Sustainability Scholars Program

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A community toolkit for air pollution investigations
(2025) Mjekiqi, Erza
Executive Summary This reflection summarizes my summer internship with Research for the Front Lines (R4FL) through the UVic Sustainability Scholars Program. It focuses on project scoping, collaborative process, key learnings, challenges, and outcomes. The confidential technical details and step-by-step procedures I produced for R4FL are intentionally excluded; those live in a separate toolkit delivered to the organization. What follows documents how I worked and what I learned so my contributions are visible and accountable without disclosing sensitive content. Acknowledgement of Place and Positionality I completed this internship remotely from the unceded, ancestral lands of the Stó:lō peoples (Stó:lō Nation) - S’ólh Téméxw, otherwise colonially known as Chilliwack, British Columbia. As a settler working with Research for the Front Lines, I am very appreciative to have had the opportunity to learn about R4FL’s community-led research practices. Early on I learned that R4FL works differently: front-line communities set the questions and make the decisions, and staff and volunteers support that direction. R4FL serves communities who are directly and disproportionately impacted by climate change and/or the systems and industries causing it.Hearing about R4FL’s work with Indigenous communities was grounding. This project is only one small piece of R4FL’s wider work, but I’m excited by its potential to be built on in good ways and potentially put to use by communities. Introduction: Purpose and Boundaries of this Reflection My project with R4FL aimed to make community-led air-quality investigations more accessible. The original posting called for a synthesis of air-sampling methods, equipment options, and laboratory pathways. This reflection describes how I translated that broad scope into a feasible, community-focused toolkit and what I learned along the way. As someone without a formal environmental or science background but eager to build my knowledge, I narrowed the scope, with guidance from my mentor, Marcia, to a pathway appropriate to my stage of learning while still addressing the spirit of the posting’s research questions. The posting explicitly encouraged Scholars to adapt scope to their expertise and interests, which made that choice possible. Because the toolkit contains confidential links and may be built on and integrated with other R4FL projects, the final deliverable is not being shared publicly; instead, this report provides a high-level overview of its aims, structure, and development process.
Assessing the impacts of nonpoint source pollution in the Cowichan River
(2024) Janke, Liam
The Cowichan Watershed is located on south-central Vancouver island and covers an area of approximately 930 km2, with a mountainous topography achieving a maximum elevation of 1483m and descending to sea level (S. B. Foster & Allen, 2015). The 47 km-long Cowichan River flows out of Cowichan Lake, and east through the municipalities of Lake Cowichan and Duncan before emptying into the Pacific Ocean at Cowichan Bay. The watershed and surrounding area experiences warm, dry summers and mild rainy winters, with hydrology affected by both groundwater and precipitation effects, including snowmelt (S. Foster, 2014; S. B. Foster & Allen, 2015). The river is of great cultural and historical significance, particularity to the people of the Cowichan Tribes who have inhabited the region for thousands of years (Cowichan Tribes, 2024; Government of BC, 2023). It remains for them a vital food source, hosting tens of thousands of spawning chinook, coho, chum, and steelhead salmon each year, and four species of trout. The Cowichan is a designated heritage river, and its estuary is recognized as one of the world’s most biologically important areas for fish and wildlife (CVRD, 2024). In addition to its ecological importance and natural beauty, the river provides recreational value for fishing, swimming, and paddling, and is a major draw for the tourism industry on which the surrounding communities rely heavily on. The history of the river and its strong ties to the people is storied with community efforts to monitor and maintain the water quality of the river.
Assessing the role of street sweeping in stormwater runoff quality
(2025) Qiu, Amanda
Managing stormwater quality in urban environments is inherently challenging, as rainwater running off streets, rooftops, and other hard surfaces can carry a wide range of pollutants into the storm drain system and local waterways. The variability of rainfall events, diversity of land uses, complexity of drainage infrastructure and range of source control efforts all contribute to dynamic water quality conditions that can be difficult to measure, interpret, and manage. Without effective ways to visualize and analyze this information, valuable insights can remain buried in raw datasets, limiting the ability of municipalities to target interventions, track progress, and communicate outcomes. This study represents the first effort at the City of Victoria to comprehensively visualize historical stormwater outfall water quality data and evaluate how certain stormwater interventions, like street sweeping and catch basin design, may influence water quality. While stormwater quality concerns throughout the City are not new, this work aims to present the data in various ways, thereby helping internal staff, technical professionals, and the broader community better understand contaminants in the City’s storm drain system. By highlighting spatial and temporal patterns in historical data, this project supports more informed decision-making for future interventions to improve stormwater quality. Rather than focusing solely on historical contaminant issues, this work recognizes the opportunity to build on ongoing efforts to improve stormwater management and pollutant source control. In particular, the project explores how the City’s robust and growing street sweeping program—which operates at a frequency much higher than most Canadian municipalities—is helping to reduce contaminant loading into the City’s storm drain system via the removal of debris from streets. In addition, the study begins to examine the role of catch basins and catch basin design, including the use of inverted tees. Understanding how different catch basin configurations influence contaminant capture is important when developing source control strategies and may inform future design standards, retrofits, or maintenance priorities. By developing visualizations of the City’s current and historical stormwater quality data, this project also aims to support education and outreach efforts. Public and industry awareness is essential compliance with regulations, and to long-term improvements in water quality. For example, businesses and property owners should be aware of the materials that are prohibited from entering the City’s storm drain, the impacts of these discharges on the receiving environment and infrastructure, and their responsibility to prevent, respond to, and report spills that do occur. Overall, this research is foundational for more transparent, collaborative, and evidence-based approaches to stormwater quality management in the City of Victoria.
