We’re honoured to share that Ocean Legacy Foundation has been selected as the Ocean Plastic Pollution Solutions Specialists of the Year – Canada as part of the International Elite 100 Global Awards.
This recognition reflects the work of our team, partners, and communities who continue to show up for coastlines, build systems where none existed before, and push forward real solutions to plastic pollution.
There is still much work ahead, but moments like this remind us that persistence, collaboration, and solution-based approaches matter.
Thank you to everyone who continues to support this work.
To see more winners visit: internationalelite100.com
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Beach Clean Up THIS WEEKEND 🥳
'Namgis First Nation and Ocean Legacy will be doing a few days of shoreline cleanup work, starting this Sunday!
We would like to invite you all to join us from 10:00am-2:00pm on Sunday February 8th!
We will provide gloves, bags, experience, laughs and disposal for this cleanup!
Why is disposal mentioned and important?
Because we dont want to put anymore burden on our local transfer station! All debris and garbage that will be collected will be transported over to 7 Mile Landfill for further sorting. Materials will be recycled or landfilled from there.
We will meet in front of U'mista Cultural Society before dispersing to other beaches like Grassy Point. You will need to sign in and grab the provided bags.
All collected materials will be brought over to the staging area where bins will be filled at a later date.
Please be kind, work together, and remember that this is a shoreline beach cleanup only!
We hope to see you all there.
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Important to read.
People often see large volumes of recovered plastic and wonder why processing takes time. What’s less visible are the many steps required behind the scenes: storing material across multiple sites, cleaning and preparing marine plastics, separating mixed materials, maintaining equipment, and managing processing timelines that don’t always match recovery rates.
Marine plastics are some of the most challenging materials to work with, and they are often overlooked by conventional recycling systems because the work is complex and not always profitable. But plastic pollution doesn’t solve itself, someone has to take on that responsibility.
Organizations like ours exist to do the work that needs doing, even when it isn’t easy or financially attractive. This carousel offers a closer look at why that work matters and what it takes to keep marine plastics out of the ocean.
Support our work! Visit oceanlegacy.ca/donate
#PlasticPollution #MarinePlastics #CircularEconomy #OceanProtection
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Join our Co-Founder & Executive Director Chloé Dubois at the Economist’s 13th annual World Ocean Summit & Expo on March 4th-5th 2026 in Montreal, Canada!
The summit will focus on the transition to a sustainable ocean economy, ocean stewardship, strategies to restore ocean health, advancements in marine technology and collaborative efforts to address ocean pollution.
Learn more or register for this event at: events.economist.com/world-ocean-summit/
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Today, we recognize #WorldWetlandsDay2026, a global moment to honour wetlands as sacred, life-sustaining ecosystems and a timeless legacy we are responsible for protecting.
Wetlands play a vital role in ocean health. They filter pollutants and plastics before they reach the sea, buffer coastlines from storms and erosion, store immense amounts of carbon, and support rich biodiversity. Just as importantly, wetlands are deeply connected to traditional knowledge, cultural heritage, and community livelihoods, particularly for Indigenous Peoples and local communities.
This year's The Convention on Wetlands's theme is 'Wetlands and traditional knowledge: Celebrating cultural heritage', and it highlights how generations of ecological knowledge have helped sustain wetlands and why protecting these systems also means protecting culture, identity, and wellbeing. As wetlands disappear faster than they are restored, the impacts are felt across water quality, climate resilience, biodiversity, and human rights.
At Ocean Legacy, we see how land-based pollution moves downstream into marine environments. Protecting and restoring wetlands is a critical part of addressing plastic pollution at its source and strengthening nature-based solutions for healthy oceans.
Learn more and explore the official campaign resources: www.worldwetlandsday.org/en/home
#WWD2026 #CelebratingWetlands #WetlandsandCulturalHeritage
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We really appreciate the support of representatives like Gord Johns for Courtenay-Alberni who strongly support policy and fiscal investment for communities and coastal ecosystems across Canada.
Thank you to all those who have been collecting signatures and raising their voices in support of the reinstatement of the Ghost Gear Fund, a federal fund that has historically supported retrieval and recycling of ghost gear from Canadian waters.
Today, there are no major active provincial or federal funds to continue plastic pollution cleanup.
We continue encouraging community members across the country to raise their voices and ask our governments to continue investing in this critical work to help ensure that the wildlife and ecological impact of this pollution can be minimized.
Thank you so much to everyone who has supported this call to action. We are crossing fingers to hear what our government has to say in response, so stay tuned!
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Everyday work, long-term impact.
