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Annual Report 2008-2009	Posted February 2010

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CHRS Strategic Plan 2008-2018	Posted January 2010

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This renewed ten-year strategic plan and its accompanying workplan set the vision and overarching priorities for the program and serve as the blueprint for the future of the system. This plan is not simply a working document for the Board or the program’s jurisdictional members. Rather, it is designed to serve as a catalyst for governments, communities, and local people to take action for their river, their community, and their lives.

This strategic plan represents a commitment to work together to fulfill a renewed vision for the Canadian Heritage Rivers program. The Canadian Heritage Rivers Board strongly endorses this strategy, and invites all Canadians to join us at the headwaters of this journey to build the best river conservation program in the world.

This strategic plan was approved at the Canadian Parks Council meeting of Ministers held September 11, 2007 in Winnipeg, Manitoba.

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10th Anniversary Celebration of the Humber as a Canadian Heritage River	Posted September 2009

10^th Anniversary Celebration:

Humber River as a Canadian Heritage River

September 19, 2009
Toronto, Ontario

“Celebrating its 25^th anniversary, the Canadian Heritage Rivers System is a provenmodel of intergovernmental cooperation, succeeding in empowering communities and local citizens to be leaders in river stewardship. Toronto and Region Conservation Authority, an integral partner of the CHRS, continues to provide this leadership through its outstanding recognition and care of the Humber River”.
 – Doug Stewart, Chair, Canadian Heritage Rivers Board

The Canadian Heritage Rivers System (CHRS) is Canada’s national river conservation program– a community-inspired, co-operative program of the federal, provincial and territorial governments. Parks Canada is the lead federal agency for the program and the Minister responsible for Parks Canada makes the final approval to designate rivers to the system. Every river in the CHRS has been designated because it strengthens Canadian identity and enables better understanding, appreciation and celebration of the country’s rich river heritage.

On September 19^th, the Humber River celebrated the 10^th anniversary of its designation as a Canadian Heritage River, during a public celebration held along its shores in downtown Toronto. Parks Canada’s Doug Stewart was a guest speaker at the event as Chair of the Canadian Heritage Rivers Board.

CHRS designation honours rivers of outstanding natural and/or cultural value, and that showcase the benefits and enjoyment of healthy river environments. The Humber River designation acknowledges the outstanding human heritage and significant contribution this river has made to the development of Canada.

Out of the 41 rivers currently in the CHRS, the Humber is the only one in the Greater Toronto Area having received this honour and the only one with a subway stop along its route. Encompassing 903 square kilometres and home to 732,000 people, the Humber River watershed is the largest under the Toronto and Region Conservation Authority's (TRCA's) jurisdiction. To mark the celebration, TRCA launched a hardcover book titled, Humber River: The Carrying Place. This commemorative book contains a foreward from the Honourable Jim Prentice, Canada’s Environment Minister and Minister responsible for Parks Canada, a photo collection and short essays describing the river, its past and the journey to become a designated Canadian Heritage River. To purchase a copy, visit www.trca.on.ca/humberbook/index.dot. Profits will be directed to protection and restoration projects along the Humber.

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2010 Canadian Heritage Rivers Calendar	Posted August 2009

This collection of images from across Canada illustrates the beauty and diversity of Canada's heritage rivers.

These majestic rivers are a vital part of Canada’s rich natural and cultural heritage. Every month features spectacular heritage river images from across Canada.

Bilingual format.

Cost: $16.99

Ordering information:
Canadian Heritage Rivers Calendar
12 Elizabeth Street
Brockville, ON K6V 7B4
(613) 342-0599

(please add 5% GST and $5.00 for shipping and handling)
Bulk order prices available on request.

www.paddlingcanada.com

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2009 Canada's Rivers Declaration	Posted August 2009

The citizen-led initiative is a compilation of ideas and suggestions from conference delegates and interested river enthusiasts to collectively affirm the vision and values for Canada's rivers, while recognizing key challenges and providing recommendations for implementation. The Declaration was presented to delegates at the 6th Canadian River Heritage Conference to obtain additional feedback and endorsement of the final Declaration.

To create the best possible 2009 Canada's Rivers Declaration, and to ensure its implementation, we need input from you!! If you are interested in providing feedback to this important document, please contact living.rivers@pc.gc.ca.

(PDF 99 KB)

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Canadian River Heritage Conference National Awards	Posted August 2009

The national river conservation awards are presented at each of the Canadian River Heritage conferences to recognize outstanding contributions of individuals and organizations in protecting Canada’s river heritage. The achievements of these individuals and organizations have made a substantial difference to improving the ecological integrity of Canada’s rivers and lakes and ensuring their long-term protection

The National River Conservation Awards of Merit honours both individuals and organizations that have made a significant contribution to a specific heritage river project, or the national Canadian Heritage Rivers System as a whole. The award consists of a special inscribed eastern hardwood paddle made by renowned paddle maker John Bell. The CHRS logo and conference dates are burned into the paddles.

