Report and Information Hotlines

(please note: all contact information was correct at time of printing but may no longer be valid)

Enquiry Lines:

Federal Government Enquiry Line: 1-800-667-3355, provides contact numbers for federal agencies (does not transfer calls).

Enquiry B.C Transfer Line: 1-800-663-7867, will transfer your call to the appropriate agency or contact person.

Who Regulates What?

Every part of British Columbia’s coastline falls under the jurisdiction of one or more of the following levels of government: municipalities, regional districts, First Nations Peoples, provincial, or federal government. Private property extends only as far as the mean ordinary high tide mark.

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Ahead to Appendix 1: Where to Get Help

Imagine that when you bought your land the previous owners passed on a series of maps, charts, and surveys that marked thriving clam and oyster beds, stands of sea asparagus, seal haul-outs, and eagle trees. You would have been able to make informed decisions about your new property: where to place your beach paths and docks, how to orient your sundeck for the best view. You would also have known about sensitive populations of wildlife that shared your land and how to avoid harming them.

...how to minimize harm through careful building and landscaping

Some of the largest alterations we can make to our properties are structural: digging fields for septic systems or channels for water pipes, clearing land for lawns and views, paving, roofing, and removing trees. Although many of these things help us to enjoy our property, they may also lead to potential problems through increased run-off and erosion.

Until recently we believed the size and chemistry of the sea allowed it to absorb unlimited amounts of garbage, toxic chemicals, and household wastes. Now we realize that like any ecosystem the ocean can only take so much. The marine shore is a unique network of wildlife and habitat. Everything we do on the uplands affects the ability of the shore to buffer and filter out an onslaught of natural and imposed changes.

...some different shore types and how to identify them
...an introduction to our tides, and marine food web

The intertidal zone is an exciting place where more than just the land and the ocean meet: it is a unique community where seaweeds and animals can survive both above and below the sea. Life in the intertidal zone (literally meaning "between the tides") means adjusting to new conditions every time the tide changes--and this is happening nearly all the time.

Welcome to the contents page for Caring for Our Shores: A Handbook for Coastal Landowners in the Strait of Georgia. The handbook provides information for waterfront landowners in the Strait of Georgia, British Columbia, including: stewardship tips and property enhancement activities, maps of lower Vancouver Island's east coast, an introduction to intertidal ecology, and illustrations. The following sites are summaries of some of the book's chapters.