BC incentives for ecosystem conservation and the North Saanich municipality
(2025) Goodarzi, Shukooh
Conservation on private lands in British Columbia is often driven by financial incentives. Section 42.1 of the BC Taxation Act enables municipalities to offer property tax reductions for land formally dedicated to conservation. A notable example is the Highlands Municipality, which provides up to 75% tax relief for properties with ecological covenants covering more than 0.5 hectares. Since 2023, this policy has safeguarded 238 hectares across 42 properties (Highlands Municipality, 2023). The Highlands model uses a tiered Ecological Value Score (EVS) system, where tax discounts are calibrated based on biodiversity metrics assessed by qualified biologists. Provincially, Section 4.1 of the Income Tax Act (RSBC 1996, c.215) supports this approach through income tax credits, although uptake remains limited due to certification complexities. Federally, the Ecological Gifts Program, administered by the Canada Revenue Agency, has eliminated $1.2 million in capital gains taxes for landowners in the Capital Regional District (CRA, 2025). 1.2 Technical and Regulatory Support Beyond taxation, practical support plays a pivotal role in encouraging conservation. Under Section 14 of the Environmental Management Act, nine CRD municipalities operate volunteer teams to remove invasive species from private lands. Saanich’s $38,000 annual investment restored 12.5 hectares in 2023, achieving 89% native plant recovery (CRD, 2024). Victoria’s similar program, leveraging volunteers, reduced costs by 27%. Additionally, stewardship planning grants under Section 481 of the Local Government Act have shown success when properly resourced. The Galiano Conservancy saw a 38% increase in covenant participation following the implementation of $5,000 grants (GCA, 2023). 1.3 Market-Based and Regulatory Tools Regulatory mechanisms, when combined with ecological goals, aim to balance urban growth with environmental protection. Tools like Transfer of Development Rights (TDR) programs allow landowners to sell development density credits in exchange for conserving ecologically valuable land. Authorized under Section 903 of the Local Government Act, TDRs in Saanich and Victoria have enabled 14 transactions since 2021, protecting 32 hectares and generating $420,000 for local conservation trusts (Saanich Planning Department, 2025). Permit fee waivers offer further incentives: for instance, Highlands waives 100% of building permit fees for covenanted land (Highlands Municipality, 2022), while Metchosin offers 50% reductions for riparian restoration projects. The latter policy increased streambank rehabilitation by 40% (Metchosin Council, 2023).
Between land and water
(2025) Hawkes, Sylvie
Over the past five years, the Galiano Conservancy Association (GCA) has implemented extensive ecological restoration activities within the Chrystal Creek watershed on Galiano Island, restoring approximately five hectares of degraded wetland. These efforts have focused on recreating the hydrological and ecological dynamics of beaver-modified landscapes. The restoration project was originally conceived to counteract more than a century of degradation stemming from small-scale agriculture and logging, which had disrupted the natural hydrology, soil structure, and vegetation communities of the area. This report synthesizes the goals, context, methodologies, and preliminary outcomes of a collaborative research initiative that supported GCA’s broader restoration program as a sustainability scholar. The wetland restoration project’s primary goals, originally outlined in a 2020 EcoAction application, included restoring natural hydrology and soil microtopography within a 4.5-hectare area of the Chrystal Creek watershed. Restoration activities aimed to re-establish a range of freshwater wetland types—both seasonal and permanent—while enhancing climate resilience and habitat conditions for sensitive species. Efforts were made to reinforce native vegetation, including western redcedar ecosystems that once dominated the area. A parallel objective was to remove old roads, refuse, and structural remnants, while retaining access routes to facilitate stewardship and research. Community involvement, particularly the engagement of youth, university students, and volunteers, formed a core element of the project through hands-on participation in restoration design and implementation. As part of the sustainability scholars’ program, a multi-site research study was developed to contribute to the monitoring and adaptive management phase of this restoration program. A key aim was to investigate how active restoration techniques— particularly the replication of beaver pool wetlands affect ecological outcomes such as biomass and biodiversity across wetland habitats. While restoration of wetlands, especially projects inspired by beaver habitat, is gaining traction in British Columbia, there remains a limited understanding of how such interventions influence carbon dynamics, vegetative structure, and species diversity in the long term. This study contributes to that knowledge gap by assessing a gradient of sites with varying histories of degradation and restoration. Four wetlands on Galiano Island were selected for this study, each representing a distinct stage of disturbance or recovery.
