Water Quality and Waste Water

Working Together:

Shared Goals and Objectives for the Future of Burrard Inlet

Together, the BIEAP partners have articulated four goals and a number of objectives which will guide the actions taken annually to improve the environmental condition of Burrard Inlet.

Goals	Objectives
Goal #1. Improve water quality in Burrard Inlet.	Reduce the levels of contaminants entering marine and freshwater systems in the drainage basin. Limit impacts from future discharges into the environment
Goal #2. Minimize the effects of contaminated soils and sediment on human and ecological health.	Manage and remediate contaminated sediments
Goal #3. Maintain and enhance productive fish and wildlife habitat and the natural biodiversity of Burrard Inlet	Identify sites for habitat protection and restoration
Goal #4. Encourage human and economic development activities that enhance the environmental quality of Burrard Inlet.	Incorporate environmental objectives into all planning and land management activities. Develop guidelines for managing human activities that may affect the environment of Burrard Inlet

Putting the Plan for Burrard Inlet into Action

The Consolidated Environmental Management Plan for Burrard Inlet identifies over twenty-one explicit actions to protect, manage and improve Burrard Inlet's ecosystem now and in the future. In addition, the BIEAP partners have identified a number items in each of the six sub-areas of Burrard Inlet.

Water Quality and Waste Management

1. Coordinate the management of liquid waste in Burrard Inlet.

2. Implement a coordinated ambient water quality monitoring program for Burrard Inlet.

3. Review the provincial permit discharge standards for industrial wastes.

4. Explore ways BIEAP could contribute to air quality initiatives in the region.

5. Contribute to the effort to reduce non-point source pollution in Burrard Inlet.

Contaminated Lands and Sediments

6. Develop Industrial Best Management Practices (BMPs) and strengthen partnerships with the industrial sector.

7. Prepare and implement a sediment management plan for False Creek.

8. Develop a database to monitor historically contaminated lands and sediments in Burrard Inlet.

9. Develop risk-based sediment management plans for historically contaminated areas of Burrard Inlet.

10. Use global research efforts to provide management options for contaminated lands and sediments.

Healthy Ecosystems and Biodiversity

11. Protect and enhance existing "protected" area in Burrard Inlet.

12. Contribute information to the Greater Vancouver Biodiversity Conservation Pilot Study.

13. Use legislative tools and designations such as Marine Protected Area legislation, Wildlife Management Areas and ecological corridors to protect and enhance valuable areas in the Burrard Inlet ecosystem.

14. Provide resources to municipal, regional and port planning initiatives along the shoreline and in adjoining watersheds.

15. Provide support and technical expertise to community stewardship groups in their efforts to improve the environment in Burrard Inlet.

16. Identify areas for habitat compensation banking.

17. Develop environmental guidelines for recreation access, and park development and maintenance.

18. Update and promote the BIEAP Shoreline Development Guidelines.

19. Develop pilot projects in cooperation with the public and private sectors to showcase innovative environmentally sensitive designs.

20. Develop an inventory of archeologically significant sites.

21. Develop models to deal with the cumulative effects of development within Burrard Inlet.