Coastal Champions
Our Coastal Champions present unique and impactful solutions to complex environmental issues that Canadian coastal communities face.
Sea Change
Project Watershed
Involved in community responsibility and support, the output of Project Watershed’s work aims at protecting and restoring their local watersheds and associated sensitive habitats.
Location: Courtnay, British Columbia
Rugged Coast Research Society
This society has brought together a broad community of like-minded people collaboratively working to research, restore, and communicate humankind's impacts on the coastal habitats of British Columbia.
Location: Nanaimo, British Columbia
Surfrider Foundation Canada
This foundation cultivates a supportive atmosphere where their volunteers can emerge as environmental leaders in their communities. Their work aims to grow environmental capacity on the ground in communities.
Locations: Vancouver, Victoria, Tofino and Ucluelet, British Columbia
Clayoquot Action
Clayoquot Actions mission is to protect the Clayoquot Sound’s natural biodiversity, advocating against fish farms in order to protect the vast salmon species on Canada West Coast.
Location: Tofino, British Columbia
Eskasoni Fish and Wildlife Commission
This commission was organized and established in the early 1990’s to acquire and manage communal fishing licenses for Eskasoni First Nations. EFWC is also devoted to conducting marine research in the Bras d’Or Lakes.
Location: Eskasoni, Nova Scotia
Scotian Shores
Scotian Shores is centered on cleaning Nova Scotia's shorelines, creating awareness of the plastic pollution crisis and connecting everyone so we can make a bigger difference.
Location: Nova Scotia
Niagara Coastal Community Collaborative
This community collaborative is a Canadian environmental non-profit working as an information hub that helps spread awareness to support a healthy and resilient Lake Erie.
Location: Niagara, Ontario
Trashformers Initiative
This initiative is run by Atlantic Coastal Action Program Cape Breton (ACAP). ACAP offers a variety of services including hands on including education, community education, stream and habitat restoration and community cleanups.
Location: Sydney, Nova Scotia
Broad Reach Canada
Broad Reach Canada’s mission is engaging equity-seeking youth in sailing and developing knowledge, skills and social belonging. They offer many different sailing trips which aid youth in developing critical thinking skills.
Location: Whitehorse, Yellowknife
Re-Imagining Atlantic Harbours
The goal of this organization is to highlight basic water-quality parameters necessary for swimmable, drinkable, fishable harbours, and providing hands-on engagement with locals in the Halifax harbour.
Location: Halifax, Nova Scotia
Water First
Water First is Canada’s leading charitable organization dedicated to working with Indigenous communities to address local water challenges through education, training, and meaningful collaboration.
Location: Creemore, Ontario
Fishing Gear Coalition of Atlantic Canada
The goals of this coalition are to ease fishing gear retrieval both at sea and on land. They aim to improve internal communications and external outreach on fishing gear issues in Atlantic Canada.
Location: Dartmouth, Nova Scotia
Living Oceans
Living Oceans society has been a leader in protecting Canada’s oceans. They advocate for oceans that are managed for the common good, according to science-based policies that consider ecosystems in their entirety.
Location: Sointula, British Columbia
Coastal Restoration Society
CRS is a leader in industrial scale coastal restoration throughout Canada’s most remote coastal areas. CRS is committed to environmental remediation and stewardship initiatives in order to mitigate further coastal degradation.
Location: Vancouver Island, British Columbia
Project Sculptshore
Project Sculptshore brings awareness to the worlds most endangered whale species, the North Altantic Right Whale. Their efforts for education and conservation are established through the construction of a 6 meter long whale sculpture.
Location: Nova Scotia
Friends of McIntyre Creek
Friends of McIntyre Creek is an advocacy group with a dedication to conservation and protection of McIntyre creek park. Wildlife and fish habitat enhancement projects, as well as education and awareness are their key objectives.
Location: Whitehorse, Yellowknife
U of T Trash Team
This community outreach group is dedicated to helping increase waste literacy in communities across the Toronto region. The group works to actively remove marine debris using trash trapping devices and actively plan shoreline cleanups.
Location: Toronto, Ontario
Ecology Action Centre’s Coastal and Water Team
The Coastal and Water team promote a systems view of watersheds to fill legislative gaps, clarify jurisdictions, protect coastal environments from upstream activities and encourage nature-based solutions to coastal erosion and sea-level rise.
Location: Halifax, Nova Scotia
Emerald Sea Protection Society
ESPS is a volunteer run non-profit committed to the protection of sensitive marine ecosystems and coastal areas surrounding British Columbia. Specifically, ESPS focuses ongoing efforts on protecting said marine life from the impactful effects of abandoned, lost or otherwise discarded fishing gear.
Location: Vancouver, British Columbia
Watershed Watch Salmon Society
WWSS is a science-based charity with the mission of protecting, restoring and advocating for B.C.’s wild salmon stocks and habitat.
Location: Vancouver, British Columbia
Cetus Research & Conservation Society
Cetus Research & Conservation Society is a non-profit marine conservation organization which was founded in 2005 to address the increased endangerment of BC's Killer Whales due to human activities.
Location: Victoria, Quadra Island and Alert Bay, British Columbia
Coastal Water Protectors
The Coastal Conservation Department of the BC Métis Federation is in charge of leading the Coastal Water Protectors program. They focus on beach cleanups, tree plantings, as well as providing environmental training opportunities for their members.
Locations: Lower Mainland and Vancouver Island, British Columbia
A Greener Future
A Greener Future, established in 2014, organizes various volunteer-based cleanup campaigns in the Great Lakes region. Additionally raising awareness of the environmental impacts caused by plastic pollution, litter and cigarette butts.
Location: Markham, Ontario
Water Rangers
Water Rangers works to lower barriers and build skills in community-based water monitoring by designing and utilizing user-friendly water testing kits combined with an open-access platform for the upload of water quality data.
Location: Ottawa, Toronto, and Vancouver
Alouette River Management Society
Alouette River Management Society is a grassroots organization focused on protecting the Alouette River Watershed through community and public education and awareness.
Location: Maple Ridge, British Columbia
Are you a Coastal Champion?
We would be proud to feature your work. Tell us about the project you’re most proud of that addresses coastal environmental issues.