Bracing for rain: A cross-municipal analysis of stormwater policy in the capital region
(2025) Charette, Lily
1. Introduction Stormwater management is an important issue in the Capital Regional District (CRD). This report examines the management of stormwater in the region through an analysis of current stormwater policies and interviews with professionals working in the area. The interviews identify challenges to improved management, including limited funding, unclear or inconsistent rules around green stormwater infrastructure (GSI), and a general lack of coordination among local governments and agencies. The project also highlights opportunities to improve stormwater management, including expanding funding opportunities for monitoring and GSI, as well as improving collaboration, education, and regulations. This study provides a concise overview of the current stormwater policies in various municipalities in the CRD in comparison to a standard developed based on best management practices for the purpose of this report. This report is intended to bring awareness to current policies and ways local governments can improve stormwater management through strong bylaws and regulations. 2. Background Managing stormwater is key to reducing runoff impacts in our increasingly urbanized and impermeable landscape. As stormwater runs off hard surfaces like roofs, driveways, and roads, it also carries pollutants to those environments, impacting local wildlife and public health (Congressional Research Service, 2016). While today, public and environmental health are important considerations for urban stormwater infrastructure, this has not always been the case. A vast majority of the urban stormwater infrastructure is based on the sewer systems developed in 19th-century Europe (Bertrand-Krajewski, 2021). These systems, which are built into many cities' underlying structures, focus only on sanitation. After almost a century, the drawbacks of these systems have been recognised widely. From the discharge of contaminants to water bodies, to high infrastructure costs and the modification of important hydrological cycles, the issues with traditional stormwater infrastructure led to a significant paradigm shift, and new integrated management approaches began to emerge in the 1970s (Bertrand-Krajewski, 2021). Across North America, stormwater management still relies heavily on traditional infrastructure, also referred to as grey infrastructure, which utilises pipes, tanks, and other artificial means to transport stormwater. While this approach focuses on the process of removing stormwater, it does not consider water quality or natural flow processes. Green stormwater management (GSM) has emerged in recent decades as a commonly acknowledged approach to stormwater management that can help regions build strategies for management that also consider environmental sustainability, climate change, and adaptation (Heidari et al., 2022). While research has demonstrated the benefits of these 4 approaches and led to their widespread acceptance, implementation is still slow (Heidari et al., 2022). In order to gain a better understanding of current stormwater management approaches in the Capital Regional District (CRD), this study provides an analysis of the current stormwater policies across various municipalities and provides insights into some of the challenges in implementation and management, as well as opportunities for improvement.
Circular Hub best practices report
(2025) Yang, Zhehui; Uhlmann, Tai
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY This report provides research support for the development of the Circular Economy Hub Project in three rural communities: the City of Duncan, the City of Port Alberni, and the City of Powell River. These hubs are designed with a focus on construction and demolition (C&D) waste, aiming to promote circular practices in material recovery and reuse. The report presents a systematic overview of circular economy strategies related to C&D materials, including a summary of recovery methods for key material types. A total of 17 case studies were selected based on their relevance to the local context of the three communities or their potential to offer valuable inspiration. From these cases, three categories of Circular Hub models have been identified: 1. Driver and Partnership Models • Driven by public agencies, in collaboration with nonprofits, community-based organizations, and/or private entities • Driven by non-profit or community-based organizations, with or without support from public agencies and private entities • Driven by private entities, with support from public agencies, nonprofits, or other businesses 2. Network Structure Models • A centralized physical location brings together materials, related organizations and individuals • A decentralized network of physical sites or a virtual platform • A hybrid model that combines centralized facilities with distributed networks 3. Financing Models • Government-funded • Privately financed • Public-private partnerships To provide concrete examples of how these models are applied in practice, the report highlights four best-practice cases that offer practical insights and implementation experience: • Circular Economy for Salvaged Lumber, King County • Re-Use Innovation Center, Bellingham & New York City • Material Innovation Center, Port San Antonio • The Dock+, Port Alberni
