Tsleil-Waututh Nation completes 500-metre shoreline restoration near Dollarton
Otters, heron and deer are already returning to the restored North Shore shoreline. The $10.1-million project used nature-based solutions to combat coastal erosion.
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The səlilwətaɬ (Tsleil-Waututh Nation) has wrapped up a shoreline restoration project on roughly 500 metres of beach near Dollarton Highway, with early signs of ecological success already visible.
The project, completed this summer, used nature-based solutions including sand and gravel beach nourishment, rock walls below the shoreline, and salt marsh plantings to help mitigate wave action and protect the shoreline against coastal erosion and flooding. Project lead Sarah Dal Santo reported that seaweed is now establishing on rock headlands and otters, heron, and deer are returning to the area.
"There have been some very exciting early signs of success," Santo said. "These are early signs that the habitat enhancement and restoration work as part of the project is doing well, and that important existing food sources in Burrard Inlet have been protected." Canada geese, however, required intervention—crews installed brushwood fencing to keep them from eating on the new salt marsh plants.
The project was funded by a joint $10.1-million investment: over $7.5 million in federal funding, plus $2.5 million from the province and the nation itself. The Tsleil-Waututh Nation's climate action and energy management team have been examining the shoreline and consulting with external biologists, civil engineering specialists, and climate advocacy organizations since 2021.
For decades, Tsleil-Waututh Nation members witnessed their shoreline actively erode—in some places, up to 13 metres of beach was lost. Elected councillor Nicholas Kofi, who has witnessed the erosion since childhood, sees the restoration as a path back to traditional practices. "My mom, our uncles and aunties used to go down to the shoreline and have oyster bakes, and it wasn't always possible because of safety reasons and the erosion and pollution," Kofi said. "Hopefully down the line, the next generation can harvest oysters or crabs."
The next step is ongoing monitoring and maintenance. The Tsleil-Waututh Nation is creating a community group to support that work.
At a glance
Where is the shoreline restoration project?
The Tsleil-Waututh Nation completed the restoration on roughly 500 metres of beach near Dollarton Highway on the North Shore.
How much did the shoreline restoration cost?
The project cost $10.1 million, funded by over $7.5 million in federal funding, $2.5 million from the province, and additional funding from the Tsleil-Waututh Nation itself.
What methods were used to restore the shoreline?
The Tsleil-Waututh Nation used nature-based solutions including sand and gravel beach nourishment, rock walls below the shoreline, and salt marsh plantings to mitigate wave action and protect against coastal erosion and flooding.
What wildlife has returned to the restored area?
Otters, heron, and deer are already returning to the restored shoreline near Dollarton, and seaweed is establishing on rock headlands.
