Our History

The Fraser River is at the heart of British Columbia. This is the longest river within BC — stretching some 1,375 km from the Rockies to the Salish Sea — and one of the world’s great wild salmon rivers. The Fraser River Basin is BC’s largest, and Canada’s fifth largest, drainage system — 240,000 square km (roughly a quarter of the province). For a sense of the scale, consider that all of Great Britain could easily fit within it.

First Nations were the first to recognize the special nature of this waterway and enjoy its bounty. Indigenous people have lived beside the river since the vast glaciers started receding 10,000 years ago and the Fraser River, as we know it, emerged.

Following British and European settlement, the Fraser River and the Basin were impacted by over a century of intensive population growth and development. By the 1980s, alarm bells were ringing over the fast pace of industrial and agricultural activity, urbanization and pollution from various sources. The health of the river was in jeopardy. Although the situation seemed bleak, environmental management agencies believed the river could recover if steps were taken.

Fraser River aerial taken along the river’s lower reaches. Photo: A Jansen

One “watershed moment” came when Gordon Campbell, then Mayor of Vancouver, and John Backhouse, then Mayor of Prince George, challenged each other to “clean up their parts of the river.” The joint challenge reminded everyone of the efforts needed all along the Fraser River and across jurisdictional boundaries.

The Fraser Basin Management Board was created in 1992 to address some river management issues identified in the Fraser River Action Plan. The FBMB was composed of people from within the four orders of Canadian government (federal, provincial, municipal and First Nations), along with those from the private sector and civil society.

Over the course of its five-year mandate (1992-1997), the FBMB demonstrated the value of leaders working together in collaboration on complex issues by:

The FBMB launched eight demonstration projects in watersheds, engaging multiple interests in each region:

The FBMB introduced State of the Basin Reports and Report Cards, which letter graded progress towards sustainability in the Fraser Basin. These laid the groundwork for FBC’s later sustainability indicators program. With the vision of “Sustainability Together,” the FBMB also created a BasinPlan that set out four directions for action that would later be reflected in a Charter for Sustainability.

The Charter speaks to the importance of people in all walks of life understanding sustainability, caring for ecosystems, strengthening their communities and improving decision-making at all levels. There is also recognition, under Principle 11, that Aboriginal rights and titles now being defined should be reconciled in a fair and just manner.

FBC’s first Chair Iona Campagnolo with Vice-Chair Roy Mussell

As the FBMB wrapped up its five-year program, support emerged for a successor organization based on the same collaborative model.

Under the leadership of Chair Iona Campagnolo and the first Board of Directors, and with support from Executive Director David Marshall, the Fraser Basin Council was formed in 1997 as a non-profit society The Council attained charitable status in 1998.