Circular waste audit standard operating procedure
(2025) Scanlon, Jeff
The Circular Waste Audit Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) establishes the analytical framework guiding how the University of Victoria (UVic) transforms waste data into actionable indicators of circular performance. Developed collaboratively by the Office of Campus Planning and Sustainability, Facilities Management, and the Sustainability Scholars Program, the SOP enables UVic to progress from diversion-based measurement toward a systems-based understanding of material circularity, directly supporting the university’s Climate and Sustainability Action Plan (2030). This document defines a transparent methodology to integrate data from waste audits and operations into Material Flow Analysis (MFA), intensity metrics, and a Circularity Index (CI); three core analytical components that together visualize and assess how efficiently materials are used and recovered across campus operations. It distinguishes between operational and episodic waste, standardizes waste Generation Areas and end-of-life streams, and provides guidance to calculate transfer coefficients, process flows, MFA diagrams, intensity metrics and CI to produce an annual Circular Waste Performance Report. By weighting waste pathways according to their circular value (resource recovery
Community-engaged care for rare, threatened and endangered species in an urban nature park
(2024) Francescangeli, Sabrina
• Supporting the basic psychological needs of autonomy (i.e., feeling volitional), competence (i.e., feeling skillful) and relatedness (i.e., feeling socially connected) in context of promoting environmentally sustainable actions can help increase motivation to perform such actions. • Need fulfillment can be facilitated through provision of a need-supportive environment/conditions (e.g., providing explanations for why someone would want to engage in a behavior can support autonomy; toleration of failure can support competence; teamwork can support relatedness). • Feeling connected to nature is a crucial first step to caring more about the welfare of the environment, and thus can lead to greater engagement in PEBs. Nature connectedness can be facilitated through nature exposure, participating in stewardship (and other PEBs), and practicing mindfulness. • We must change the way we think so that we may be better able to address challenges, including better serving equity-deserving groups. Some of the ways this could be done is through thinking outside the box, shifting perspectives and worldviews, and the use of pro-environmental communication. • It is necessary to decolonize our thinking. One way this could be done is through Two-Eyed Seeing, which considers the strengths of Indigenous and Western ways of knowing equally in order to determine best solutions in order to sustain the Earth. This method can also help facilitate more meaningful engagement in collaborative settings. • Partnering and outreach with organizations that serve equity-deserving groups as well as Indigenous Knowledge Keepers can help reduce barriers to nature accessibility. Building respectful and trustworthy relationships with equity-deserving groups is essential. • In communicating with someone who does not or cannot be convinced to care about the environment, communication strategies such as message framing may be more effective, as they can be used to appeal to a person’s existing values and attitudes. Message framing works best when they communicate support for basic psychological needs and intrinsic goals. To find out these attitudes, it can be helpful to approach a person with acceptance, openness, and curiosity rather than judgement.
Enhancing FireSmart and ClimateSmart: Neighbourhood resilience through community mapping and data visualization
(2025) Chegini, Aaron
As the risk of wildfire in urban and peri-urban areas intensifies due to climate change, a critical need has emerged to bridge the gap between conventional fire safety protocols and holistic climate adaptation strategies. This project was pursued to address this challenge by enhancing neighbourhood resilience to wildfires through the development of actionable, data-driven tools for the Resilient Urban Systems & Habitat (RUSH) platform (What's the RUSH?). The primary goal was to synthesize and analyze FireSmart and ClimateSmart strategies, engage with a diverse range of stakeholders, and integrate key datasets into a user-friendly "Protect From Fire" mapping tool (What's the RUSH?). The ultimate purpose is to empower non-technical audiences, including community members, municipal planners, and advocacy groups, to make informed decisions that promote both fire safety and ecological health, ensuring that the urgent need for housing does not compromise long-term community resilience. This works culminated in the development of a preliminary, high-resolution fire risk model that improves upon existing provincial data, providing a more accurate tool for local decision-making.
