Nitya Chari Harris from the steering committee of Indigenous-led West Coast Stewardship Corridor, walks through Fort Rodd Hill and Fisgard Lighthouse National Historic Sites during a funding announcement with officials from T’Sou-ke First Nation, Parks Canada and the federal government/Parks Canada

Parks Canada is contributing more than $525,000 ($400,000 USD) to advance the Indigenous-led Westcoast Stewardship Corridor with First Nations partners on Vancouver Island between Victoria and Tofino.

Ecological corridors provide habitat connection, support climate change adaptation and help halt and reverse biodiversity loss. By properly linking protected and conserved areas, natural processes can take place and species can move, interact and find habitat across vast landscapes and seascapes.

The announcement was made at the Fort Rodd Hill and Fisgard Lighthouse National Historic Sites in Victoria by T’Sou-ke First Nation Chief Gordon Planes and Steven Guilbeault, Minister of Environment and Climate Change and Minister responsible for Parks Canada. A small part of the corridor could potentially run through the former military site with a popular lighthouse that protects endangered Garry oak ecosystems.

“We know we have disrupted the forest, the house of the wildlife, and we would like to be part of restoring ‘the house,’” Planes said in a news release. “We need to be able to have all living beings living in a healthy way and we can learn from our ancestors how to restore the land. That is our birthright.”

Gathered at Fort Rodd Hill and Fisgard Lighthouse National Historic Sites for a funding announcement, were, from left: Steven Guilbeault, Minister of Environment and Climate Change and Minister responsible for Parks Canada, T’Sou-ke First Nation Chief Gordon Planes, Nitya Chari Harris with the steering committee of the Indigenous-led West Coast Stewardship Corridor, and Parks Canada President/CEO Ron Hallman.

The corridor is a collaborative initiative among local First Nations that aims to restore healthy relationships with the land, waters, plants, animals, people and Creator. It is grounded in the Nuu-chah-nulth guiding principles of Hishuk’ish tsawalk (interconnectedness), Uu-a-thluk (the responsibility to take care of), Łisaak (respect for all things living and non-living), and the Coast Salish principle of Naut’sa mawt (together as one).

Funded in part by the Parks Canada National Program for Ecological Corridors as a pilot project, the corridor is founded on the vision of bringing together Indigenous and non-Indigenous land and water stewards to collaborate, share knowledge and plan for greater ecological, cultural, spiritual and economic connectivity.

The federal government has pledged to collaborate with Indigenous partners, stakeholders and other levels of government to protect and restore biodiversity in both terrestrial and marine environments to help species adapt to, and offset, the effects of climate change. It is committed to reconciliation and renewed relationships with Indigenous peoples who are the original stewards of the lands and waters, based on a recognition of rights, respect, collaboration and partnership.