In the tiny Vancouver Island community of Fanny Bay, residents are waging a fight against foreign control of their groundwater resources.
Every summer, local wells drop sharply and some run dry. Meanwhile, Natural Glacial Waters and Mitsubishi-owned Cermaq – the former shipping water in 500 ml bottles to local and offshore markets and the latter producing Atlantic salmon smolts to supply their open-net pen fish farms along BC’s coast – are in the queue for licenses. These two companies are pumping commercial volumes of groundwater from the same aquifers residents rely on to supply water for their households, to grow crops, and for fire protection.
One year ago, the Fanny Bay Groundwater Collective began calling on the provincial government to pause consideration of these two groundwater licenses and hold public hearings to allow informed community input into this crucial public policy decision.
BC government was late to the game when it came to protecting groundwater. It wasn’t until 2016 that BC’s Water Sustainability Act came into effect, requiring commercial groundwater users be licensed. Companies diverting groundwater prior to 2016 are considered “existing use” applicants. As such, they are fast-tracked, face a lower bar – e.g. an exemption from meeting environmental flow needs – and are permitted to divert water at their historic rate while awaiting license approval. Once licenses are granted, rights are tied to the land and exist in perpetuity. FOREVER.
Fanny Bay has a lot at stake. And a lot to offer. Research is well underway by Beaufort Watershed Stewards (a local community organization) in association with the University of Victoria to understand better the capacity and sustainability of our aquifers, the impact of climate change and logging practices on recharge rates, and what the community needs to sustain itself into the future. This in turn will underpin the development of a local Water Sustainability Plan. Presenting this research to government through the public hearing process to document impact and analyze risk posed by these proposed licenses is critical to good public policy.
Last September, the Collective called on Hon. Randene Neill, BC Minister of Water, Land and Resource Stewardship, to pause the licensing process to allow for public hearings. Their request was accompanied by a detailed Briefing Note. Over the winter and spring, they communicated with Ministry staff. At the end of May, when it became apparent the license review was proceeding, a second urgent letter was sent Minister Neill on June 10, copied to federal, provincial and local politicians as well as K’ómoks and Qualicum First Nations.
On July 21, 2026, the Collective finally received an answer. But it was not the one they’d hoped for. In her letter, Minister Neill turned down the community’s request for a pause, adding they intend to complete decisions on all Existing Use Groundwater License applications by June 2027.
Water is a good of the commons and must be managed in the sustainable interests of the community. Fortunately, thanks to West Coast Environmental Law and strong community support, the community is saddle-ready to head out in pursuit of legal options.
Never doubt that local initiatives – born and bred in the community – are the most powerful pathway to change. To learn more and help support the Fanny Bay community, visit saveourgroundwater.ca.
Wendy Holm is a retired Agrologist, journalist and author (Water and Free Trade 1988, Damning the Peace 2018) living and working on the unceded traditional territory of the Sahloot, Sasitla, Ieeksun, Xa’xe and Pentlatch peoples, who together, make up the K’omoks Nation.