Equity-driven best practices in climate adaptation guide
(2024) Guzman Skotnitsky, Sabrina
The purpose of this guide is to review existing climate adaptation plans to a) identify gaps in addressing the needs of vulnerable populations, and b) identify best practices of integrating dimensions of equity in climate adaptions plans at the municipal level. The research questions include: 1. How can equity be effectively embedded in municipal climate adaptation planning and implementation? 2. How can best practices from other jurisdictions be replicated or tailored for the city of Victoria? In this guide, climate adaptation is defined as the process of adjustment to current and anticipated climate change impacts and associated effects to minimize harm to human and natural systems, and capture benefits (IPCC, 2023). Canada’s National Adaptation Plan asserts that adaptation involves everyone, in all sectors of society, “protecting each other and the places we value... ensuring that we are all better able to prevent, prepare, respond, and recover from climate impacts today and in years to come” (Environment and Climate Change Canada, 2024, 1). This establishes that although governments at all levels are expected to lead on climate adaptation, it is a whole-of-society responsibility. Climate change vulnerability describes how intensely people, assets and systems are likely to be affected by climate change and is a “function of compounding risks (i.e. conflicts, natural disasters, pandemics) and intersecting axes of social differences (i.e. gender, racial, socioeconomic inequalities) which can coexist and aggravate each other” (Amorim-Maia et al., 2022, 7). There are multiple factors that contribute to vulnerability, including socioeconomic status and geographical location; for example, living near a shoreline where sea level is rising and not having the financial or physical ability to move. In the city of Victoria vulnerable populations include the elderly, those with chronic medical conditions, young children, those who are insufficiently or unhoused, low-income households, Black, Indigenous and People of Colour, (BIPOC) and two-spirit, lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer individuals (2SLGBTQ+) (Signer, Formosa and Seal-Jones, 2023, 120). Newcomers to Canada, especially those with English as a second or tertiary language, are also considered vulnerable due to greater barriers in accessing resources and decision-making processes, and other forms of discrimination. Renters, although they are less vulnerable than those who are unhoused, can experience housing precarity and may “have limited resources to control changes to their homes to reduce the impacts of climate change, such as cooling systems, air filtration, and insulation” (Laurent et al., 2022, 7). As 61% of residents in Victoria rent their homes, this is another important factor when considering vulnerability and adaptive capacity (City of Victoria, n.d.) Equitable climate adaptation aims to reduce the vulnerability and increase the resilience of everyone, particularly marginalized people who currently have the least capacity to adapt due to lack of resources and exclusion from decision-making processes. This is what is referred to as low adaptive capacity. High adaptive capacity is associated with high resilience, a term that often appears in climate policies, research and discourse, and is often used interchangeably with adaptation (although there are important distinctions). Resilience is multi-layered, and can refer to people (individuals, families, communities), assets (buildings, powerlines, roads, community centres etc.), and systems (natural, economic, social, political etc.). The United Nations Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction defines resilience as the ability of people, assets and systems to predict, react, adapt and recover from the effects of climate change. When there is high resilience, they can do so in a timely, efficient and equitable way, that not only preserves basic structures’ conditions and functions, but also restores and enhances them (UN Office for Disaster Risk Reduction, 2015). This guide is concerned with physical, social and emotional components of climate resilience, ensuring that the burdens and benefits associated with climate change are equitably distributed, and harms are mitigated as much as possible.
Haida Gwaii food strategy
(2024) Weder, Julia
Colonial food systems continue to disrupt many people’s relationships with food, land, and each other. Haida Gwaii’s food system is heavily dependent on a ferry to import grocery store products, which is vulnerable to shutdowns and delays due to weather, climate crisis-related events, pandemics, and staff shortages. Prices in stores are very high, and processed food is sometimes the most available option for families. But there is incredible energy around building food independence on Haida Gwaii, and in deepening people’s capacity to feed themselves. Haida people are leaders in the movement towards food sovereignty, and share wisdom about land cultivation, harvesting, and gathering with their communities. Gardeners and growers of all stripes on Haida Gwaii also form an important part of the Islands’ food system. The Haida Gwaii Food Strategy aims to play a part in better understanding Haida Gwaii’s food system, amplifying local knowledge, identifying needs and recommendations, and highlighting pathways for the Islands’ communities to move further down the pathway of food self-reliance.
Invasive “parrot’s feather” plant species in Somenos Creek: Life cycle, growth, and interaction with yellow pond lily and smartweed
(2024) Simard, Jonathan
This study investigates growth of PF in Somenos Creek, exploring possible explanations for growth distribution, and interaction with other aquatic plants. As such, it looks to investigate these distinct but related questions: 1) What makes PF growth and spread across and along the Creek so effective? 2) What factors explain PF’s presence/absence in certain areas (esp. headwaters versus downstream)? 3) What explains the distribution/interaction of PF’s growth and presence with other aquatic plants? My methodology consists of literature review in aquatic botany, including past empirical research conducted by Somenos Marsh Wildlife Society (SMWS) experts in aquatic biology. The question of presence/absence and interaction with Yellow Pond Lily and Smartweed are explored as part of ongoing discussion and associated water quality fieldwork conducted at Somenos Creek from May-July 2024. As such, this paper offers preliminary conclusions with an intent to guide further research: • As an invasive plant species transported to North America, PF’s growth strategy originally adapted to tropical South America. PF may leverage associated competitive growth strategies in eutrophic North American habitats, like Somenos Creek. • Removal of riparian vegetation for development activities increases sunlight exposure, detrital buildup and leaching, and urban and agricultural run-off, contributing to PF growth by increasing nutrient availability. • The absence of PF growth at the tributary, Richards Creek, despite high Phosphorus, may point to introduction at an intermediate area of Somenos Basin, e.g., Somenos Lake or Somenos Creek. • The disappearance of PF at headwaters of Somenos Creek may be explained by out competition of Yellow Pond Lilies. At intermediate waters, both plants grow separated on either side of the Creek. On the other hand, Smart Weed grows near PF. Noting empirical literature on PF, and fieldwork and study by SMWS, Section 2 outlines PF’s lifecycle, spread, and impact in Somenos Creek. As an invasive plant, PF stops boat travel, causes near-zero water column oxygen levels, threatens fish survival, and limits neighbouring plant growth. Section 3 examines factors explaining PF’s invasion success. Subsection A examines ecosystem characteristics that render Somenos Creek more vulnerable to proliferation of invasive species like PF upon introduction. Subsection B reviews literature in aquatic botany examining PF growth adaptations under varying nutrient and light conditions in fieldwork and lab studies. Subsection C examines interaction between PF and native plant communities, focusing on the role of allelopathy, and competitive growth mechanics of two successful native plants, Yellow Pond Lily, and Smartweed.
