To meet the needs of all the partner agencies and better address the needs of the community, the VEHEAP partners agreed that the implementation mechanism for the Harbours Environmental Management Strategy (EMS) would be improved through the establishment of area-based initiatives and a mechanism for communication between initiatives. The following new structure, as shown in Figure 1, has been established:
Area-based Initiatives – The following area-based initiatives will be established/continued:
- Esquimalt Lagoon Stewardship Initiative – A multi-stakeholder, community-driven group which has been successfully operating since 2001.
- Esquimalt Harbour – DND will soon acquire administration and control of the Esquimalt Harbour seabed from Transport Canada. Following this transfer, DND will develop an environmental plan for the harbour.
- Victoria Harbour – Transport Canada will lead environmental management/planning for the areas over which it has administration and control (Victoria Harbour seabed from Selkirk Trestle to Ogden Point).
- Gorge Waterway Initiative - A community-driven, multi-stakeholder initiative was established in 2005.
VEHEAP Information-sharing Committee – The original VEHEAP member agencies meet twice yearly to share information, discuss the area-based initiatives and collaborate on appropriate projects/studies.