CN established the Cheakamus Ecosystem Recovery Fund to increase community involvement and complement ongoing recovery efforts on the river. Funds are available to Streamkeepers, environmental stewardship groups and watershed societies to develop and implement restoration activities. Other large-scale enhancement and construction projects will continue to be developed and implemented by CN and outside of the Fund. The Cheakamus Ecosystem Recovery Fund is similar to existing funding programs provided through the Pacific Salmon Foundation and BC Hydro's Bridge Coastal program with a few notable modifications:

• The qualifying funding area is the Cheakamus River from the Daisy Lake dam to the Squamish Estuary including the tributaries to the Cheakamus River.
• The target species for the program include those determined to have been most affected by the sodium hydroxide spill, specifically steelhead, chinook, char and sculpin. Those species less affected will also be considered.
• The project review and selection committee is represented by CERTC membership (CN, District of Squamish, Fisheries and Oceans Canada, Ministry of Environment and Squamish Nation). BC Hydro will also review projects that have the potential to confound or affect BC Hydro's interests on the Cheakamus River.
• The program provides opportunity for groups to hire professionals to assist in the projects and does not limit the amount or percentage of funds it can provide to any one project, however we do encourage partnerships with other funding groups.

CN will provide all project funding. The yearly budget for all projects will be $400,000 and the program will run from 2007 until 2011. Total possible funding over the course of the program is $2 million. Applications are currently being accepted and applicants are encouraged to submit on February 15 and October 15 of each year.

Funding Program (CERF) Brochure (pdf)

This funding initiative is one of many restoration strategies in CN's overall Cheakamus Ecosystem Recovery Plan (CERP). CN continues to investigate and develop enhancement and construction projects outside of the funding program.

Recovery Fund Application Criteria
Formal Application
Seed Funding Application
Evaluation Form

2008
1. British Columbia Conservation Foundation - Brohm River instream habitat restoration project phase 1. $45,000 Grant.
Brohm Creek Phase I 2008 Final Report (pdf)

2. District of Squamish - Carson Place Culvert Installation. $29,717.15 Grant.
Carson Place Culvert Installation Fish Salvage and Environmental Monitoring Report, 2008 (pdf) New!

3. Squamish River Watershed Society - Eelgrass Restoration in Upper Howe Sound by Stawamus. $7,021.51 Grant.
Eelgrass Restoration in Upper Howe Sound Final Report, 2009 (pdf) New!

4. The Nature Trust - Squamish Estuary Acquisition - Cattermole Slough. $50,000 Grant.

5. Caroline Armour - Investigating Cottid recolonization in the Cheakamus River, BC through measurements of genetic distinctiveness. $6,800 Grant.

6. Squamish River Watershed Society - Squamish Outreach and Education Project for the salmon recovery plan. $33,556.00 Grant.
Squamish Watershed Education and Outreach 2008, Final Report (pdf) New!

7. Squamish River Watershed Society - Squamish Estuary Riparian Land Purchase - Mamquam Island. Conditional Approval $100,000 Grant

8. British Columbia Conservation Foundation - Squamish River Engineered Log Jam Habitat Project Phase 1. Conditional Approval $30,000 Grant.

9. British Columbia Conservation Foundation - Lower Cheakamus River Instream Habitat Restoration Project Phase 2. Conditional Approval $143,532.00 Grant.

10. Squamish Environmental Conservation Society - Cattermole Creek Loop Boardwalk. Seed funding $3,400.00 Grant.

11. Squamish River Watershed Society - Swift Creek Channel Restoration. Seed funding $5,000.00 Grant.

2007
1. Michael Melnychuk - Assessment of juvenile survival of hatchery-reared coho salmon during downstream migration and early ocean survival. $50,000 Grant.

Final Report Coho POST Study (PDF)

2. Squamish River Watershed Society - Creel survey of the Squamish River watershed recreation fishery.

2007 Creel Survey Report (PDF)
2007 Creel Survey Data (PDF)

3. Squamish River Watershed Society - Squamish River estuary training dyke culvert improvement project.

Culvert Installation Final Repot (PDF)

NOTE: Applicants are encouraged to continue submitting projects to CERTC for the 2009 year funding allocation.