Is this a just transition?: Indigenous perspectives on critical minerals in the energy transition
(2025) Asaale, Stanislaus Awini
Introduction Background Context: Currently, Indigenous Peoples in Canada are the second-largest asset owners of renewable energy across the country, outside of electricity transmission and distribution utilities (Stephenson, 2023). With immense influence in the clean energy sector due to our unique rights and intimate relationship to the land, Indigenous Peoples are active protagonists guiding the Just Transition in Canada by enacting energy sovereignty through capacity-building, small to large-scale generation projects, and equity ownership for long-term community revenue. With that being said, renewable energy continues to rely on extraction to produce electricity through the mining of critical and rare earth minerals. Most, if not all, of the critical minerals in Canada are located on Indigenous territories. For many Indigenous Peoples, connection to the land and waterways embeds and informs culture, self-identity, community, belief systems, livelihoods, and traditional governance. The territories that are being mined in the name of low-carbon economies and greenhouse gas-reducing projects are the territories that influence every aspect of our lives and identity as Indigenous peoples. Hence, protecting Indigenous lands is not only a measure of sustainability to meet national targets but also a responsibility, aimed at preserving cultural knowledge and values for present-day communities and future generations. After being purposefully excluded from energy leadership in Canada, Indigenous communities are embracing the energy transition as an opportunity to gain autonomy and are actively building and maintaining renewable energy projects, including solar and wind energy initiatives. While there is openness to collaborating with governments, utilities, and mining firms, many Indigenous Peoples are mindful of the adverse impacts of mineral exploration in their communities, and hesitant around potential greenwashing, continued environmental degradation, and violations against the Indigenous right to free, prior, and informed consent. For many communities to approach projects that align with community values and consent, any projects or policies surrounding the energy transition must emphasize relationships through partnerships that affirm and protect Indigenous Peoples' rights, sovereignty, wisdom, and cultural values. As the energy transition intensifies across Canada, we believe it is essential to take a step back and examine this new energy mix with a critical lens - from source to end use. While there is a national and global demand for the energy transition towards a low-carbon economy, we must ensure a Just Transition that will not compromise Indigenous Peoples’ sovereignty, rights, lives and environmental sustainability worldwide. A critical lens will help establish a transition that does not replicate or aggravate the impacts of fossil fuel mining on Indigenous communities. To be sovereign is to be informed, and we must be informed around the evolution of extractivism in the guise of the energy transition within our communities and across our territories.
Kitasoo Xai’xais Cultural Compass: Directing Indigenous marine stewardship
(2025) Leech, Zoe
Invited by the Kitasoo Xai’xais Nation, this project sought to uplift cultural and spiritual indicators into a tool that could be used when interfacing with crown government agencies on proposed marine activities. Through a decolonial literature review, hands on learning in Klemtu, and a Nation-led, relational research process, the work resulted in a draft “Kitasoo Xai’xais Cultural Compass”. The compass provides a decision-support guide that integrates the stewardship guiding principles, biocultural mapping, and photo-voice storytelling to inform co-management. Key insights include the critical role of Indigenous values in marine protected area systems, the need for intergenerational knowledge transfer through hands on learning, and the effectiveness of aligning Indigenous-led conservation practices with western science for holistic marine management. Deliverables include a decolonial literature review on uplifting Indigenous cultural and spiritual values into marine planning, mapped cultural values for Gitdisdzu Lugyeks (Kitasu Bay), and a draft rationale guide for future engagement and refinement by the community. By centering these values, the Kitasoo Xai’xais Cultural Compass also serves as a foundation for tracking shifting climatic changes and cultural perceptions as conditions adapt over time.
