Ocean Week Canada is an annual national celebration of ocean events, learning, and engagement held during the week of World Ocean Day (June 8). Events bring together individuals, organizations, communities, government agencies, artists, and more to raise awareness about the importance of connecting to and protecting the ocean. Some of the activities that take place during Ocean Week Canada include beach cleanups, educational workshops, public lectures, film screenings, interactive art exhibits, learn to paddle or surf, and more.
MORE ABOUT OCEAN WEEK CANADAThe World Ocean Day initiative was initially conceived by Canada’s International Centre for Ocean Development (Halifax, NS) in 1991. It was officially launched in 1992, in partnership with the Ocean Institute of Canada, on behalf of the Government of Canada, at the United Nations Conference on Environment and Development in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Each year since the first World Ocean Day, volunteers and organizations around the world have mobilized families, schools, communities, businesses, and more to celebrate and help protect the health of the global ocean.
ABOUT WORLD OCEAN DAYOcean Week Canada debuted as a small (all virtual) pilot in 2021, and became an official annual event in 2022 and grew to host around 200 events nationwide, by 2023! Read more about our impact on the Ocean Week Canada and Fifth International Marine Protected Areas Congress (IMPAC5) reports.
VIEW IMPACTIdentified as a priority in the Canadian Ocean Literacy Strategy, the Canadian Ocean Literacy Coalition (COLC) launched its Ocean Literacy Community Grants program in 2023. Under this program, to date, there have been 3 types of grants awarded, including the Ocean Week Canada Community Events Grant, the Blue Creators Grant, and the Blue Schools Canada Experiential Learning Grant.
EXPLORE GRANTSStay up-to-date with Ocean Week Canada by visiting the Communications page. Here, you'll find a wealth of resources, including our Press Release, Media Release, Event Host Onboarding Packages, Brand Guidelines, and more. If you're planning to host an event, this is your go-to place for relevant manuals and guides to help you get started. It's also your one-stop-shop for media information and updates. Dive in and help spread the word about Ocean Week Canada!
EXPLORE MATERIALS2021-2030 marks the United Nations Decade of Ocean Science for Sustainable Development. The ‘Ocean Decade’ provides an opportunity and common framework for the global community to work together to transform ocean-climate knowledge into action while ensuring the sustainable and equitable use, management, and conservation of the ocean for current and future generations.
ABOUT THE UN OCEAN DECADEWhat does it take to make Ocean Week Canada possible? The Ocean Week Canada partnership is led by the Canadian Ocean Literacy Coalition. This celebration brings together diverse organizations / institutions from across Canada and is made possible through a generous contribution from the Government of Canada through the Oceans Management Contribution Program.
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