This is what an average day looks like at our Plastic Pollution Emergency Response Facility. While we love participating in cleanups, that work represents only a fraction of the extensive work we do. Most of our day-to-day operations focus on what happens with the materials after they have been collected from the natural environment.
We want to thank all of our crew members, both current and former, for their hard work and continued dedication.
Supporting community-collected marine debris means having systems in place to receive, sort, and responsibly manage materials, day in and day out.
To support our work, visit oceanlegacy.ca/donate/
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Today, the Federal Court of Appeal issued a unanimous decision affirming the federal government’s authority to list “plastic manufactured items” as toxic, the classification that enabled the Single-Use Plastics Prohibition Regulations to be implemented and remain in force.
The Court overturned a 2023 lower-court ruling that had struck down the decision, meaning Ottawa’s ban on six common single-use plastic items continues.
Here is what this means for Canadian plastic policy:
• Stronger legal foundation for national action
The unanimous ruling confirms that the federal government can regulate certain plastic manufactured items under CEPA, providing long-term legal clarity for national plastics policy.
• Stability for existing and future regulations
With the single-use plastics ban upheld, current measures remain enforceable and future plastic pollution policies can be designed with greater confidence.
• Enables a shift from cleanup to prevention
Clear federal authority supports upstream policy tools that reduce plastic pollution at the source, complementing downstream systems for responsible collection, processing, and end-of-life management.
Sources:
• Federal Court of Appeal decision: decisions.fca-caf.gc.ca/fca-caf/decisions/en/item/521771/index.do
• CBC News coverage: www.cbc.ca/news/politics/appeal-court-single-use-plastics-9.7066678
#BreakingNews #PlasticPollution #PlasticsPolicy #EnvironmentalPolicy #PolicyNews #SingleUsePlastics #OceanProtection #CEPA
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We can’t become part of the solution for plastic pollution if we don’t understand plastics.
That is why we are relaunching our plastics lab with a clear goal: to make plastics testing more accessible to our community.
Testing plastics is essential for understanding key material properties and determining how they can be used to create new, durable products. Without testing, it’s difficult to know what’s possible, especially when working with recovered or recycled plastics.
By making testing more accessible, we want to encourage more people to become part of the solution and help give plastics a second life that keeps them out of our oceans.
We will be offering a range of services at our own lab and can’t wait to share more details soon. Stay in touch to learn more, or visit oceanlegacy.ca/plastic-testing-ocean-legacy-analysis-laboratory/
Photo credit: Ely Roberts.
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By the time you finish reading this post, more than 10,000 kg of plastic will have entered the ocean.
Plastic pollution doesn’t pause when political priorities shift.
Even when attention moves elsewhere, plastic continues to enter waterways, accumulate along coastlines, and affect communities and ecosystems. Progress on plastic pollution has never been linear; it is built through long-term thinking, collaboration, and people who continue to show up despite the challenges. Out of sight does not mean out of existence.
Staying engaged and supporting credible, long-term solutions matters now more than ever.
We invite our community to stay engaged. Support solutions that address plastic pollution at its source. Help us maintain momentum by prioritizing solution-based strategies to tackle plastic pollution. We know how overwhelming this issue can feel, which is why continuing the conversation is essential to developing real solutions.
What keeps you motivated during times like these? Let us know in the comments.
Photo credit: Jeff Reynolds
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Remote coastal cleanups are complex, technical, and often high-risk. From vessel and helicopter operations to underwater removals, heavy debris, hazardous materials, and cultural awareness, this work requires trained crews, detailed safety procedures, and years of experience. Safe cleanups don’t happen by accident. They are built through preparation, partnerships, and respect for people and place.
To learn more about safety-oriented cleanup planning and partnerships, visit oceanlegacy.ca.
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Today is International Day of Clean Energy.
Clean energy plays a critical role in addressing marine plastic pollution. From the extraction of fossil fuels used to produce plastics, to the emissions generated during manufacturing, transport, and disposal, plastic pollution is deeply tied to energy-intensive systems.
Shifting to clean energy helps reduce the carbon footprint of material production, supports lower-impact recycling and recovery processes, and enables more sustainable waste management systems, especially in coastal and remote communities where diesel-based energy is often the only option.
Clean energy is not just about electricity. It’s about building resilient systems that reduce pollution at every stage, prevent plastic from entering the ocean, and support a more circular, low-emissions future.
Support policies, systems, and solutions that advance clean energy and reduce plastic pollution, on land and at sea.