Littlewood Forest report
(2024) Britton, Matt
The 17-acre Littlewood Forest stewarded by the Sandown Centre for Regenerative Agriculture is a second-growth coastal Douglas-fir forest with a pond, natural springs, and a low-lying wetland complex, all of which have been heavily impacted by invasive species due to decades of neglect. Research for this report included field assessments of the entire forest, which were used to create a compartmentalized map to assist with stewardship of the space, as well as stakeholder interviews and analysis, a review of existing reports and relevant data, and creation of a list of recommended actions for restoration and conservation. While most of the land around the Littlewood Forest was cleared for agricultural use in the 1800s, the area that comprises the forest area was left mostly intact, possibly due to the presence of a swamp and natural springs that occur in that area. In the 1950s, the land was converted into a horse racetrack, which operated until the turn of the century. It was eventually acquired by the District of North Saanich, subdivided, reclaimed through demolition of buildings, and leased to the Sandown Centre to manage restoration activities. Part of the smallest and most threatened biogeoclimatic zone in British Columbia, the forest contains several small, unique ecosystems. Despite threats from invasive species, it has strong biodiversity, with a variety of trees, shrubs, and wildlife. The most significant threats to the forest come from Himalayan blackberry and English ivy, both of which outcompete native plants for resources and diminish the forest’s biodiversity and overall health. Descriptions, locations, and treatment options for each invasive species are presented. The descriptions accompanying the map of six management zones in this report detail species compositions, historical context, conservation concerns, relevant observations, sub-zones with unique characteristics, safety concerns, and physical descriptions of each section of the forest. This is followed by a review of stakeholder feedback that informed the development of four primary (left) and four secondary (right) values to guide and prioritize management actions within Littlewood Forest: ● Recreation (trails, birdwatching) ● Education (native plants/ecosystems) ● Restoration (invasives management) ● Biodiversity (protection/improvement) ● Wildlife (habitat conservation) ● Volunteers (engagement/management) ● Reconciliation (work with First Nations) ● Safety (hazard trees, woody debris) Potential interventions are prioritized through the use of an impact vs. effort matrix and presented by zone to compartmentalize and streamline management options. Due to its complexity and numerous options, a process map for Zone 1 is presented to assist in sequencing actions, followed by a possible action plan for the entire forest. These findings are summarized in a stewardship plan designed for public dissemination. Appendices include a presentation of historical photos of the forest area over the past century along with descriptions of visible changes to the site, a table of interventions/recommendations, and supplementary maps of water features, trails, landmarks, debris, and notable hazards.
Researching fishing gear pollution types, sources, and supply chains in BC coast fisheries to support policy reform proposals
(2024) Akar, Shima
Ghost gear, also known as abandoned, lost, or discarded fishing gear (ALDFG), poses a significant environmental threat both in Canada and globally. This problem encompasses fisher-specific gear, including both the methods—such as nets, lines, traps, and pots and the equipment utilized, such as ropes, buoys, and foam floats, which are often abandoned or lost in marine environments. These abandoned items continue to capture and harm marine life long after being discarded. The initial phase of this project focuses on identifying and categorizing various types of debris collected from clean-up efforts along the BC Coast, using data primarily from 2021 and 2022. This phase involves cleaning the dataset for accuracy, analyzing it to identify the most common debris types and their locations, and providing a foundational understanding of debris distribution. Subsequent phases aim to identify the origins of these debris types by examining fisheries operating along the BC Coast and their gear usage through Integrated Fisheries Management Plans (IFMPs). This analysis establishes a link between the debris found and the responsible fisheries, aiding in the development of targeted mitigation strategies for gear used in British Columbia. The final phase centers on identifying the supply chain of fishing gear, including producers, distributors, and retailers. By mapping out these relationships, the project aims to understand how fishing gear reaches the market and propose measures to mitigate the impact of ghost gear, thereby supporting sustainable marine resource management. The findings will inform policy proposals to foster producer responsibility and promote environmental stewardship.
Surveying resistance to extractivism in so-called Canada
(2024) Stuart, Mary
Many communities across so-called Canada are on the front lines of opposing extractive industries. These industries worsen the ecological crises and create pollution harmful to communities. Research for the Frontlines (R4FL) supports communities at the front lines of these environmental and climate justice struggles across the country. R4FL is working to level the playing field by supporting communities and movements opposing extractivism in so-called Canada with research support that is community-led. R4FL staff are busy supporting community and movement-led research and don’t often have time to identify and contact communities and movements that could use support. But in 2024 R4FL would like to start doing targeted outreach to front line folks engaged in resisting specific key extractive projects, to increase the network’s impacts in keeping fossil fuels in the ground. The purpose of this project will be to identify environmental justice struggles occurring across the country (with a focus on instances of communities resisting extractive industries), then conduct an analysis to recommend which struggles R4FL should prioritize. This executive summary provides some background information on the broad issue and the scope of the project, then provides some information on the process, as well as some reflections.
