Powell River Salmon Society is one of three British Columbia nonprofit organizations to receive funds from FortisBC to help advance their projects. The salmon society will be receiving a $15,000 community giving award.
According to a media release from FortisBC, Powell River Salmon Society promotes environmental protection and preservation of the chinook salmon population. Each year, more than 10,000 volunteer hours, along with corporate and government partnerships, help support the release of 1.9 million salmon smolts (young salmon) back into regional waters along the south coast of BC.
Funding from the FortisBC community giving awards will be used to strengthen salmon enhancement efforts and modernize classroom education through the salmon society’s recently launched website, salmoneducation.org.
“Receiving funds from FortisBC ties into everything we do, from the enhancement of salmon to the educational programs which have grown exponentially during COVID,” stated Shane Dobler, Powell River Salmon Society hatchery manager. “It’s through donations like this that we can complete our goals, and FortisBC has stood behind us for a long time, which has contributed to our long-term success.”
The society was nominated by Rod Tysdal, vice-president of Powell River Community Forest.
“The nominations we received this year showcased the diversity of grassroots organizations working hard across the province to respond to the unique needs of their communities,” stated Doug Slater, vice-president of external and Indigenous relations, FortisBC. “These three recipients exemplify those efforts and we’re confident their projects will have a lasting, positive impact.”
Each year, FortisBC invites local government officials from across the province to nominate a charity or nonprofit project in their community for these financial awards. The release stated that consideration is given to projects that promote safety; gas and electrical trades; energy literacy; skill development or leadership; environmental protection and preservation; as well as projects that meet the unique needs of Indigenous groups, organizations or communities.
The three latest community giving award recipients are among the 17 nonprofit organizations from across BC to receive this funding since the awards began in 2017.
