Vancouver Island communities and several capital region beaches will benefit from cleanup projects through the Clean Coast, Clean Waters initiative.
Ten Island projects are among 17 around the province that received a total of $8 million in funding on Wednesday. They will be carried out in concert with First Nations, small businesses and non-profits to focus on dealing with marine debris and plastic pollution.
Since 2020, Clean Coast, Clean Waters has brought about the removal of 215 derelict vessels and more than 2,100 tonnes of debris from more than 6,400 kilometres of shoreline, all while creating or maintaining close to 2,400 jobs.
This year’s projects are anticipated to improve another 1,900 kilometres of shoreline while removing at least 31 derelict vessels and cleaning up at least six derelict aquaculture sites.
The Ocean Legacy Foundation will be working on cleanups at several capital region locations, including Witty’s Lagoon, Clover Point/Dallas Road, Esquimalt Lagoon, Songhees Park, Island View Beach, Willows Beach, Cadboro Bay Beach and the Selkirk/Gorge area.
Those efforts will be done in co-operation with the Surfrider Foundation Canada.
Funding for the Ocean Legacy Foundation is making “the impossible possible,” spokesperson Abby McLennan said in a statement. “We are determined to make a lasting impact on the health of our coastal ecosystems while collaboratively working alongside Indigenous partners, environmental organizations and local communities.”
Jenelle Higham, operations manager for the Nanaimo-based Rugged Coast Research Society, said the funding it is receiving for work near Port Hardy, Kyuquot, Quatsino, Campbell River and Prince Rupert “is crucial for our collaborative efforts in preserving and restoring vital ecosystems, ensuring a healthier and more resilient coastal environment.”
Higham said activities near Port Hardy and Prince Rupert will emphasize large-scale shoreline cleanup. Derelict vessels will also be removed around Kyuquot and Hot Springs Cove, and derelict aquaculture operations near Campbell River and Kyuquot will be dealt with.
Environment Minister George Heyman said the people of B.C. want to see coastal areas free of plastics and other debris.
“We now know the harms that plastic waste causes to marine life and also how it finds its way into human-food sources as it breaks down,” he said.
The money being distributed is part of a $25-million provincial investment announced in May 2023 that brought Clean Coast, Clean Waters funding to $49.83 million.
These are the groups with projects on Vancouver Island:
• The Quatsino First Nation has funding for two projects near Coal Harbour, about 18 km from Port Hardy, totalling $749,000.
• The Rugged Coast Research Society has funding for three projects — one at $150,000 near Kyuquot (about 90 km from Port Hardy), a $464,000 project in the vicinity of Port Hardy and Prince Rupert, and one at $465,000 near Campbell River.
• The Wuilkinuxv First Nation has funding for a $469,000 project near Port Hardy.
• The Living Oceans Society has funding for a $571,000 project near Cape Scott.
• The Emerald Sea Protection Society has funding for a $318,000 project near Bamfield.
• The Ocean Legacy Foundation has funding for two projects, one at $595,000 in various communities on the Island and the south coast and one at $500,000 near Alert Bay.