The Friends of Bowker Creek Society’s 1000 Rain Gardens Project
(2025) Cabling, Ludwig Paul B.
The Bowker Creek Watershed is 1028 hectares (10.28 km2) and is home to approximately 30,000 people. The creek’s headwater flows from the University of Victoria’s wetland area near the University Club, through Saanich and Victoria and drains into the ocean at Oak Bay2. The Bowker Creek Initiative (BCI)3 was established in 2004 as a partnership between community, local government, and institutions with the aim to “protect and enhance the ecological, social and economic health of the Bowker Creek Watershed.” The Bowker Creek Blueprint published in 2012 outlined a detailed 100-year plan to revitalize the Bowker Creek Watershed . The plan is currently being updated (2025), and will be re-published following public feedback. The Friends of Bowker Creek Society (FoBCS) supports the restoration and enhancement of Bowker Creek and its watershed to a healthy state, guided by the vision and goals of the Bowker Creek Blueprint. Among the range of initiatives, from the chum salmon recovery project4, to the restoration and daylighting of the creek, FoBCS is leading the 1000 Rain Gardens Project to increase awareness of rain gardens as a tool to reduce excess stormwater flows and pollutants into the Bowker Creek Watershed. Rain gardens are a landscape feature that can retain or store stormwater runoff, allowing it to soak into the ground rather than flow into storm drains (Figure 1). Rain gardens can be as simple as a lawn or cluster of rocks receiving runoff from a roof downspout that has been disconnected from a house perimeter drain, or it can be an ecosystem full of varied plants, insects and other animals. Rain gardens enable rainwater to slowly infiltrate or enter the ground, reducing the amount of rainwater entering storm drains and reducing peak flows in local waterways. The 1000 Rain Gardens Project aims to help our communities improve rainwater management by building rain gardens in the Bowker Creek Watershed. FoBCS has partnered with Peninsula Streams and Shorelines (PSS) and their Rain Gardens for Headwaters Program to build rain gardens through the capital region. Alongside PSS, there have been rain garden demonstration sites constructed at three local schools, engaging students, faculty, and the community at large to participate and learn about green infrastructure such as rain gardens. The demonstration sites at Campus View Elementary, Monterey Middle School, and Oak Bay High School will be examined in this Sustainability Scholar report to develop recommendations for FoBCS’ 1000 Rain Gardens Project.
Tsawout First Nation clam population assessment for cultural, ceremonial, and food harvest
(2025) Migneault, Amy; Mitchell, Mikayla
1. Introduction Clam harvesting serves as a food source and a practice of self-determination for Tsawout First Nation (TFN). It is also an ongoing battle against colonial ways of thinking to prove that these practices do just as much for the Earth and sea life as they do for the people. TFN has been excluded from local water stewardship for over 170 years. Furthermore, developments in the area have impacted marine health and the Indigenous communities have not been allowed access to traditional harvesting sites. The clams included in the population assessments are varnish clams, (Nuttallia obscurata), butter clams (Saxidomus gigantea), cockle ssp. (Clinocardium nuttallii), horse clams (Tresus capax), macoma ssp. (Macoma nasuta), littleneck clams (Leukoma Staminea), and softshell clams (Mya arenaria). These clams have been a food source for TFN and other First Nations in the Pacific Northwest for thousands of years, in particular the butter clam, cockle, and littleneck clam. Despite algal bloom, contaminants, and government restrictions on harvesting, subsistence harvest of clams remain one of the only reliable and accessible food systems available to those who live on reserve. The benefit of clam harvest extends to the land as well. Elders from TFN insist that the act of turning over sand during harvest regenerates ideal habitat for clam reproduction. More to this idea, several Tsawout members share the idea that separating Indigenous ecological theory from actionable items for marine conservation derived from Western epistemologies only serves to regenerate methods of ecological stewardship that prioritizes colonial development above all else. TFN Fisheries Office has combined DFO’s methods of population survey with Traditional Ecological Knowledge to better understand the health and population of marine relatives. This data can be used to possibly make an argument to re-open some sites to the community for harvest, and identify what obstacles are preventing other sites from being safe to harvest and consume. Additionally, interviews are in the process of being conducted to learn about sites and methods for future studies, as well as development of community-led stewardship to maintain or improve the quality of clam harvests, and to resist settler-colonial methods of conservancy.

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