Watersheds are the lifeblood of British Columbia's economy
BC’s watershed sector supports 47,900 jobs & contributes $5 billion to the province’s GDP.
Photo Credit: Graeme Owsianski
WHY BC NEEDS A WATERSHED WORKFORCE
Three consecutive years of drought culminated in 2023 with the worst drought and fire season in BC’s history. This followed the devastating floods of 2021 that cost nearly $9 billion. Climate impacts are combining with decades of watershed degradation to reduce the security of communities and ecosystems.
There is a critical need to grow and develop BC’s watershed sector to meet the challenges facing us.
"The Working for Watersheds Roadmap is a call to action for people, organizations, and water users across the sector to work together to realize the vision of healthy and resilient watersheds. Water is vital to our economy and society, and watershed security is a critical piece of the climate imperative. "
The watershed sector is already a significant driver of employment and economic activity in every corner of BC. It supports 47,900 direct and indirect jobs, and contributes
$5 billion to the province's GDP.
WHO IS WORKING FOR OUR WATERSHEDS?
A high school grad's first job getting their feet wet restoring a wetland.
A heavy equipment operator decommissioning a logging road.
An engineer installing greywater recycling.
An Indigenous Guardian monitoring water quality.
A software designer creating a water data app.
An entrepreneur developing new technologies for mine waste reclamation.
These jobs are all united by one mission: #Working4Watersheds
WHAT IS THE WATERSHED SECTOR?
The watershed sector encompasses activities that directly support the maintenance, restoration, or improvement of healthy watersheds, which in turn support diverse economic activities across the province that rely on clean, fresh water.
%2023%20Red%20boxes.png)
As watershed challenges increase globally and at home, and the demand for watershed solutions rises, BC's watershed sector is primed for growth over the next decade.
The Working for Watersheds initiative is a collaboration between industry, government, Indigenous communities, and non-profit organizations working to protect and restore healthy watersheds across BC.
The initiative has brought together hundreds of people and organizations with an interest in the watershed sector to identify common goals and opportunities, resulting in an economic impact report, dialogue series, and sector roadmap.
The Roadmap lays out a strategic vision for how we grow and develop BC’s watershed sector over the next 5-10 years, and recommends five key streams of action.
Streams of Action
%2008%20Purple%20icon-01.png)
Stream 1:
Build Sector Profile
& Awareness
Engage partners and raise the profile of the watershed sector
%2008%20Orange%20icon-01.png)
Stream 2:
Develop the Watershed Workforce
Develop a thriving skills training ecosystem and support existing and transitioning workers
%2008%20Brown%20icon-01.png)
Stream 3:
Grow BC's Watershed Innovation Capacity
Support technology development, commercialization, and deployment of solutions
%2008%20Tourquoise%20icon-01.png)
Stream 4:
Secure Sustainable Funding
Maintain adequate and consistent funding directed at the watershed sector.
%2026%20Blue%20icon%20(feather)-01.png)
Stream 5:
Implement Watershed Policy & Governance
Create policy and governance mechanisms that enable collaboration across different sectors and levels of government.
A COLLECTIVE EFFORT THAT IS GAINING MOMENTUM
%20RGB.jpg){kind=small}
We thank Vancouver Foundation, RBC, Government of BC, BC Assembly of First Nations, Tawâw Strategies, GHD, and BC Investment Agriculture Foundation for contributing their time, expertise, and financial resources to the ongoing work.