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By CKPG Today

shoreline clean up

Largest shoreline cleanup on Central B.C. Coast

Sep 1, 2020 | 5:00 AM

VICTORIA—B.C.’s central coast, including the Great Bear Rainforest, are the focus of a partnership aimed at ridding shorelines or marine debris.

The Clean Coast, Clean Waters Initiative Fund (CCCW) helps small ship tour operators, Indigenous Nations, local communities and others participate in a $3.5-million cleanup of the shores of the central coast.

“This funding will create jobs for local communities. It strengthens our partnerships with Indigenous Nations, tourism operators and local communities as we work together to clean up our shorelines, protect marine life and support our world-class coastal tourism economy.”—Sheila Malcolmson, Parliamentary Secretary for Environment

The launch of the program is in response to the strong public call to action on marine debris that Malcolmson heard when she toured coastal communities last summer.

“This is the first time a cleanup of this scale has been launched on the Central Coast of British Columbia,” said George Heyman, Minister of Environment and Climate Change Strategy. This is the first of a series of CCCW initiatives that are creating jobs for tour operators, clean-up crews, community educators and specialized positions in areas such as oceanographic data collection.

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“B.C.’s coastal environment is one of our greatest assets, attracting visitors from all over the world and supporting tourism in British Columbia.”—Lisa Beare, Minister of Tourism, Arts and Culture

“Funding for these projects not only protects the marine environment, but provides jobs for people affected by the significant decrease in tourism as a result of the pandemic,” added Beare.

The Small Ship Tour Operators Association (SSTOA) will conduct two marine debris removal expeditions, each up to 21 days, including nine vessels and more than 100 crew who will inspect and clean up to 1,000 kilometres, weather permitting, of remote shoreline around 100 small islands. The clean-up operations will be performed by various marine-based tourism operators, which may include but is not limited to member companies of the SSTOA.