A request from the Kwantlen First Nation (KFN) for help dredging a key local waterway has prompted 91原创 Township to reach out to its partners looking for funding sources.

KFN Counsellor Tumia Knott and Derek Mitchell, who oversees land programs for the nation, were at the Monday, March 10 council meeting talking about the issues with Bedford Channel.

The channel runs between MacMillan Island, where the KFN has its main residential reserve and band offices, and the mainland and shoreline of Fort 91原创. Bedford is the south channel of the Fraser River in the area.

However, over the years, it tends to silt up, and Knott said there hasn't been any major work done in about 20 years.

鈥淭he Bedford Channel is infilling at a really remarkable rate," Knott said.

The last time there was a major dredging project was when the Bedford Landing housing development was built.

Yet Knott said past studies have shown that the channel requires regular dredging. Without it, it becomes impassible for the KFN's fishing boats docked on the south shore of the reserve when water levels are low.

鈥淭he channel at some points of the year, you can literally walk across," Knott said.

That's a problem for the KFN, which has its primary dock for its members' fishing boats on the channel. There is another dock on the north side, in the main river channel, but it's more vulnerable to theft from the boats.

Mitchell said that a report done in coordination with the Township shows about 150,000 cubic metres of sand needs to be dredged out of the channel.

They're hoping to both keep costs down and to put that dredged sand to good use by keeping it on the reserve, where it will build up low-lying areas for a new planned housing development. In fact, Mitchell said the 150,000 cubic metres is only about half of what the KFN needs for fill for its project.

The band estimated the cost at $2.3 million if the dredged sand is kept on MacMillan Island, Mitchell said.

Later in the meeting, the council voted to unanimously approve a motion put forward by Mayor Eric Woodward.

The motion notes that dredging of the Fraser River has typically been a responsibility of the province, federal government, or the Port of Vancouver.

It also notes that both the KFN and local rowing and paddling groups that use Bedford Channel have asked for dredging in recent years.

The motion calls for a new projection of potential costs, and to identify funding partners, including potentially the KFN, Township, Metro Vancouver, or others.

A plan for dredging within 2025/26 is to be drawn up, and consideration is to be given to an ongoing dredging and maintenance plan, rather than leaving the channel to silt up for years in between major dredging work.

At the suggestion of Councillor Kim Richter, letters of advocacy on behalf of the project will also be sent to higher levels of government.