What is the Year of the Salish Sea?
June 8, 2022-June 7, 2023
The Year of the Salish Sea is a youth-led effort that aims to bring together local First Nations, municipalities, organizations, and individuals in the Salish Sea ecosystem region to strengthen existing efforts working towards a healthy Salish Sea. At its heart is a belief in collective action and love for the Salish Sea ecosystem.
Aims
Amplification and Collaboration
YoSS aims to amplify existing stewardship work and encourage collaboration between stakeholders in NGOs and all levels of government who are already involved in various projects and initiatives that promote the health of the Salish Sea ecosystem.
Public Education and Engagement
YoSS aims to call on the members of the public to learn more about the Salish Sea ecosystem, find out how they can help, and shift towards an ocean-centered way of living through dialogue, art, storytelling, and ecological education.
Pressure on Decision-Makers
YoSS aims to open windows for effective policy change in ocean governance that will support existing ocean-centered work and improve the health and management of the Salish Sea for generations to come.
Why?
Indigenous Nations have been stewarding the land, ocean, and watersheds since time immemorial. Colonial extraction processes have seriously harmed the health of ecosystems and have led to climate change and extreme weather patterns. We are running out of time to respond to problems caused by extraction and uncoordinated ocean governance, which are threatening the wellbeing of humans and non-humans alike. The Year of the Salish Sea is a chance to bring together what’s already being done in response to the various issues the Salish Sea ecosystem is facing. It is also an opportunity for dialogue between us humans, as neighbours to the Salish Sea, about its health and wellness, and bring ocean-related issues to the forefront of policymaking and urban planning.
What Will it Look Like?
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Municipal Declaration
One of our aims is to get June 2022-2023 municipally recognized across the Lower Mainland. The aim of municipal recognition is to spread awareness and reach the greatest number of people. The Year of the Salish Sea has already been proclaimed in the City of Vancouver!
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Public Engagement
Beyond municipal declaration, we hope to draw attention to some water-related events, sustainable businesses, and experiential learning opportunities taking place in 2022-2023. The point is to highlight all of the opportunities for involvement for the public so we can engage together in a culture of love for our ocean.
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Spreading Resources
You only care about what you know about! Another goal of the Year of the Salish Sea project is to increase the public’s ocean and climate literacy through sharing conferences, events, stories, maps, and other resources. Follow us on Instagram, Twitter, and Tiktok to regularly receive resources and Salish Sea information.
Events & Initiatives
We want to amplify various events, opportunities, initiatives, practices, and programs that you can check out during June 2022-2023 in the Lower Mainland and the Gulf Islands. Below is a collection of initiatives that are working to protect and steward the Salish Sea and all of its inhabitants in 2022-2023.
Get in touch with us to see your organization, initiative, or Salish Sea-related event on this page.
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Sea2City Design Challenge
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World Ocean Day
June 8, 2022 - June 7, 2023 has been officially proclaimed the Year of the Salish Sea in the City of Vancouver, the Islands Trust Council, and the Town of Gibsons!
Next, the Year of the Salish Sea (YoSS) is being taken to more municipalities!
Sign up to get updates on our Contact page. Thank you for joining!