Broad Reach Canada

Who Are They?

Broad Reach was founded in 1998 by Adrian Johnson and Sherry Hudson to provide under-represented youth the opportunities to grow, learn and connect through sailing. Pursuing diversity, inclusion, and equity and ensuring intellectual, emotional, physical, cognitive and social development, Broad Reach is changing how the sailing community works by charting a new course for collaborations and work skill development. The Marine employment sector has traditionally been difficult to access by youth of a low socio-economic status: Broad Reach, literally, opens the gates to activities which the youth would never experience otherwise.

Through bursaries from their Sailing Access Fund Broad Reach Canada is positively influencing youth of diverse backgrounds inspiring them to be confident, courageous and compassionate ashore and afloat.

Leadership Team

Featured Programs

A youth led exploration of Canada’s coastlines and waterways to create marine youth leaders. Providing the opportunity for youth, both on shore and online, to share knowledge on sailing experiences. Moreover, to acknowledge coastal communities and areas of environmental significance and history.
Share views with thousands of youth Canada wide, acting on the collective responsibility and sustainability of our Oceans, Lakes & river ways. Also participate in various art projects & online social media events.
Each sailboat Broad Reach offers differs in operational complexities, which in turn provide youth a continuity of challenges to learn and apply critical thinking.
Providing classroom based activities
-Sailing & navigation theory workshops
-Understanding all aspects of vessel maintenance
-Study & examination for the pleasure craft operators card
-Marine art & history
-Design, construction & sailing of a cardboard sailboat

Project Coastline - Legacy Canoe.

Project Coastline is a government funded youth engagement project celebrating Canada’s 150th Anniversary of the Confederation through the discovery of our main heritage.

Legacy Canoe involved Toronto youth coming together to build a traditional Canoe from scratch, while establishing a sense of recognition and appreciation for First Nation Heritage. In October 2017, Legacy Canoe was brought to Ottawa for a ceremony on Parliament hill. The ceremony was hosted in front of over one thousand people, including members of Parliament and Indigenous peoples. Indigenous elders blessed the canoe before it took sail.

“My friends that were apart of it with me, I’ve grown stronger with. The experience has really shown me how people work together”

Check out their collection of blog posts, which are published on topics of sailing , the marine industry, ocean conservation and coastal communities.

Notes From Our Stories.

The Blog

Full STEAM Ahead

Ships-2-Shores and the Centre for Oceans Ventures & Entrepreneurship created a video series giving grade 6-9 students the opportunity to learn and ‘work’ with marine professionals within Canada. Engaging students with a workspace tour and day-to-day tasks. In addition, inviting Canadian musicians, artists and storytellers from different backgrounds to educate youth through activities and exercises. Increasing cultural awareness of Canadian maritime history.