Vancouver Islanders Protest Malahat Highway Expansion That Could Harm Local Salmon

‘Someone Needs To Speak For The Fish,’ says protest organizer.

Dozens of protesters gathered near the Goldstream Campground on Tuesday to demonstrate against the proposed expansion of the Malahat Highway.
Dozens of protesters gathered near the Goldstream Campground on Tuesday to demonstrate against the proposed expansion of the Malahat Highway. Photo Credit: Dan Otten | Dreamstime.com (modified)

Concerned Vancouver Island locals are organizing a weekly protest against the proposed expansion of the Malahat Highway, which could negatively impact local salmon populations. 

Carl Olsen from the Tsartlip Nation,  inspired the crowd at the Salish Sea Emerging Stewards program and shared his stories of raising his children on the coast to understand and respect nature and the important role youth have in leadership and decision-making.
Carl Olsen from the Tsartlip Nation inspired the crowd at the Salish Sea Emerging Stewards Program, sharing his stories of raising his children on the coast to understand and respect nature and the critical role youth have in leadership and decision-making. Source: Raincoast Conservation Foundation.

Dozens, including organizer Carl Olsen from the Tsartlip First Nation, were out this Tuesday on the highway near the Goldstream Campground, just west of Victoria. “To see the devastation they’re going to be causing to the stream is not acceptable,” Olsen told CHEK News. 

The highway expansion was proposed by the B.C. government five years ago. It’s a critical route that sees 25,000 travellers daily and is also the site of frequent crashes, which can cause serious traffic delays.

But critics like Olsen claim that the expansion could destroy vital spawning beds for salmon in the Goldstream River. 

“The reason I am doing this is because somebody needs to speak for the fish.”

Carl Olsen
The Malahat Highway along Vancouver Island.
The Malahat highway along Vancouver Island. The highway, named after the Malahat First Nation, runs from Goldstream Provincial Park to just south of Mills Bay and includes the 356-metre Malahat Summit. Source: Google Maps.

Songhees and Ahousaht Elder Diane Sam (səwəyələk) said there hasn’t been proper public consultation, telling CHEK News: “When incidents like this happen, [the government] should pause and re-engage.”

Concerns about the expansion project come at a time when critical salmon habitats are under threat across the province. 

A 2021 report from the University of British Columbia found that in just the Lower Fraser River alone, up to 85 per cent of historical salmon habitat has been lost due to human activity. 

Protesters will be out with their signs by the Malahat every Tuesday, calling attention to this expansion until government action is taken.


Provincewide wild salmon catches are down over 80 per cent, according to estimates from Indigenous elders and researchers included in a separate UBC report from last year. Last fall, a disturbing video of thousands of dead salmon on Heiltsuk Territory revealed the severe impact drought conditions are having on North Coast salmon populations.

Carl Olsen spoke about the importance of protecting and preserving natural habitats at the Millstream Creek Watershed located in the District of Highlands on southern Vancouver Island. The watershed was effectively safeguarded in partnership with the Goldstream Salmon Hatchery, Peninsula Streams Society, Tsartlip First Nation, and the Greater Victoria Greenbelt Society. Source: TLC4BC on YouTube.

To prevent salmon populations from being endangered any further, Olsen and his fellow protesters say they will be out with their signs by the Malahat every Tuesday, calling attention to this expansion until government action is taken.

“The reason I am doing this is because somebody needs to speak for the fish,” he told the Vancouver Island Free Daily.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

      Check out this beautiful Chinook! The Colliers, who own and operate the Lisa Jess, have gone against the trend by developing new products and strong customer relationships.

      How Does A Fisherman Know When His Industry Is In Trouble? The Shower Is Closed

      The stunning Sandcut Beach Falls on the west coast of Vancouver Island near Sooke, B.C. One of the many beautiful beaches adorning Vancouver Island's 3400 km of coastline. davemantel | iStock

      Vancouver Island is Ranked One of the World’s Most Beautiful Spots by CNN