Fall 2023 update
The Green Shores project will hit its next phase in summer 2024. Construction drawings are finalized and the project is paused to minimize impact on aquatic life—including fish populations—over the next few months. Work will resume once the archaeology permits and permission from the Department of Fisheries and Oceans is received.
About the project
The project is an important step forward in the ongoing effort to restore and protect the Gorge Waterway, a crucial ecosystem in the heart of Victoria. This innovative, collaborative shoreline restoration project demonstrates nature-based solutions on the shoreline through implementation of the Green Shores® framework .
The Gorge Park Green Shores for Shoreline Development (GSSD) Demonstration project will help to address the impacts of climate change such as erosion and flooding, while also improving the health of the local ecosystems.
The project will remove anthropogenic (human-made) materials and regrade the hardened estuarine shoreline to create a more natural profile as protection against sea level rise. It will also enhance salt marsh habitat and establish native vegetation in the upland riparian areas (where the land meets the water). These features will provide valuable habitat for fish and wildlife.
Partners include Township of Esquimalt, Capital Regional District, Stewardship Centre for BC (SCBC), Coastal Collaborative Sciences (CSS), and Pacific Salmon Foundation (PSF).
Why are we doing this?
Shorelines are a critical component of the aquatic food web and restoration of these areas supports iconic species such as salmon and orcas. The use of nature-based solutions to carry out restoration is being recognized globally as an important measure to develop community resiliency to climate change.
About the site
The restoration project area is most closely accessed from Sioux Place and located at the mouth of Gorge Creek adjacent to where recent salmon habitat restoration has been completed by CSS. The area to be restored includes the shoreline and nearby upland areas.
This particular site was identified through an extensive feasibility study that assessed important environmental, economic and social criteria at a number of locations in the Gorge and Portage Inlet area.
Timeline
The project is planned for the five year period (2021-2026), as part of initiatives of the Township of Esquimalt and through a project called Resilient Coasts for Salmon being co-delivered by SCBC/PSF. The focus to date has been on collaborative planning and design. Work is also underway to engage with Songhees Nation and Esquimalt Nation, and to obtain required permits. Construction of the restoration site is anticipated for the fall of 2023; subject to permitting approvals.
Funding for this project has been obtained from a variety of sources including the Provincial Community Emergency Preparedness Fund, the Township of Esquimalt, Environment and Climate Change Canada, and CRD.