Image: Cheam First Nation / Sqwá Councillor and Stó:lō Elder Eddie Gardner is pictured holding juvenile salmon during a recent discovery that a toxic spill has killed thousands of juvenile salmon in the Hope Slough in Chilliwack.

By Mike Vanden Bosch

Toxic spill

Toxic spill kills thousands of salmon in Chilliwack waterway: Cheam First Nation

Sep 25, 2024 | 8:49 AM

CHILLIWACK — Cheam First Nation east of Chilliwack says thousands of juvenile salmon were killed by a recent toxic spill in a Chilliwack waterway.

In a statement from Cheam First Nation Tuesday (Sept. 24), the band says Sqwá Councillor Eddie Gardner, Sqwá Lands Manager Anna-lise Cooke and Cheam First Nation staff member Roxanna Kooistra made the discovery on Monday, Sept. 23 during a routine visit to Hope Slough waterway where they were conducting water sampling. Cheam says an emergency response was initiated in an effort to control the toxic spill, and the source of the contamination has not been identified. The band says it may be linked to agriculture and farming activities in the Hope Slough area. Work is ongoing as personnel look to pinpoint its origin and why it continues to kill fish and, potentially, wildlife in the area.

Cheam and Sqwá First Nations have been doing work to restore this sacred waterway within their territory, saying the Hope Slough has significant meaning to Indigenous people. Cheam says the slough contains many ancient village sites along its waterway and has sustained First Nations people for thousands of years. Once a healthy waterway home to a multitude species of salmon, other fish and wildlife, the band says Hope Slough has deteriorated over the years due to the accumulation of resource development impacts.

Chief Darwin Douglas of Cheam First Nation says water is the most essential element for society.

“Water is our most sacred resource. All life depends on it,” Chief Douglas said. “We must protect our sacred water resources, and wherever possible work to restore the health of our waterways. Indigenous people have Inherent Title and Rights to water within our territories, and more importantly, we have an inherent responsibility to protect water.”

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Cheam First Nation contends dumped toxic waste caused a sudden drop in oxygen spanning several kilometers, resulting in oxygen levels dropping so low that all of the fish have died including the endangered species Salish Sucker, as well as trout and juvenile coho.

Image: Cheam First Nation / Juvenile salmon.

The incident happened weeks before the migration of chum, chinook, and coho pass through the area to spawn, resulting in an entire year of juveniles being gone. Cheam First Nation says it will continue the testing until it identifies the source.

Sqwá Councillor and Stó:lō Elder Eddie Gardner expressed profound dismay at the discovery.

“This has to stop! We can no longer tolerate our wild salmon and waterways being killed,” Councillor Gardner. “We will not stop our efforts to protect our land and waters, we are disappointed at Provincial government agencies for continuing to let this devastation take place. Enough is enough.”