Welcome
Welcome to the Gorge Waterway Initiative's (GWI) website. The Gorge Waterway Initiative (GWI) is a collaborative, community-driven group of organizations concerned with protecting and enhancing the natural and cultural features of the Gorge Waterway, Portage Inlet and the surrounding watersheds.
Celebrate valentine's Day
by showing your love for restoring the natural environment
Celebrate Valentine's Day
by showing your love for restoring the natural environment
Celebrate valentine's Day
by showing your love for restoring the natural environment
Point Ellice Shoreline Restoration:
2011 season starts
Sunday February 13
Help us restore a historic shoreline
Join the Gorge Waterway Initiative restore remnant ecosystems and historic walkways along the Gorge on the Point Ellice Woodland Shore Restoration Project.
Click here for more details about this project.
Click here for other volunteer opportunities.
Contact us if you would like to be added to our crew list and you will receive notification of all work party dates and times.
Join our volunteer work parties and help remove ivy and replant with native vegetation.
Work parties are usually held on the second Sunday of the month and run from 10am - 1pm
Work party schedule for 2012 will be posted here in January.
Where: Point Ellice House, 2616 Pleasant Street (Off Bay Street near the bridge) through the gate towards the water.
Contact us if you would like to be added to our crew list.
Who: Community volunteers, university and college students, high school students, school groups, corporate volunteers, Sea scouts and YOU! We love having large groups come out for a day...maybe your school class, scouts groups or your company would like to join us?
Gloves, equipment and refreshments provided!
..........................BEFORE ............................................................AFTER...........................
Ivy
and other invasive plant species that dominated the ground cover, have been
removed from most areas. Replanting with native trees, shrubs and perennials has
been the focus of volunteer activities as well as removing any new invasives that sprout up again.
updated "who do you call?" information
december 2011
Situation |
Agency |
Phone number |
Spill reporting: |
Provincial Emergency Program (PEP) |
1-800-663-3456 24-hour |
Spills |
Each municipality has a pollution control officer to assist with spills. |
|
Esquimalt |
250-414-7108 After hours: 250-995-7654 |
|
Saanich |
250-475-5596 After hours: 250-475-5599 |
|
Victoria |
250-361-0300 |
|
View Royal |
250-479-6800 |
|
Sewage outflow |
CRD |
250-360-3256 |
Stormwater discharges |
CRD |
250-360-3109 |
Destruction/alteration of fish habitat; sport and commercial fishing violations |
Fisheries and Oceans Canada (DFO) |
1-800-465-4336 24-hour |
Wildlife harassment |
BC Ministry of Environment |
1-877-952-7277 24-hour. |
Disturbing migratory birds |
Canadian Wildlife Service, Environment Canada |
1-877-768-6904 24-hour |
Dead or living marine mammals |
Marine Mammal Rescue Centre |
1-604-258-7325 or Cell: 1-604-862-1647 |
Municipal bylaw infractions such as zoning, building and development (shoreline, set-backs) and tree protection |
Weekdays. Most municipalities prefer that bylaw infractions are registered in writing or online. |
|
Esquimalt |
250-414-7108 www.esquimalt.ca |
|
Saanich |
250-475-5456 www.saanich.ca |
|
Victoria |
250-361-0215 www.victoria.ca |
|
View Royal |
250-479-6800 www.town.viewroyal.bc.ca |
|
Crime related |
Police |
Emergency : 911 |
Speeding watercraft |
Police Harbour Master (Victoria) |
See above: Police don’t regularly patrol the waterway. They investigate speeding issues but are unable to deploy a boat rapidly. Gather as much information as possible about boat and operator, direction of travel, etc. |
Boating accident, search and rescue |
Joint Rescue and Coordination Centre (JRCC) |
1-800-567-5111 Cell: #727
24-hour. |
Encountering or disturbing cultural sites |
Archaeology Branch, BC Ministry of Forests, Lands and Natural Resource Operations |
250-953-3334 |