environmental education

Hoy/Scott Watershed Society Is Now a Registered Canadian Charity

Hoy Creek in December (Coquitlam, BC)

We are proud to share an important milestone for the Hoy/Scott Watershed Society: as of July 2025, we are officially a registered Canadian charity.

Our charitable registration number is: 863285847RR0001

This achievement reflects years of dedicated volunteer effort, strong community partnerships, and a shared commitment to protecting and restoring the Hoy and Scott watersheds.

What Does Charitable Status Mean?

Becoming a registered charity with the Canada Revenue Agency confirms that the Hoy/Scott Watershed Society operates for the public good and meets rigorous standards for governance, accountability, and transparency.

It also strengthens our ability to:

  • Protect and enhance salmon habitat

  • Deliver environmental education and outreach

  • Support monitoring, restoration, and stewardship initiatives

  • Build partnerships that benefit the entire watershed and community

How This Helps Our Supporters

With charitable status, we can now issue official donation receipts for income tax purposes.

This means:

  • Individuals can receive tax credits for their donations

  • Businesses can make charitable contributions with formal documentation

  • Supporters can give with confidence, knowing their contributions directly support local environmental stewardship

Every donation helps us continue hands-on work in the watershed — from habitat protection to hatchery education and community engagement.

A Milestone Built by Volunteers and Community

This accomplishment belongs to our volunteers, members, partners, and supporters. Your time, expertise, and belief in the importance of healthy waterways made this possible.

From creekside monitoring to public education events, your efforts have helped position the Hoy/Scott Watershed Society as a trusted steward of our local environment.

Looking Ahead

Charitable status opens new opportunities for growth, funding, and collaboration. As we look ahead, we remain committed to:

  • Protecting salmon and aquatic ecosystems

  • Educating the public about watershed health

  • Working collaboratively with Indigenous partners, community groups, and local residents

Thank you for being part of this journey. Together, we can continue to care for the creeks that sustain our community.

👉 Learn how you can support our work or make a donation on our support page.

Society Members Tour Kwikwetlem Sockeye Hatchery

The kʷikʷəƛ̓əm Sockeye Hatchery

Members of the Hoy/Scott Watershed Society were treated to a truly educational and inspiring experience on December 14, touring Kwikwetlem First Nation’s new sockeye salmon hatchery located high above the Coquitlam River watershed.

A huge thank you goes to HSWS volunteer Rodney Lee, who led the tour and generously shared his knowledge throughout the morning. The state-of-the-art facility is currently incubating sockeye salmon eggs, and Rodney provided a fascinating overview of both the technical aspects of the hatchery and the long, determined journey taken by Kwikwetlem First Nation to bring this important project to life.

Participants learned about the unique life cycle of sockeye salmon and the special care required to successfully rear this species—knowledge that deepened everyone’s appreciation for the complexity and importance of hatchery work in supporting healthy salmon populations.

The tour started with an informative talk from Rodney Lee.

Following the hatchery visit, the group toured the surrounding area, taking in views of the Coquitlam River running at high flow, as well as the spawning grounds, dam, and lake reservoir. The broader landscape offered valuable context for understanding how habitat, water management, and salmon stewardship are closely connected.

HSWS members were pleased to be joined by friends from the Hyde Creek Hatchery, making the tour an excellent opportunity for shared learning and collaboration among watershed stewards.

The Hoy/Scott Watershed Society extends its sincere thanks to Kwikwetlem First Nation for welcoming us and allowing us to learn about this vital work. The hatchery represents a significant achievement in salmon restoration and Indigenous-led stewardship in the region.


More photos


For more information about the hatchery and its opening, you can read Kwikwetlem First Nation’s 2022 announcement here:
👉 Sockeye Hatchery Announcement (Kwikwetlem First Nation)

Wrapping up the tour at the Coquitlam mountain reservoir. (Coquitlam Lake) Watershed

Local Schools Release Salmon Fry and Visit Hoy Creek Hatchery

Panorama Heights Elementary | Salmon in the Classroom release at Hoy Creek, Coquitlam

We were thrilled to welcome students from three local elementary schools to Hoy Creek this March, wrapping up another successful season of Salmon in the Classroom!

A big thank you goes out to Smiling Creek, Blakeburn, and Panorama Heights Elementary Schools for participating in this important salmon education program. Each school received approximately 50 Chum salmon eggs from Hoy Creek in the winter, carefully raising them in classroom aquariums while learning about the salmon life cycle and the importance of healthy waterways.

In early March, the students proudly released their young Chum fry into Hoy Creek, knowing they were giving them a strong start on their journey to the Pacific Ocean.

Teachers net chum fry into cups for students to release into Hoy Creek.

After the release, classes toured our Hoy Creek Hatchery, where they got to see firsthand the work being done to support salmon populations in our watershed. Students were excited to observe the 20,000 Chum fry and 3,500 Coho currently being raised at the hatchery.

Tours were led by our dedicated volunteers Anne Woosnam, Maya Uno, and Robbin Whachell, who shared their knowledge and passion for salmon stewardship with each group. It’s always inspiring to see young minds light up as they connect with nature and understand the vital role they can play in protecting it.

We’re proud to support Salmon in the Classroom and thank our local schools, teachers, and students for being part of the solution for salmon and our environment!

Minds light up when they connect with nature!

Each release ended with a tour at the hatchery. Maya Uno (back middle), HSWS volunteer discusses challenges faced with pollution events in our streams.

Atmospheric River Helps Salmon Come Home

Youth volunteers introduce our Coho fry to the public in front of the rearing pond at Salmon Come Home on Oct. 27 (HSWS Photo)

The positive impact of recent rainfalls provided the necessary flows for salmon to reach their spawning grounds throughout the watershed. The Salmon Come Home event on October 27 was a wonderful celebration of this remarkable species, bringing together our team, community, and sponsors to honour their incredible journey.

As we rejoice in their return, it’s crucial to recognize the challenges they face. Human and pet traffic through creek beds can disturb sensitive spawning areas, and pollution events pose significant threats to their survival. Additionally, erosion from heavy storms can release fine sediments that suffocate eggs (redds).

Let’s continue to protect these vital habitats and ensure that our salmon have a safe journey home. Thank you for your support!

Maple Creek Streamkeepers and the salmon dissection table kept so many residents engaged and educated. (HSWS Photo)

What an amazing day at the festival! So many Coquitlam residents joined Hoy/Scott Watershed Society and the City of Coquitlam to celebrate the incredible journey of the salmon. A huge shoutout to our volunteers, and our sponsors, Qualex-Landmark and FortisBC, continued support from Fisheries & Oceans Canada, Fish & Wildlife Compensation Program; and all the community groups who shared their knowledge and passion for nature.

We were truly blessed to witness so many salmon in the stream—an inspiring reminder of the resilience of nature. Together, we can continue to protect and appreciate these beautiful creatures.

Check out our photos and relive the magic! ps. We are grateful by the media visit from CityNews TV.

Etienne Siew, a former hatchery volunteer serenaded us throughout the festival. (HSWS Photo)

Hoy Creek Hatchery manager, Tyler Storgaard holds a live Chum salmon to show the public during the DFO Salmon Talks.

Stay Connected!

Canadian Registered Charity: 863285847RR0001