ADDENDUM TO THE
MEMORANDUM OF UNDERSTANDING REGARDING
THE FRASER RIVER ESTUARY MANAGEMENT PROGRAM:
LINKING THE ESTUARY MANAGEMENT PLAN
AND KEY GVRD MANAGEMENT PLANS

1. PURPOSE OF THE ADDENDUM
This document is an addendum to the existing Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) that establishes the Fraser River Estuary Management Program (FREMP). The Greater Vancouver Regional District (GVRD) is a signatory to that MOU and a funding partner of FREMP. This addendum elaborates how key GVRD management plans related to upland human activities affect, and are affected by, the Fraser River Estuary Management Plan, and how collaboration and coordination among these planning initiatives can be enhanced.

1a. Background
In 1994, FREMP prepared and adopted the Fraser River Estuary Management Plan (EMP). The EMP is one of FREMP’s main mechanisms for achieving the program’s overall goal of the sustainable development of the Fraser River estuary. The EMP provides a framework for integrating and managing the human and natural activities in the estuary, focusing on the wet side of the dyke system. The EMP was adopted by all of the FREMP partners and endorsed by municipalities along the estuary.

Recognizing the ecological, social and economic interrelationships between the estuary and areas surrounding it, FREMP partners have been pursuing mechanisms to enhance linkages to upland activities that affect the estuary. Two of the significant interrelationships are water flows from upland areas into the estuary and human activities such as land uses along the shoreline. Water flows occur through existing watercourses and through outfalls or other emission sources that carry liquid wastes, including sanitary sewage, stormwater and non-point source emissions (NPS). Human activities include various land uses along the shoreline, recreation uses in and around the estuary and land-based transportation links to the estuary.

Proactive linkages are best pursued by incorporating mutually-supportive objectives and strategic directions into long-term plans. Pursuing linkages between the EMP and upland plans is thus a key avenue for achieving higher integration between the estuary and its upland areas.

The GVRD has two main planning instruments that have strong linkages to the EMP. The Livable Region Strategic Plan (LRSP) is a long-range plan for the physical development of the region to the year 2021. The LRSP was adopted by the GVRD Board in January 1996 and deemed a regional growth strategy on February 10, 1996 by the Province. The LRSP is implemented through mechanisms provided by the Municipal Act, which include regional context statements in Official Community Plans and implementation agreements.

The Liquid Waste Management Plan (LWMP), under preparation, will outline how the region’s sanitary sewage and stormwater liquid waste emissions will be managed in an economically-efficient, environmentally-appropriate manner. The LWMP is required under the Waste Management Act, and will be implemented through, for example, the activities of the GVRD in managing the regional liquid waste system and through linkages to municipal policies and practices for stormwater management.

1b. Addendum Purpose
This addendum elaborates:

• the mutual objectives of GVRD and FREMP with respect to linking estuary and upland planning and management within the context of sustainable regional development;
  
• how the EMP and GVRD’s LRSP, LWMP and Regional Greenways Vision relate to and reinforce each other, particularly in the area of improved links between upland and estuary management; and,
  
• actions that FREMP and the GVRD will undertake, within the context of the management plans referred to in this addendum, to improve linkages between upland and estuary management.

2. MUTUAL OBJECTIVES FOR SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT
The Greater Vancouver Regional District and the Fraser River Estuary Management Program share common goals for the future development of the Greater Vancouver region. Both are concerned with addressing regional issues that cross administrative boundaries, and that link land and resource management within the overall context of sustainable development. The GVRD and FREMP are committed to integrated management of the estuary, to achieving the Livable Region Strategic Plan, to completing the Liquid Waste Management Plan, and to increasing coordination between estuary and upland management and between water and land use planning.

The GVRD has a broad mandate for regional development and is enabled through provincial legislation to prepare and maintain a regional growth strategy and to provide regional services including regional parks and trails, wastewater treatment, drinking water supply and solid waste management planning.

The Fraser River Estuary Management Program is mandated through a Memorandum of Understanding among the parties to implement coordinated measures to protect and improve environmental quality, to provide economic development opportunities and to sustain quality of life in and around the Fraser River Estuary. The latter includes facilitating public access and recreation opportunities.

3. GVRD CONTRIBUTIONS TO COORDINATED ESTUARY AND UPLAND PLANNING AND MANAGEMENT
The Livable Region Strategic Plan (LRSP) has four main strategies; Protect the Green Zone, Build Complete Communities, Achieve a Compact Metropolitan Region and Increase Transportation Choice. Key policy directions in the LRSP that are relevant to enhanced integration between estuary and upland planning and management are outlined in Table 1.

The GVRD and the Province of British Columbia have established the Greater Vancouver Transportation Authority (GVTA) as a transportation planning and implementation body whose plans will be required to be consistent with the LRSP. This implementation mechanism provides additional opportunities to coordinate upland transportation planning with the EMP directions.

The Liquid Waste Management Plan (LWMP) will outline how the liquid waste will be managed in an economically-efficient, environmentally-appropriate manner. The LWMP will be implemented through, for example, the activities of the GVRD in managing the regional liquid waste system and through linkages to municipal policies and practices for stormwater management. These initiatives will lessen pollution loading to the estuary and improve management of water flows to the estuary and its tributaries.

Components of the LWMP that contribute to enhanced integration between estuary and upland management are identified in Table 1.

If the LWMP does not address all liquid waste emissions to the estuary; these emissions must be addressed through other mechanisms. Emissions that might be addressed by such other mechanisms include agricultural runoff, on-site sewage disposal, industrial effluent that directly enters the estuary, marine activities such as recreational boating discharges and boat and ship maintenance, and the effects of land development practices such as land clearing.

These other issues will be addressed through provincial and federal initiatives with the intent that their implementation as they affect the estuary would be coordinated through FREMP.

4. EMP CONTRIBUTIONS TO COORDINATED UPLAND AND ESTUARY PLANNING AND MANAGEMENT
The EMP sets out how and where current and future use of the water and shoreline will occur and how water quality objectives and activities will be coordinated. Key areas in the EMP that contribute to coordinated upland and estuary management are identified in Table 2.

5. COORDINATION OF POLICY AND ACTION
The actions outlined in Table 3 are intended to produce greater coordination and collaboration of the GVRD’s and FREMP’s activities as they relate to integration of upland and estuary planning and management.

IN WITNESS WHEREOF the Parties hereto have executed this Memorandum.