qathet Regional District’s (qRD) board will consider providing a letter of support to Let’s Talk Trash and the Ocean Legacy Foundation for a 2024 BC Clean Coast Clean Waters Initiative application to conduct shoreline cleanup efforts within the region.
At the March 28 committee of the whole meeting, directors reviewed correspondence from shoreline cleanup project manager Abby McLennan requesting the letter of support. The committee unanimously passed the motion to request the board provide the letter of support.
In her correspondence, McLennan stated that Let’s Talk Trash, in partnership with the Ocean Legacy Foundation, has been successful in project applications through the Province of BC for the clean waters initiative funding since its inception in 2021.
“Over the past three years, over 150,000 kilograms of marine debris has been removed from shorelines within and throughout the qathet region,” stated McLennan. “We would like to request a letter of support from qRD to conduct shoreline cleanup efforts within this region for our 2024 application.
“Collectively, we will cover terrain from north of Desolation Sound, south into the Sunshine Coast Regional District, and west, addressing Savary, Hernando, Twin, Ahgykson, Texada and Lasqueti islands.”
McLennan stated that project work within qathet region is also carried out in collaboration with Tla’amin, Klahoose, shíshálh and K'ómoks Nations, BC Marine Parks, and Fisheries and Oceans Canada.
In 2023, more than 40 jobs were created through this project within the local area, according to McLennan. All retrieved material is sorted, with the aim of recycling and diverting as a priority, and volumes from the 2023 collection season saw 81 per cent of collected marine debris diverted from landfill, she added.
“This is an incredible funding opportunity to help assist with the removal of marine debris from our shared coastline,” stated McLennan.
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