ORCA presents: Canada's Ocean Decade newsletter
May 2023 – Issue 7
On this page
- ORCA 2023 National Meeting: see you in St. John’s
- Ocean Week Canada invites Canadians to a public celebration of the ocean
- The 5th Call for Decade Actions is now open
- Ocean Decade Community of Champions feature
- Parks Canada celebrates ocean sciences this summer
- ECOP Canada launches new report
- CIDCO brings participants from across Europe and North America to Symposium in Quebec
- Join the ORCA community! Call for new members
- Upcoming events
- Contact us
ORCA 2023 National Meeting: see you in St. John’s
The Oceans Research in Canada Alliance (ORCA) 2023 meeting will be held June 1 to 2, 2023 at the Sheraton Hotel in St. John’s, NL, in partnership, and on location, with the Canadian Meteorological and Oceanographic Society (CMOS) Congress being held that same week.
Under the theme, 'Together, let's build a strong Canadian contribution to the Ocean Decade', ORCA 2023 will showcase the diversity of the Canadian ocean community. Visit the ORCA 2023 website to learn more.
Ocean Week Canada 2023 invites Canadians to a public celebration of the ocean
Ocean Week Canada is an annual national celebration of ocean events, learning, and engagement coordinated by the Canadian Ocean Literacy Coalition (COLC) during the week of World Ocean Day (June 8th). Through these events, Ocean Week Canada aims to:
- raise public awareness
- celebrate people’s connection to coastal areas, the ocean, and watersheds in Canada
- inspire action to ensure a healthy ocean for future generations
Ocean Week Canada 2023 is taking place from June 2-11 with over 100 events happening in cities and communities from coast to coast to coast. On June 1st, COLC and partners will launch Ocean Week Canada in St. John’s, NL, in tandem with the ORCA 2023 National Meeting. Stay tuned for updates on this exciting event! You are also invited to register your ocean-related events or outreach activities taking place in June as part of Ocean Week Canada on their events portal. Learn more about how to get involved in Ocean Week Canada. Also, fresh off the press is COLC's National Strategy Impact Report 2022 and accompanying Key Initiatives Report 2022.
Government of Canada (GoC) invests $245 million in ocean science
On April 28th, the GoC announced a large investment of $1.4 billion to support research initiatives in strategic areas through the Canada First Research Excellence Fund (CFREF), including $245 million in support of ocean science.
Through Transforming Climate Action: Addressing the Missing Ocean, world-leading experts from Dalhousie University and partner universities, have been working with:
- Indigenous communities
- governments
- industry
- other national and international partners
Together, they have developed a program of research and innovation aimed at:
- reducing uncertainties in the climate budget
- co-designing and evaluating novel approaches to mitigate climate change
- bolstering justice and equity within adaptation at the ocean-climate-people nexus
The Qanittaq Clean Arctic Shipping Initiative is a unique partnership, co-led and co-developed by Memorial University and the Inuit Circumpolar Council (ICC) Canada, to address and respond to concerns about Arctic shipping and related environmental impacts affecting Northern communities. It will develop robust and innovative ship design and operation technologies, as well as surrounding policy and governance to position Canada and Inuit as world leaders in Arctic shipping.
The 5th Call for Ocean Decade Actions is now open
The IOC-UNESCO launched the 5th Call for Ocean Decade Actions on April 15th. You have until August 31st, 2023 to submit your transformative new programmes and projects for Ocean Decade endorsement. The Call is looking for new programs on:
- marine pollution
- marine ecosystem biodiversity
- projects on many other themes
Create an account on the Ocean Decade Network (formally the ‘Global Stakeholder Forum’) to complete your application form and connect with others contributing to the Ocean Decade in Canada and across the globe. Contact DFO’s Ocean Decade Office at DFO.OceanDecade-DecennieOcean.MPO@dfo-mpo.gc.ca for any questions or to receive support with the application process.
