Photo: Nora O'Malley, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter From left: Tofino CAO Nyla Attiana, TFN Tribal Administrator Jim Chisholm, Tofino Mayor Dan Law, Tofino's Utility Operator Lead Christine Biegler, Tofino's Manager of Infrastructure and Capital Projects Simon Kirkland, MP Gord Johns, MLA Josie Osborne and Tourism Tofino's Board Chair Sabrina Donovan cut a symbolic ribbon of toilet paper to open the town's new wastewater treatment plant. West Coasters won’t be surfing in their own poop anymore after the District of Tofino officially opened its new $77.5M wastewater treatment plant on Aug.
22. The environmental impact of historically dumping raw sewage into the beautiful waters of Clayoquot Sound wreaked havoc on shellfish harvesting areas, according to a Nuu-chah-nulth cultural lifeways guardian. “The north waterfront of downtown Tofino was a clam garden until recent decades,” said Gisèle Martin.
“I’d love to see the day where clams could be eaten right from the shores again,” she added. “If you go to other countries, I was just talking to somebody from Australia, they said you could buy oysters right in the bay from the shore. You can’t do that in Tofino because of the sewage and pollution.
There is no reason why, if we were just a little more organized and disciplined, we could be eating clams right from the shore again. I hope we get there in my lifetime.” Tofino’s wastewater treatment plant, located at the end of Industrial Way with the new ou.