Experience the Fraser (ETF) is a recreational, cultural and heritage focused project, which aims to connect over 550 km of trails/greenways and blueways (close to 50% of which are in place) along the Fraser River providing a world-class resident and visitor experience.
The greenway, known as the Coast to Canyon Trail, provides active transportation users the chance to experience the Fraser along a river based route through municipalities and First Nations in the Metro Vancouver and Fraser Valley Regional Districts. The blueways enable opportunities to enjoy the river for recreational, educational, and experiential purposes.
In 2012, the Province of BC invested $2.5 million to the Fraser Valley Regional District (FVRD) and the Metro Vancouver Regional District (MV), developing a Concept Plan and Implementation Plan that identifies trails and blueway routes, implementation strategies, and actions to achieve the ultimate goal of the project which is creating a world-class experience.
With the framework in place, an additional $1 million investment from the Province was provided to construct trail segments and blueway infrastructure such as the 18 km section of Coast to Canyon Trail at Island 22 Regional Park in Chilliwack.
Implementing the ETF project is being overseen by an implementation team made up of Indigenous Tourism BC, Vancouver, Coast and Mountains tourism region, Ministry of Jobs, Economic Development and Innovation, grant writers, and supported by regional and local governments, Destination Management Organizations and First Nations partners.
The ETF project aligns with several federal and provincial priorities:
Destination Management and Development
- Destination BC and the Vancouver, Coast & Mountains region worked with partners in both the Fraser Valley and Metro Vancouver to develop Destination Development Strategies, which basically match the jurisdictional lines of the regional districts. The ten-year Destination Development Strategies were formed through an iterative, consultative, and collaborative process involving hundreds of community partners, local and provincial government, and First Nations. The resulting strategies address the supply side of tourism and how to provide remarkable experiences for residents and visitors. The ETF initiative is a key priority in both strategies, and implementation is being overseen by Destination Management Councils, with the support of the Vancouver, Coast and Mountains tourism region.
Economic Development
- The federal Tourism Growth Strategy recognizes the importance of investment attraction and destination development across the country. Additionally, British Columbia's Stronger BC Economic Plan as well as the Strategic Framework for Tourism 2022-2024: A Plan for Recovery & Resiliency reflects industry and government's shared vision for building the tourism industry back to be even more competitive than it was previously. The strategies prioritize building a tourism industry that is prepared to adapt to climate change and encourages the adoption of active transportation plans.
- In addition, it recognizes the increasing global demand for authentic Indigenous experiences has created an unprecedented opportunity for Indigenous peoples to share their living cultures and traditions with the world. The federal plan and the provincial plans both call for tourism to be an essential part of economic development in communities across the country.
The ETF implementation team has worked with partners to update the mapping of the entire Coast to Canyon route (since the initial work pre-2010). In addition, a signage inventory, signage guidelines, trail rating system, and project list has been created for each municipality along the route to guide discussions. We are working with each community to strategically plan for trail development, trail and blueway improvements and grant applications that support the advancement of the project. In addition, several large-scale infrastructure projects have been highlighted by First Nations partners that ensure safer transportation crossings for residents, provide Coast to Canyon trail continuity, and offer cultural interpretation and reconciliatory opportunities. For a examples of safety related improvements identified by First Nations:
o the current Rosedale-Agassiz bridge does not have safe pedestrian/bike crossings making it unsafe for Nation members to access their lands.
o the Bill Hartley Bridge on Hwy 1 in Hope has very narrow and unsafe pedestrian crossings, but it does have an unused rail trestle underneath the bridge that could be retrofitted to become a safe pedestrian/bike crossing; in addition, a proposed viewing platform with interpretive signage could offer Coast to Canyon trail users with an experience of the Fraser combined with Indigenous cultural interpretation and storytelling.
Active Transportation / Climate Action
On July 28, 2021, the federal government released Canada's first National Active Transportation Strategy, and the Active Transportation Fund - an investment of $400M over five years to help build new and expanded networks of pathways, bike lanes, trails and pedestrian bridges and to undertake planning studies. Each of these components are required for completing the Coast to Canyon greenway component of the Experience the Fraser project.
The provincial government's Clean BC: Roadmap to 2030 sets out emissions reduction targets for 2030 to reach the goal of net zero by 2050. This framework makes active transportation a preferred option for more people and aims to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and build a better future for all residents and visitors.
The ETF implementation team assisted the City of Mission to successfully apply for $50K in federal active transportation planning funding to complete the planning and design of a key portion of the ETF's Coast to Canyon trail through Mission, as well as $1.5 million to focus on infrastructure related to the project. Funding will inform how best to proceed with building a segment of the trail from Duncan/Gill Avenue to Dyke Road, near the Fraser River and future residential growth areas. We also provided planning assistance to the City on how to incorporate the vision of ETF within the Waterfront Revitalization Plan.
Reconciliation
The ETF initiative understands the importance of the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples and BC's Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples Act. These frameworks guide new ways of community planning.
The BC Reconciliation Action Plan and intentional reconciliation efforts provide opportunities for the Experience the Fraser initiative to be a more inclusive; the Action Plan links many Ministries actions in ways that benefit the vision of the Coast to Canyon greenway.
First Nations discussions and partnerships provide opportunities to share history, culture and connection to the Fraser River through interpretive signage and storytelling, cultural programming and business offerings. The ETF implementation team works closely with First Nations to share information about the project and learn about the goals of the Nation to find alignment and support projects of mutual interest.
The ETF implementation team assisted Tourism Ch'illiwack with successfully applying for $175K+ in federal active transportation funding, another federal grant for $450K, as well as a provincial grant for $115K+ for a project along the ETF route in Chilliwack. This project includes ETF wayfinding, benches and cultural kiosks that will provide interpretation of the First Nations' history and the importance of the Fraser River along this section of the Coast to Canyon trail. Tourism Ch'illiwack, Sto:lo Nation and Ts’elxwéyeqw have developed a Sí:yá:ya Yóyes Friends Working (Together) Plan that is a foundational framework for reconciliation. The design, development and installation of Indigenous signage, wayfinding, and interpretive kiosks helps to bring this agreement to life.
A new picnic shelter and storytelling kiosk will be placed in Abbotsford at the Matsqui Regional District Park as a result of another provincial grant for over $100K.
This initiative continues today and is being guided by the ETF implementation team made up of Indigenous Tourism BC, Vancouver, Coast and Mountains tourism region, Ministry of Jobs, Economic Development and Innovation, grant writers, and local government and First Nations partners.