Last week, the development of Pender Harbour Ocean Discovery Station (PODS) took a significant step forward after shíshálh Nation signed a 15-year relationship agreement with the Loon Foundation, kicking off a landmark collaboration in the development and operation of PODS.
On Saturday, the federal government inked the deal with the announcement of a $13.4 million investment towards the project.
Patrick Weiler, MP for West Vancouver-Sunshine Coast-Sea to Sky Country, was in Pender Harbour Nov. 16, to make the announcement in front of an enthusiastic crowd, who braved the rain to attend the event. Weiler acknowledged the announcement was “many years in the making” and added, investing in infrastructure projects such as this is vital to building Canada’s economy and healthy communities.
“Today is a really exciting day because it's an example of how the federal government's going to be focused on building an even brighter future here on the Sunshine Coast,” said Weiler.
PODS, located within kalpilin (Pender Harbour), will be a net-zero facility built in collaboration with the Loon Foundation and shíshálh Nation to incorporate Indigenous traditional knowledge, western science and local culture. The state-of-the-art PODS building will be designed and operated to promote environmental stewardship and celebrate the region's rich biodiversity. The facility will also provide opportunities for potential employment, training and mentoring for shíshálh members in its development and operation and will support economic advancement for the community and specifically shíshálh Nation.
The agreement also covers the future operation and transfer of the Iris & Billy Griffith Interpretive Centre in a collaborative operation between shíshálh Nation and Loon Foundation. The PODS facility will give visitors a first-hand look into the region’s remarkable biological and cultural diversity, while being net-zero, a balance between the carbon emitted into the atmosphere and the carbon removed from it.
Dr. Michael Jackson, executive director of the Loon Foundation, described Saturday’s announcement as “momentous.”
“Because not only have we suddenly got the money we need to move ahead… but also this relationship agreement, which has taken two-and-a-half years altogether. It's been a long process, but this whole thing has been a long process. I've been on it, I think, for 11 years,” Jackson told the crowd.
Jackson thanked a long list of supporters, including some who have since passed away over the years it’s taken the project to get to this point.
“I just think it's the vision and the dedication, with this kind of unwavering support we've had all along from so many passionate people, who just believe in this,” he said. “We get them every day, they come into our store and they just say, this is so wonderful what they're doing,” said Jackson. “But the thing about PODS is you could do this in any coastal town or village virtually anywhere in the world, and all you have to do is start caring about the place and about nature, but also hoping for better things for the future. But hope is no good unless you act on it. And so that's what we do. As you can see, we've been quite successful at it.”
lhe hiwus yalxwemult (Chief Lenora Joe), who was also in attendance at the announcement, said shíshálh Nation is “very happy” with the partnership.
“We're very excited to move forward. This is such an excellent opportunity for the people on the Sunshine Coast, particularly our children,” said lhe hiwus. “You know, this is going to be able to go beyond what we currently have in place for them and I think it's going to be just amazing. I was trying to explain this to our latest community member who was asking me what PODS was and I was like, ‘I don't know how to explain it. All I can say, it's got a lot to do with science and the ocean. There you go. So that's what they're going to be doing.’ But in all fairness, it’s going to be a magnificent project and we are very excited to partner with PODS on this. So again, we're very happy and can't wait to get started.”
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