New funding granted to Ocean Legacy Foundation will help tackle shoreline cleanups in Desolation Sound and along the Salish Sea, according to Powell River-Sunshine Coast MLA Nicholas Simons.
“A clean coastline benefits everyone who lives, works and plays on the Salish Sea, as well as the animals and plants that depend on it,” stated Simons in a media release. “I’m so glad to see the clean coast, clean waters (CCCW) initiative continuing for another year. This brings significant employment opportunities for our local communities, and it’s work that people can feel proud of.”
The project, part of the CCCW initiative fund, will receive $1.46 million to clean 200 to 400 kilometres of shoreline in Desolation Sound and along parts of the Salish Sea.
The CCCW initiative responds directly to the strong public call to action on marine debris heard from coastal communities during a comprehensive consultation in summer 2019, according to the release. The main concerns raised by local governments and individuals included abandoned vessels, mooring buoys, polystyrene foam, aquaculture debris and single-use plastics. Through this funding, up to 1,200 kilometres of BC’s coastlines will benefit from cleanup projects, removing more than 100 derelict vessels, and creating nearly 1,000 jobs by, and in partnership with, coastal indigenous nations this summer.
The initiative is an important part of the CleanBC plastics action plan and its goal to address plastic pollution, according to the release. To date, it has already cleaned up more than 127 tonnes of debris – the largest marine cleanup in BC history.
