The Indigenous Watersheds Initiative (IWI) was created to support and invest in Indigenous-led watershed priorities for healthy ecosystems and communities. Guided by UNDRIP principles, IWI is both funding and supporting First Nation communities in British Columbia working to advance their visions of watershed health and security. IWI was established with a $15 million investment from the Province of British Columbia in 2022 and is being delivered through a partnership of MakeWay and Watersheds BC. IWI is a three-year initiative that will end in March 2025. The 2022 funding commitment builds upon BC’s previous 2020 investment of $27 million dollars that established the Healthy Watershed Initiative (HWI).

From restoring rivers and streams and protecting salmon habitat, to fostering future generations of watershed caretakers, this work will help advance a model of watershed security that is rooted in long-term resilience, local values, and upholding Indigenous rights and title. This work supports First Nations watershed leadership, reconnecting with land and water, building intergenerational connections, and strengthening Indigenous-led organizations. Specifically, this funding will help:

• Stewarding watershed health through traditional practices, monitoring, and/or guardian programs;

• Securing Securing safe and clean drinking water for all;

• Sustaining local and traditional food systems;

• Connecting communities to their watersheds;

• Protecting and mitigating against climate change; and,

• Advancing Indigenous laws and knowledge.

IWI funding was dispersed through two funding rounds:

• Round One took place in Spring 2022 and was open to existing or previous Indigenous-led or co-led projects funded by the Healthy Watersheds Initiative (HWI). Round One has now closed. Twenty-one projects were funded; you can learn more about them here.

• Round Two was co-developed with Indigenous Advisors who collectively determined the design and decision-making process. Round Two launched in March 2023 and prioritized First Nation organizations or communities that had not been previous recipients under HWI or IWI. Round two granting allocated $6 million to 28 First Nation led projects.

IWI Round One was open to projects funded through the Healthy Watersheds Initiative. Expressions of interest were submitted and reviewed by IWI staff, who made recommendations for funding.

The application and decision-making process was re-designed for Round Two. Applications received by IWI were reviewed by IWI staff, who created a shortlist of applications. These applications were reviewed by IWI’s Indigenous Advisors, who collaborated with IWI staff on final recommendations for funding.

Unfortunately, no. The IWI funds being administered by MakeWay and Watersheds BC was a one-time investment from the Province of BC in 2022. The application period for Round Two closed on April 24, 2023. This was the final granting round of the Indigenous Watersheds Initiative.

The IWI funding was not part of the $100 million investment in a Watershed Security Fund, which the Province of BC announced in March 2023 as part of Budget 2023. The $100-million investment in the Watershed Security Fund and Strategy is being co-developed with First Nations. The new funding commitment builds on the success of previous investments in watershed security, including a $27-million investment in the Healthy Watersheds Initiative (HWI) under the Stronger BC Economic Plan made in 2020, as well as the $30-million commitment to watershed health made by the Province in Budget 2022, which included funding that helped create IWI.