,000).
f. Wayne will correspond with the project lead and report back to the
committee.
6. Talbot Lake Project and Snaring Road Aquatic Connectivity Projects
a. Mark, Mike Farlinger, Ward and Aaron (NHC) visited the sites.
b. Talbot Lake – straight forward project with good ecological value. The
culvert is susceptible to hang in lower flows.
c. The second site on Snaring Road has an outlet pool loaded with fish – was
enough motivation to survey the site and look at what a fix could be for
the site. Straight forward to build weir at other end of site.
d. Would be more economic value to do both sites.
e. Preliminary estimates put forth by Aaron (NHC) are $150, 000-170,000 to
do both sites.
f. How much habitat does the project create? Ward says it’s standing water
in both locations (including Talbot Lake – 3 times the size of Mile 9), so
it’s significant (he can get a number regarding species and hectares
gained to the committee next week). In both cases, it will likely improve
habitat for about 15 species – the communities found in the Athabasca
River.
g. The SC decided to prioritize this project because it has big habitat gains,
and is inside the park.
h. This is conditional on cost estimate – Mark Le Ruez will confirm the
estimate for the next meeting.
7. Holiday Creek
a. Mark explained that there is a major barrier creating an upstream water
fall (caused by debris flow). This is an issue he says BC Highways is looking
into fixing.
b. Good ecological project, but Northwest Hydrological Consultant’s
estimate, without environmental or engineering work (just construction)
would be $335,000 to fix the barrier– and this doesn’t appear to consider
taking care of the downstream projects.
c. The SC decided to downgrade this project given the cost. It would only be
possible if a partner(s) came in with a lot of money, and with three other
viable projects on the table, it’s unlikely.
8. JNP/FRI Project Update
a. SC decided not to consider further, given the availability of projects
already proposed.
9. Site 93 Update
a. Mark LeRuez to update by email
10. Next Meeting
a. August 24, 2015, 1:00pm PST, 2:00 MST