Ocean Decade Community of Champions Feature
The Ocean Decade Community of champions was created with one champion for each of the 7 Decade Outcomes. The champions aim to mobilize the Canadian ocean community and foster the creation of innovative and transformative science-based actions. The Tula Foundation, Champion for A Predicted Ocean, explain their role and vision for their thematic network:
Tula Foundation, Champion for A Predicted Ocean
"What if Canadians had all the information and tools needed to understand and respond to changing ocean conditions? It’s a dream worth aspiring to. That’s why the Tula Foundation is proud to be the champion for the Predicted Ocean. We’ve brought together a diverse working group from across sectors and the country to help us identify key priorities and the steps that will help us achieve these goals. This group aims to build thriving and connected Canadian scientific and stakeholder community for the development and application of ocean prediction data, information, and knowledge. Together we will encourage development of ocean prediction capacity and promote the use of ocean data and information for sustainable planning and decision making. With a scope spanning ocean observations, ocean models, data management, and ocean-users in industry and coastal communities, there is a real need to achieve this connected community where end-user needs are met. We look forward to interacting with the broader community to ensure that our work capitalizes on existing programs and moves the needle towards the ocean we need.”
- Tula Foundation
Tula Foundation, Ocean Decade Champion for A Predicted Ocean, is an independent charitable foundation that was established in British Columbia in 2001. Since its inception, Tula has built strong expertise in ocean science, data management, and communications across a range of divisions, including the Hakai Institute, Hakai Media, and the Quadra Centre for Coastal Dialogue. © Grant Callegari and Tula Foundation.
Parks Canada celebrates ocean sciences this summer
To mark the Ocean Decade, Parks Canada has designed and displayed colourful banners and posters across the country. The artwork not only informs the public about the Ocean Decade and the importance of ocean sciences and their relevance to Canadians, it also adds a festive touch to the sites and events organized by Parks Canada. The 2 metre high Ocean Decade banners will hang on either side of a mast or pole, like sails, in public areas, and are accompanied by a posters that provide digital access to further content. All together, they harmoniously represent the richness of Canada's marine life and our deep attachment to this natural heritage. Visit the Parks Canada Ocean Connection webpage for more information.
ECOP Canada launches new report
Early Career Ocean Professionals (ECOP) Canada, a national node of the international program endorsed by the Ocean Decade to elevate and strengthen the diverse perspectives of new generations of ocean professionals, has grown a network of over 200 members and provides opportunities for professional development and to improve knowledge transfer and sustainability in the ocean sector. Learn more about ECOP Canada’s accomplishments in their new report and connect with them at canada@ecopdecade.org.
CIDCO brings participants from across Europe and North America to Symposium in Quebec
The biannual CIDCO 2023 Symposium was held in early April under the theme ‘An Accessible Ocean’. More than 120 participants from Europe and North America attended 33 presentations and 2 panel discussions in the span of 2.5 days.
Guillaume Morissette, representing the Interdisciplinary Centre for the Development of Ocean Mapping (CIDCO) as the champion for an accessible ocean in the Canadian community of champions for the Ocean Decade, presented the results of his work on automated marine inventory using artificial intelligence. Two panel discussions on collaborative bathymetry were held as part of the Accessible Ocean Day. The collection of data using merchant ships to contribute to continuous bathymetry of waterways was discussed, as well as the participation of coastal communities to complete the mapping of coastal areas for safer use in traditional hunting, fishing and recreational activities.
Most of the sessions at the symposium will soon be available on the CIDCO website and on their YouTube channel. Follow CIDCO on Twitter.
Join the ORCA community! Call for new members
Membership is free and provides you access to the ORCA Community Platform which facilitates coordination and collaboration between ORCA members. Send an email to the ORCA Secretariat ORCA.AROC@dfo-mpo.gc.ca to join the more than 600 members from over 160 organizations that are already part of ORCA. Together we can advance our collective understanding of the ocean!
Upcoming events
| Date | Event | Location |
|---|---|---|
| May 23-26, 2023 | Ocean Frontier Institute (OFI)’s Researchers Conference | St. John’s, NL |
| 27-May-23 | 2023 Cross Canada Ocean Symposium | Dartmouth, NS |
| 28-May-23 | CMOS Public Panel Discussion ‘Weathering the Storm’ | St. John’s, NL |
May 28 - June 1, 2023 |
Virtual and St. John’s, NL |
1-Jun-23 | Ocean Week Canada 2023 Launch | St. John’s, NL |
June 1-2, 2023 |
St. John’s, NL |
|
June 2-11, 2023 |
Virtual and across Canada |
|
June 11-14, 2023 |
Coastal Zone Canada 2023 Conference ‘Connecting Canadians with the Coast’* |
Victoria, BC |
June 12-14, 2023 |
Halifax, NS |
14-Jun-23 | Ocean Allies Speaker Series: Gender Equity Presentation by CCUNESCO | Virtual |
June 26-30, 2023 |
Amsterdam, Netherlands |
Contact us
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