1. Cowichan River, British Columbia

Larry George from the Cowichan Tribes, Kate Miller from the Cowichan Valley Regional District and Tom Rutherford from the British Columbia Conservation Foundation, Living Rivers Trust. This award is presented to showcase one of the most remarkable river restoration projects in Canada.

2. Hillsborough River, Prince Edward Island

Don McNeil, President of the Hillsborough River Association. The Hillsborough River Association is a small, volunteer organization with no salaried staff. Despite this challenge and thanks to the contributions of many individuals and partners, it has made significant progress towards the implementation of the management plan for the Hillsborough Canadian Heritage River.

3. Ottawa River, Ontario/Rivers Canada Foundation

The Quebec Labrador Foundation (QLF), has been an champion of river conservation since the inception of their Living Rivers Program in 1975. This organization has been involved in numerous projects which have been supportive of the Canadian Heritage Rivers System since 1986.

The Bill Mason National River Conservation Award is presented every three years to a Canadian citizen who has made an outstanding contribution to canoeing heritage and river conservation in Canada. Past recipients include such eminent Canadians as The Honourable Pierre Elliot Trudeau, former Prime Minister of Canada; Haida Artist Bill Reid, and Elder William Commanda of the Algonquin Nation of the Kitigan Zibi Anishinabeg (River Desert Band) Maniwaki, Quebec. The award consists of a tiger cherry wood paddle designed and wood burned by artist Dot Bonnefant of Ottawa.

Max Finklestein is very much a legend within both the paddling and river conservation community in North America. Rivers are his full time passion every day of the year and he continues his work into retirement. His knowledge of the rivers of Canada by canoe is unparalleled. He has canoed rivers throughout North America, the Arctic, Africa, Asia, Europe and Australia.

6th Canadian River Heritage Conference: June 14-17 2009	Posted August 2009

The 6^th Canadian River Heritage Conference, “Our Living Rivers: Linking Nature, People and Places through Time,” was held at the Government of Canada Conference Centre, in Ottawa, Ontario, from June 14-17, 2009.

Hosted by Parks Canada and various partners, the conference celebrated the 25^th anniversary of the Canadian Heritage Rivers System (CHRS) – Canada’s national river conservation and education program.

This flagship conference showcased successes, innovations, needs and challenges in river heritage conservation, as well as management, restoration, education, tourism, recreation and community leadership.

Message from the Chair of the 7^th Canadian River Heritage Conference: “The 7^th Canadian River Heritage Conference will be held in June, 2012 in Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island near the shores of the beautiful Hillsborough Canadian Heritage River. The Conference Committee looks forward to hosting you in the birthplace of our country with their renowned Island hospitality. More information about the conference will become available on this website over the coming years, so be sure to visit back often.”

David Boyce
Canadian Heritage River Board member for Prince Edward Island

Canadian Rivers Day June 14th, 2009!	Posted June 2008

Canada's rivers flow in awesome thundering grandeur...and in quiet beauty. They weave their way through our landscape, our history, our culture, and our spirit. For thousands of years we have depended on our rivers. Long before Europeans arrived, a tracery of rivers and canoe routes stitched the continent together. Rivers carried the early European explorers in the birch bark canoes of the Aboriginal Americans into the heart of the continent and to its very edges. Today, we still use rivers as travel routes. We swim and fish in their waters, are challenged by their rapids, find peace and solitude along their shores. But we often do not stop to acknowledge the importance of rivers in our lives. Canadian Rivers Day is an opportunity to acknowledge the gifts our rivers have given us, to honour them, to make a commitment to take care of our rivers, and to have a lot of fun. 

In celebration of our rivers, exciting events will take place across the country. Take a few moments to reflect on what rivers mean to you, and how you will celebrate Canadian Rivers Day. Whether you decide to plan a major river festival, or a Sunday afternoon excursion on your local river with friends or family, plan to do SOMETHING to celebrate Canadian Rivers Day.

Rivers to Oceans Week … Discover Canada’s Watersheds	Posted June 2008

Celebrate Rivers to Oceans Week!

Starting this year, Oceans Day (June 8) and Canadian Rivers Day (second Sunday in June) will be celebrated together in one of Canada’s newest celebratory “weeks” — Rivers to Oceans Week — from June 8 to 14.

The Canadian Wildlife Federation, in partnership with ROW partners, has developed and implemented the Rivers to Oceans Week … Discover Canada’s Watersheds (ROW) program in Canada. Rivers to Oceans Week is an opportunity to work together to create an understanding of Canada’s watersheds, our connection to fresh- and salt-water environments and what everyone can do to protect and keep watersheds healthy for people and wildlife. Each year a theme will be chosen reflecting an issue or topic that is featured in all ROW program materials.

Discover Canada’s Northern Waters

This year’s theme ─ “Ocean’s …only a river away” ─ introduces this new program. The content of the ROW kit encourages everyone to celebrate Rivers to Oceans Week with one heartfelt embrace that will take in all of our northern waters during International Polar Year.

Join us during Rivers to Oceans Week and throughout the year to celebrate Canadian northern waters and protect Canada’s watersheds.

Canadian Wildlife Federation
E-mail: info@cwf-fcf.org
Websites: www.cwf-fcf.org
www.wildeducation.org

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