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GOAL 4
PROTECT THE
ENVIRONMENT
Foster community and individual responsibil-
ity in environmental protection and conser-
vation.
Our city resides in the heart of the Fraser Valley. The
surrounding Cascade and Coast Mountains, rivers
and farmland form our daily experience. Protecting
the environment is more than protecting the physi-
cal landscape and ecosystems, but also our everyday
experience and lifestyle. As such, it is a collective re-
sponsibility and warrants a community-wide effort.
Chilliwack believes that community stewardship rep-
resents the best approach to building broad public
support for environmental protection, transforming
our lifestyle from consumption to conservation, and
ultimately, building a healthy city based on a sustain-
able footprint.
Community stewardship fosters public education and
participation; it focuses on action. Stewardship en-
tails not only participation by the general public, but
also private sector initiative from the development
industry and the “market”. At the same time, the
City needs to lead by embracing and articulating a
supportive policy framework for environmental pro-
tection and enhancement. Since the adoption of the
1998 OCP, the City has set a number of environmental
milestones as follows:
i. Adoption of the Air Quality, Energy and
Greenhouse Gas Action Plan in 2007 and
subsequent GHG reductions associated
with the Bailey Landfill, Waste Water Treat-
ment Plant, and transit and bicycle network
plans;
ii. Hillside Development Standards Policy in
2013 / Hillsides Development Guidelines
2007;
iii. Development Permit Area #2 – hillside and
upland development guidelines;
iv. Development Permit Area #11 – riparian
protection;
v. Implementation of the Groundwater Pro-
tection Plan (1997); and,
vi. Curbside garbage and recycling collection
(2004).
This OCP Update enables the City to act proactively
by identifying major environmental assets for protec-
tion, and mapping critical natural hazard areas that
future development should avoid or take special pre-
cautions. While the Plan’s intent remains on setting
development policies and regulations, it also aims to
inform the general public and the development in-
dustry about our environment, emphasizing private
initiative in conservation, hazard avoidance and risk
reduction at the predesign stage, rather than during
or after the development when policies and regula-
tions are enforced.
GENERAL ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION
Chilliwack’s natural environment is embodied in its
hillsides, uplands, streams, rivers and valley plain.
The community’s diverse ecosystems include a wide
range of aquatic and terrestrial flora and fauna, mak-
ing significant contributions to the region’s unique
biodiversity. The establishment of ecological reserves,
such as the Great Blue Heron Nature Reserve near
the Vedder River and the Hillkeep Nature Reserve on
Chilliwack Mountain, help preserve biodiversity but
conservation efforts must also extend throughout
the community. It is important to protect, enhance
and create habitats to support diverse flora and fauna
Goal 4 - Protect the Environment