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OTTAWA, ON, May 1, 2024 – People in Canada overwhelmingly agree that ocean health is important, say the results of a new poll by Nanos and the Canadian Ocean Literacy Coalition (COLC) released today. According to the poll:

• 89% of people in Canada strongly agree or agree that ocean health is important
• 82% strongly agree or agree that action is needed to protect ocean health
• 73% of people in Canada are willing to make lifestyle changes to support ocean health

The public ocean perceptions poll results were released as part of the lead-up to Ocean Week Canada, which will take place June 1 – 9, 2024. A half-million people are expected to take part in events in-person across the country, with over two million more engaging online during the celebration.

“The poll results are clear: People in Canada overwhelmingly care about the ocean. It’s inspiring to see the scale to which people across the country support action to protect ocean health and are willing to make lifestyle changes,” says Diz Glithero, Director of the Canadian Ocean Literacy Coalition, which coordinates Ocean Week Canada.

Now in its third year, Ocean Week Canada is a nationwide festival of events and activities promoting ocean connection and conservation. The festival brings together families, individuals, community groups, environmental and conservation organizations, scientists and Indigenous elders and knowledge keepers, artists and cultural institutions, businesses, and media to explore  societal connections to the ocean and build capacity to protect it.

Along with the COLC’s national coordination, there are 10 regional hubs (up from 6 hubs in 2023) that bring organizations and groups together to produce a program of local events.

Ocean Week Canada 2024 experiences will include:

• Immersive exhibits and installations at museums, aquariums, cultural venues
• Shoreline education, citizen science, and clean-up events
• Artist-led storytelling, spoken word, music, theatre, film, and makerspace workshops
• Seafood culinary events with some of Canada’s top chefs
• Ocean-water-climate talks and workshops
• Surfing, swimming, paddling, diving, and other water recreational activities
• Media partnerships with ELLE Gourmet (National Culinary Media Sponser), Canadian Geographic, and Hakai Magazine.

The first wave of programming is now live on the Ocean Week Canada website: oceanweek.ca, and new events are added daily. Highlights include:

• June 1st: A live-stream, online kick off event and official launch of the Ocean, Freshwater & Us digital interactive map by Canadian Geographic and the Canadian Ocean Literacy Coalition.
• June 5th: The Critical Distance Orca exhibit on Parliament Hill in Ottawa with Nature Canada and at the Canadian Museum of Nature.
• June 8th: World Ocean Day Celebrations at Fisherman’s Wharf in Victoria, Ripley’s Aquarium in Toronto, Queen Marque Courtyard in Halifax, and Quai de l’Horloge in Montréal’s Old Port.

“People want to better understand how their choices affect the ocean, they want to strengthen their connections to the ocean, and along with their own personal lifestyle changes, they want to see how community and political leaders are taking action to protect it. This is what Ocean Week Canada is all about – sharing knowledge, building connections, and encouraging collective action,” says Glithero.

Media enquiries and interview requests are encouraged.

More information:

Nanos-COLC public ocean perceptions in Canada 2024 poll report: Nanos.co/Canadian-Ocean-Literacy

Ocean Week Canada and the 2024 program: oceanweek.ca

About Ocean Week Canada

Ocean Week Canada is a nationwide festival of events and activities promoting ocean connection and conservation. Ocean Week Canada 2024 will be held June 1-9, coinciding with World Ocean Day on June 8.

Ocean Week Canada is coordinated by the Canadian Ocean Literacy Coalition with the participation of hundreds of partners across the country. The Ocean Week Canada annual celebration has been made possible in part through the Government of Canada, Oceans Management Contribution Program. Visit oceanweek.ca for program information or follow on Instagram: @oceanweek_canada.

About the Canadian Ocean Literacy Coalition

The Canadian Ocean Literacy Coalition (COLC) is an alliance of organizations, networks, institutions, communities, and individuals working together to better understand and advance ocean literacy in Canada. | www.colcoalition.ca

Instagram: @oceanweek_canada

About Nanos

Ocean Week Canada is coordinated by the Canadian Ocean Literacy Coalition with the participation of hundreds of partners and event hosts across the country | www.OceanWeek.ca/partners.

Ocean Week Canada is part of the Canadian Ocean Literacy Coalition’s broader National Strategy, which is made possible in part through the Government of Canada, Oceans Management Contribution Program.