Site ecology
False Creek, is in the shared, ancestral, and unceded territories of the Musqueam, Squamish and Tsleil-Waututh Nations.
Shoreline area of False Creek Flats, Vancouver Archives, circa 1904The False Creek floodplain between present-day Main Street and Clark Drive were once shallow tidal mud flats supporting a rich and diverse ecosystem.
When flooded at high tide, mudflats attract numerous species including juvenile salmon, seals, herons and ducks. These foraging shorebirds, fish and mammals feed on the thin nutritious “biofilm” layer that the mudflats provide.
Forage fish such as Pacific herring continue to play a key role in the ecology of False Creek. These small fish are preyed upon by larger fish, seabirds, and marine mammals, and their role is critical in the food web that sustains life on the Pacific Coast. Cormorants are seabirds that nest and feed in the False Creek area, diving underwater for small fish. Their presence in False Creek indicates there are forage fish in these waters.
By 1918, these tidal flats were paved over and the railway terminal was built here. The False Creek shoreline was increasingly paved as development in the area grew. In 1968 the industrial designation of False Creek was removed.
This project presents an opportunity to support the long-term work of enhancing the ecological health of this area.
