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Welcome to the West Vancouver Shoreline Preservation Society.

This site shares with you, a vision of an ecologically friendly foreshore.  A dream that is becoming a reality through the efforts of people like you working with the District of West Vancouver staff and other dedicated individuals who want to make a difference.  

You can make it happen. You can ensure your children and your children’s children will have a rich heritage of flora and fauna in an integrated people friendly foreshore.

The purpose and aim of this society is to:

  • Promote and assist in the preservation of the West Vancouver shoreline
  • Promote community awareness in the shoreline
  • Improve it as a habitat for sea-life
  • Improve the esthetics of the shoreline area for the benefit of the West Vancouver community and those who enjoy the shoreline area

West Vancouver – “The Waterfront Community”

Preserving the integrity of the natural shorelines of West Vancouver for future generations comes with many challenges.

Prior to 2005 when West Vancouver Mayor and council embarked on a focused foreshore initiative these had included the following:

  • Limited knowledge and understanding of historic and ongoing coastal processes including erosion and accretion and the effects on shoreline values
  • Jurisdictional obstacles between multiple levels of government and their regulatory branches that may complicate maintaining an integrated long term view of the shoreline systems
  • Lack of integrated approaches to coastal management by all levels of government
  • Historic lack of shoreline specific long term planning and budgeting
  • Historic lack of capacity by the District to enable advancing the recommendations of past studies and reports on the shoreline

The West Vancouver Shoreline Preservation Society was formed to support and encourage the District to enhance knowledge and understanding of the shoreline values and processes.  We will inform and engage the interests and contributions of others including the District of West Vancouver, senior levels of government, individuals and corporate participants who endorse and support the goals of preserving and enhancing the shoreline.

The society will also support knowledge development through pilot rehabilitation and enhancement approaches that will restore a healthy natural shoreline in impacted areas and provide a working model for other communities and levels of government.