Join our FREE EPIC Academy to learn more at edu.oceanlegacy.ca
#InternationalDayOfCleanEnergy #CleanEnergy #PlasticPollution #MarineDebris #CircularEconomy #ClimateAction #CleanOceans
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Community cleanups are where real environmental change begins.
This article from BC Outdoors Magazine sheds light on the long-standing issue of marine debris on Quadra Island and the tireless efforts of local cleanup teams working in challenging, remote conditions.
We want to extend our sincere thanks to Nevil and the Quadra Island cleanup team for the important work they do to protect their coastline. We believe that supporting communities doesn’t stop at cleanup, it means helping ensure collected debris is responsibly handled through its full end-of-life.
By supporting our work, you’re helping us continue to stand behind community-led cleanup teams with the systems, processing, and pathways needed to keep plastic out of the environment for good.
Read the full article: www.bcoutdoorsmagazine.com/quadra-islands-dirty-little-secret/
Donate to support our work: oceanlegacy.ca/donate/
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In 2025, we successfully diverted 19,969 kg of shoreline tires from the environment, representing 1,081 individual tires responsibly received and processed.
Many of these tires contain styrofoam inserts, requiring additional manual work. Each tire must be carefully cut and separated so both the rubber and styrofoam can be recycled through appropriate streams. This extra step is critical to ensuring materials don’t return to the environment, and are properly reincorporated into the economy.
This work would not be possible without the continued partnership and support of Tire Stewardship BC. Through their support, we have been able to establish an additional recycling pathway for shoreline tires and strengthen our processing capacity. TSBC also contributes $30,000 annually to support the intake and diversion of these materials.
If you want to help us continue making an EPIC impact, visit oceanleacy.ca.
#OceanLegacy #TireDiversion #CircularEconomy #MarineDebris #PlasticPollution #RecyclingImpact #PartnershipsThatWork #RecycleBC
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Historic news for ocean protection!
The High Seas Treaty has officially entered into force, creating the first legally binding framework to protect biodiversity in international waters, areas that belong to everyone and no one.
This agreement enables the creation of marine protected areas, stronger environmental safeguards, and more equitable global collaboration to protect fragile ocean ecosystems.
At Ocean Legacy, we celebrate this moment while recognizing that the real work lies ahead: turning global commitments into tangible protection for the ocean.
Read more via Oceanographic Magazine:
oceanographicmagazine.com/news/high-seas-treaty-enters-into-force-after-decades-of-negotiations/
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Today is Blue Monday (January 19), often described as the saddest day of the year and commonly associated with lower moods and seasonal challenges. While it’s known as a difficult moment in the year, it’s also an opportunity to pause, reflect, and redirect energy toward something meaningful.
For Ocean Legacy, blue is more than a feeling, it’s a commitment. A commitment to cleaner coastlines, stronger systems, and a blue legacy that prioritizes healthy, plastic-free oceans for generations to come.
Join us in turning awareness into action, support the work that keeps our oceans blue and free from plastic. Visit www.oceanlegacy.ca to learn more!
#BlueMonday #KeepOurOceansBlue #BlueLegacy #OceanLegacy #PlasticPollution #OceanProtection #CollectiveAction
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As we step into 2026, we want to share our New Year’s resolution: To continue with our mission to end plastic pollution by strengthening recovery systems, supporting communities on the ground, and ensuring marine debris is responsibly managed at end of life, not left behind or exported as someone else’s problem.
Ending plastic pollution takes more than awareness. It takes collective action, long-term systems, and people willing to show up in meaningful ways.
Here are 5 ways you can help move this mission forward in 2026:
1.- Reduce and rethink plastic use
2.- Take action locally
3.- Support organizations doing the hard work
4.- Use your voice
5.- Stay engaged
Share it in the comments and help inspire collective action as we move into the year ahead.
#EndPlasticPollution #ProtectOurOceans #CircularSolutions #CommunityAction
#OceanAction
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A meaningful step forward for ocean protection in Canada.
Petition e-6795 has been officially certified for presentation to the House of Commons!
This is an important signal that when our voices come together, they are heard. Collective public action plays a critical role in advancing policy conversations around plastic pollution and environmental responsibility.
To everyone who signed and supported this petition, thank you. Your engagement is helping move this issue forward at the federal level.
Huge thank you to @MP Gord Johns for his leadership in bringing this issue forward to the House of Commons and for representing coastal voices across Canada on these critical matters.
We will continue advocating for systemic solutions and will keep our community updated as this petition progresses.
