DHALIWAL ANNOUNCES RICK HANSEN
TO LEAD CREATION VANCOUVER - Community leader Rick Hansen will take on leadership of an innovative, permanent endowment fund designed to mobilize people to work together in a focused effort to conserve and rebuild salmon stocks in British Columbia and the Yukon, Herb Dhaliwal, the Minister of Fisheries and Oceans and MP for Vancouver-South Burnaby, announced today. The Government of Canada is contributing $30 million to kick off the Pacific Salmon Endowment Fund, which will be held in trust and administered by the Pacific Salmon Endowment Fund Society (PSEFS). The fund's investment interest will be used to support salmon conservation in priority areas of the province. At the Minister's request, Mr. Hansen has assembled a diverse team that has prepared and will implement a strategy to support healthy, sustainable Canadian Pacific salmon stocks. This team includes community leaders, scientists, technical advisers and federal and provincial government representatives. Mr. Hansen is overseeing the establishment of the fund through the PSEFS, which will invest the fund, set program priorities and oversee their implementation. (The members of the PSEFS board of directors are presented in an accompanying backgrounder.) "I am proud to announce this $30 million federal contribution. The fund is a first of its kind - a permanent source of funding that will be operated at arms-length from the federal government," Mr. Dhaliwal said. "I am pleased that the fund will benefit from Rick Hansen's proven abilities in bringing people together to turn a vision into reality. Mr. Hansen has already assembled an impressive team to help him chart the best course forward, and I thank him for his participation. "Since the Man in Motion world tour, Mr. Hansen has continued to contribute to the community on a large scale. He brings a wide range of skills and a reputation for action through his work to find a cure for spinal cord injuries, his belief in making a difference in the community and his lifelong interest in environmental issues," the Minister added. Said Mr. Hansen: "I am pleased to be a part of this very important initiative. It is important that we identify fundamental issues impacting salmon, focus our limited resources on priority watersheds and bring all relevant stakeholders together to pursue and achieve our goals of rebuilding Pacific salmon stocks. Growing up in small towns in B.C. has given me an appreciation for the environment and for the importance of salmon in the lives of many Canadians. I believe that future generations will benefit from this unique initiative." The plan to guide the fund evolved over the past several months. Technical groups have collected, reviewed and analyzed scientific data to determine where the fund should focus its initial efforts to deliver the most benefits for Pacific salmon stocks. As a result of this exercise, the fund's focus in the first five years will be on supporting projects that are part of watershed-specific recovery plans in three priority areas: Thompson-Shuswap, Georgia Basin and Central Coast. These recovery plans will integrate habitat protection and restoration, harvest management, salmon enhancement and improved land-use practices. This approach is designed to improve the health of salmon stocks by working with key stakeholders, volunteers, interested groups and local communities in a coordinated and complementary fashion. Several initial recovery plans will be completed by spring 2001, with the implementation of projects to follow. The Vancouver Foundation will act as the fund's steward, managing and investing the capital, in accordance with specific guidelines. The initial six-month interest is estimated to be about $750,000, with the initial annual interest being about $1.5 million. This amount will increase as the fund's capital grows through contributions from other donors and partners. The Pacific Salmon Foundation has been selected as the program manager. It will be responsible for managing the development of recovery plans, selecting projects, allocating funds, monitoring and evaluating projects, and building partnerships. The initial $30 million for the endowment fund comes from the federal government's $100 million, five-year Resource Rebuilding initiative aimed at improving fish habitat and salmon stocks. Resource Rebuilding is a major element of the $400 million Pacific Fisheries Adjustment and Restructuring Program and complements ongoing Fisheries and Oceans programs. "By contributing $30 million to this new fund, the federal government is making a long-term commitment to salmon and their habitat," Mr. Dhaliwal added. "The fund will also act as a catalyst by encouraging other government and non-government agencies to participate." More details about the endowment fund's vision, initial five-year focus, PSEFS board of directors, the Vancouver Foundation and the Pacific Salmon Foundation are in the attached backgrounders. -30- For information:
Backgrounders: Pacific Salmon Endowment Fund: The Vision Initial Five Year Focus of the Pacific Endowment Fund Pacific salmon Endowment Fund Society Managing the Investments and Program of the Pacific Salmon Endowment Fund
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