Provincial Funding headed way of BC Central and North Coast First Nations to help clear shoreline debris

More Provincial Funding is coming the way of BC First Nations in order to help clear away marine debris off the coast of the Great Bear Rainforest and create opportunities for lasting change through community awareness and education.

$1 million will given to the Coastal First Nations-Great Bear Initiative via the Province’s Clean Coast, Clean Waters initiative, which now means that $3.5 million in funding has been transferred from the CCCW to the Great Bear Initiative.

The Great Bear Initiative is a partnership that has brought together nine First Nations living in Haida Gwaii and on BC’s North and Central Coast in order to protect ecosystems and improve the lives of the Nation members.

Previous funds have been used to clear, dispose of and recycle shoreline debris and to help further youth engagement.

So far, this funding has resulted in 9,928 kilometres of coastline being patrolled, 911 kilometres of shoreline being cleaned, 149 shoreline jobs being created and 39 tonnes of marine debris being removed from shorelines.