#OceanLegacy #PolicyAction #plasticpollution #HouseofCommons #EnvironmentalAdvocacy #collectiveimpact #oceanprotection #canada
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Did you know you can now get a tax receipt for donating to support Ocean Legacy’s work in Canada? It’s true!
Thanks to our new program delivery partnership with Canadian Urban Planning Foundation, Charitable Impact will issue tax receipts to donors supporting it’s Ocean Legacy Giving Group.
This collaboration recognizes the importance of healthy coastal cities and marine ecosystems and supports Ocean Legacy’s work in restoration, education, and circular-economic innovation.
♻️ We are always recovering more ocean plastic, and we need a new forklift to sort it for recycling. We are raising $16K!
Make your tax receiptable donation → Link in bio
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In 2025, Ocean Legacy continued to strengthen circular economy pathways that move recovered marine plastics into meaningful, responsible reuse. This work is only possible with business partners who are willing to engage with recycled materials, invest in responsible production systems, and help build viable end markets.
We extend our sincere thanks to the businesses and partners who supported this work throughout the year, contributing to processing improvements, equipment capacity, product development, and market expansion. These collaborations play a critical role in ensuring recovered marine plastics remain out of the environment and are reintegrated into resilient, locally grounded circular economies.
We are grateful to all partners, named and unnamed, who contributed to advancing circular solutions and strengthening the systems needed for long-term impact.
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DONATIONS THAT FOLLOW THROUGH ON COMMUNITY EFFORT
Across 5 depots in British Columbia and 1 central collection and processing centre in Nova Scotia, Ocean Legacy works with coastal communities, volunteers, and local partners to receive plastic recovered from shorelines, ocean and marine industrial cleanups to move it into responsible recovery pathways. We extend sincere thanks to everyone who brought, handled, and processed plastic at our depots in Ucluelet, Powell River, Port McNeill, Cumberland, Sechelt, and Happy Landing.
In 2025, one reality became increasingly clear. The scale of community action is growing, and with it the need for stable systems to support that effort. Increased volumes of recovered plastic reflect the dedication of people on the ground, and also reveal capacity limits within our current infrastructure.
This is why our year end fundraising is focused on closing a specific capacity gap. With $16,000 left to raise for a forklift, we are working to ensure we can safely and efficiently process the material communities have already worked hard to recover.
Every donation, large or small, supports the people, infrastructure, and systems that make this work possible. Thank you for your trust in long term, systems-based solutions and in the collective effort required to protect ocean health.
To make your contribution, please visit:
oceanlegacy.ca/leadership-giving
THANK YOU TO OUR DEPOT COMMUNITIES
📍 District of Ucluelet
📍 qathet Regional District
📍 Alberni-Clayoquot Regional District Government
📍 Sunshine Coast Regional District
📍 Regional District of Mount Waddington
📍 Municipality of the District of Lunenburg - MODL
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As we reflect on 2025 and get ready for (gasp) 2026 (already?), we want to pause and acknowledge the people, communities, and partners who made Ocean Legacy’s work possible this year.
Environmental recovery is not seasonal. It continues through holidays, weather, logistical constraints, and uncertainty. It is sustained by people who choose to care, contribute, and stay engaged even when the work is complex and long-term.
Today, we extend our sincere thanks to all our staff, volunteers, community partners, Nations, regional districts, businesses, donors, customers, vendors… everyone! Your commitment helped move marine debris out of the environment and into responsible recovery pathways, strengthening systems that protect ocean health for the future.
We wish you a restorative holiday season, with gratitude for what we’ve built together and resolve for the work we have ahead.
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The work behind marine debris recovery is rarely simple or linear, and it is the human element, problem solving, coordination, and persistence—that allows these systems to hold together and improve over time.
We recognize and thank all the individuals and organizations who help build, maintain, and strengthen these systems alongside us. Your expertise, time, and trust make it possible to translate community action into real, measurable outcomes: 1 pound of ocean plastic removed for every $4-5 spent. And that includes the labour, gear, and transport to make this all possible in harsh, remote and dangerous situations.
We are deeply grateful to be funded by donors who understand that lasting environmental progress is not driven by single actions, but by skilled, collective, sustained effort.
This year we’ve added the extra incentive of making your support of Ocean Legacy’s work tax receiptable, thanks to our new Charitable Impact giving group. To make your donation count for the people removing ocean plastic, please visit: oceanlegacy.ca/leadership-giving
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Just another day in the office and one of our Ocean Plastic Depots. In these depots, we receive and sort tons of marine debris every year into more than 13 categories. Whatever we can process, we send to our Plastic Pollution Emergency Response Facility, where it’s being turned into @legacyplastictm. We are making so much progress in making fully circular products!
