Watershed Region & Prince George
Community Organizations Supported in 2023
Burns Lake
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Burns Lake Chamber of Commerce
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Carrier Sekani Family Services
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Cheslatta Carrier Nation
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Community Futures Stuart Nechako
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Elizabeith Fry Society Burns Lake
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Lakes District Fair Association
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Lakes District Family Enhancement Society
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Lakes District Film Appreciation Society
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Lakes Outdoor Recreation Society
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Nootsenay
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SD 91
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Skin Tyee Nation
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Tweedsmuir Recreation Commission
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Tyee Wellness
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Wetsuweten First Nation
Fraser Lake
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Community Futures Stuart Nechako
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Santas Anonymous
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Stellat’en​ First Nation
Vanderhoof
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BC Childrens Hospital
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Carrier Sekani Family Services
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Community Futures Stuart Nechako
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Freshwater Fisheries Society of BC
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Nechako Valley Sporting Association
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Neighbour Link
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SD 91
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UNBC
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Vanderhoof Chamber of Commerce
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Vanderhoof Community Foundation
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Vanderhoof Community Thearre
Watershed
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SD 91
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UNBC
Full Footprint
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Breakfast Clubs of Canada
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UBC
Prince George
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Community Futures Fraser Fort George
School District 91
In the 2016/2017 academic year, BC Works and School District 91 Nechako Lakes formed an innovative partnership to provide students with new and ongoing opportunities on a continuous basis. These opportunities allow students to engage with a wide range of educational programs that are both real and relevant to their future career paths.
Project Jr. outdoor learning at Murray creek.​
The partnership has resulted in an extensive selection of programs that include applied skills, technology skills, and watershed skills. These programs not only enrich students' educational and social connections with their schools but also with the community and regional partners.
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Learn More about SD 91 Partners in Education.
Students harvest vegetable destined for the cooler from the school garden at the Vanderhoof community garden space.​
Stellat’en Gazebo
BC Works is honored to have supported the Stellat’en community through the Elders’ Gazebo initiative, a pivotal component of the Shun K’et Community Gardens project. This gazebo, situated at the heart of the community, is designed to be more than just a meeting place. It’s a space where elders can guide youth towards a deeper appreciation of their cultural heritage and of the Carrier language.
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We were privileged to be part of the opening ceremony in the fall of 2023, which was not only a celebration of the gazebo’s completion but also a reaffirmation of BC Works’ commitment to community partnerships that respect and promote indigenous traditions and practices.
The Elders’ Gazebo stands as a symbol of our ongoing commitment to these values, reflecting our broader mission to support community initiatives that deliver lasting benefits.
UNBC Partnership
For five years, BC Works and the University of Northern British Columbia have worked in a close partnership to develop a better understanding of the impacts of climate change on the water security of the Nechako Watershed.
This program of research through the Senior Industrial Research Chair under the leadership of Environmental Science Professor Dr. Stephen Déry is equally supported by the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC) and BC Works, with additional support from UNBC.
The research significantly improved hydrometeorological monitoring across the Nechako Watershed through a network of meteorological stations and water temperature sensors, expanded knowledge on the atmospheric river phenomenon and its influence on the hydrology of the Nechako Watershed, and developed naturalized and future projections of stream flows for the Nechako River and inflows to the Nechako Reservoir.
“The NSERC/Rio Tinto Industrial Research Chair in climate change and water security has generated fundamental, new knowledge on the Nechako Watershed’s response to climate change and other stressors,” Déry says. “This provides exceptionally valuable information for Rio Tinto’s management of water resources in the upper Nechako Watershed. This partnership therefore greatly facilitates the direct application of the research program’s findings into the day-to-day operations of Rio Tinto’s hydroelectric facilities that ultimately sustain the BC Works aluminum smelter in Kitimat.”
To date, three new weather stations and more than 30 water temperature sensors have been deployed across the Nechako Watershed. In 2021, the team successfully executed the first-ever Canadian field campaign focused on monitoring and understanding the atmospheric river phenomenon in the upper Nechako Watershed. The Tahtsa Ranges Atmospheric River Experiment (TRARE) revealed preferential pathways for moisture transport into the upper Nechako Watershed and associated precipitation distribution. As climate change amplifies through the 21st century, projections of future flows in the Nechako Watershed suggest a transition from a snowmelt-dominated to a rain-dominated regime, with marked changes in the seasonality of flows.
“Through a strong partnership with our primary research sponsor Rio Tinto, we strive to make our research both accessible and impactful,” says Research Manager Justin Kokoszka. “By actively engaging with diverse community groups, we share knowledge and resources, empowering communities to build their own hydroclimate knowledge base.”
The partnership with BC Works has led to the training of 30 undergraduate and graduate students and researchers. Trainees gained strong analytical, computational and communication skills, and have interacted with multiple Nechako Watershed stakeholders including First Nations and watershed stewardship societies. At the completion of their positions, all trainees secured employment within private industry (including consulting firms), government and academic institutions.
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“I am deeply grateful to UNBC and Rio Tinto for their invaluable support during my PhD journey, which has significantly enriched my understanding of meteorological processes and water resources in the Nechako Watershed,” says PhD student Bruno Sobral. “Their support has enabled me to explore new academic and professional avenues in Canada, which will serve as milestones for my career. As I prepare to defend my dissertation in late 2024, I am confident the outcomes of my research will serve Rio Tinto and UNBC in multiple, meaningful ways.”
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*Story submitted by UNBC Partner
16 Days of Activism
Together with the Elizabeth Fry Society in Burns Lake and the ‘Ksan Society in Terrace, BC Works took action to help put an end to gender-based violence. Our aim is to foster safer homes, communities, and workplaces for all. During the 16 Days of Activism against Gender-Based Violence, from November 25th (the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women) to December 10th (World Human Rights Day), we joined efforts to raise awareness and push for change.
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BC Works’ $25,000 contribution to the Elizabeth Fry Society in Burns Lake supported the following initiatives in 2023:
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Transition Housing
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Early Years and Family Support Programs
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Women’s Outreach and Anti-violence
And for the third consecutive year, BC Works also made a $25,000 community investment to the ‘Ksan Society in Terrace in support of programming advancing
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Anti-violence​
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Food security and sustainability​
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Affordable housing and emergency shelters​
BC Works’ partnership with the Elizabeth Fry Society and ‘Ksan Society is part of Rio Tinto’s commitment to support community-based organizations throughout Canada that provide essential services to people affected by domestic and family violence.
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Learn more about the important work of the ‘Ksan Society and the Elizabeth Fry Society and the tangible differences they are making in addressing gender-based violence within our operational footprint.
Learn more about the 16 Days of Activism against Gender-Based Violence