#plasticpollution #circulareconomy #marinedebris
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Giving Tuesday is today, and we are grateful for the support already received toward Ocean Legacy Foundation’s forklift fundraiser.
A second forklift will significantly strengthen our ability to safely and efficiently manage the large volumes of marine debris arriving at our recycling facility every week. This upgrade increases our processing capacity, minimizes operational bottlenecks, and ensures more ocean plastics are recovered and transformed instead of polluting the environment.
If you or your organization would like to support this essential equipment upgrade, you can contribute using the link below. Thank you for helping us build stronger systems that protect our ocean.
Donate here: donorbox.org/giving-tuesday-oceanlegacy
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Reduce Post-Holiday Waste: The Plastics-Free Christmas Challenge!
This holiday season, Ocean Legacy Foundation and the Canadian Federation of University Women (CFUW) Richmond invite you to celebrate with intention. Christmas is a time for connection and generosity, but it also brings a surge of plastic waste. This challenge encourages you to rethink familiar traditions and choose practices that keep the season joyful while reducing environmental impact.
Throughout the holidays, take a moment to notice how much plastic has quietly become part of everyday celebrations, from gift wrap to décor, tableware, and stocking stuffers. The Plastics-Free Christmas Challenge offers practical ideas and sustainable alternatives to help you enjoy the season with less waste and more meaning.
Explore simple ways to make a difference: reusable gift wrapping, natural decorations, plastic-free greeting cards, thoughtful gifting, package-free shopping, and low-waste entertaining. Every small choice supports a cleaner environment and contributes to healthier oceans.
Created in collaboration with CFUW Richmond, this guide is a reminder that holiday joy and environmental stewardship can go hand in hand.
Stay tuned throughout December as we share weekly steps and challenges to help you reduce waste and make this holiday season a little lighter on the planet!
#greenholiday #greenchristmas #zerowaste
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Reduce Post-Holiday Waste: The Plastics-Free Christmas Challenge!
This holiday season, Ocean Legacy Foundation and the Canadian Federation of University Women (CFUW) Richmond invite you to celebrate with intention. Christmas is a time for connection and generosity, but it also brings a surge of plastic waste. This challenge encourages you to rethink familiar traditions and choose practices that keep the season joyful while reducing environmental impact.
Throughout the holidays, take a moment to notice how much plastic has quietly become part of everyday celebrations, from gift wrap to décor, tableware, and stocking stuffers. The Plastics-Free Christmas Challenge offers practical ideas and sustainable alternatives to help you enjoy the season with less waste and more meaning.
Explore simple ways to make a difference: reusable gift wrapping, natural decorations, plastic-free greeting cards, thoughtful gifting, package-free shopping, and low-waste entertaining. Every small choice supports a cleaner environment and contributes to healthier oceans.
Created in collaboration with CFUW Richmond, this guide is a reminder that holiday joy and environmental stewardship can go hand in hand.
Stay tuned throughout December as we share weekly steps and challenges to help you reduce waste and make this holiday season a little lighter on the planet!
#greenholiday #greenchristmas #zerowaste
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Heli Cleanup in Quatsino Territory
Another successful remote cleanup on the rugged North West Coast of Vancouver Island!
With support from a dedicated Quatsino Guardian, two amazing volunteers from West Coast Heli, and a pilot ready for anything, we managed to sling out 8,000 lbs of debris from hard-to-reach shoreline.
Shoutout to the Fox’s Disposal truck drivers who didn’t hesitate to jump in and help load the bins, true community teamwork.
Every pound removed protects coastal ecosystems and keeps these places thriving.
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Wear the Message. Fight the Mess.
"Now that’s an ugly sweater."
This limited-edition sweatshirt uses bold design to raise awareness about ocean plastic pollution. Made for Blue Friday (not Black Friday) it’s a cozy way to take a stand against overconsumption while preparing for the holiday season!
Every purchase supports our mission to clean up marine plastic waste. Shop now and wear your impact.
Get a 15% off in ALL items in our store with the code BLUE25 starting today until Sunday November 30th!
Buy the Ugliest Sweatshirt here: oceanlegacy.shop/products/unisex-sweatshirt
#UglySweater #BlueFriday #OceanLegacy #PlasticPollution #EcoFashion #ConsciousConsumer
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The Ugliest Sweatshirt
oceanlegacy.shop
Make a Statement This Blue Friday Ditch fast fashion and wear your values. This warm, durable sweatshirt blends festive style with a powerful message, perfect for those choosing conscious impact over ... 
