We act locally and think globally

The TD Canada Trust Great Canadian Shoreline Cleanup is part of an international effort

The TD Canada Trust Great Canadian Shoreline Cleanup is Canada's largest contributor to the International Coastal Cleanup.

Each September, hundreds of thousands of participants from around the world join Canadians to clean up their shorelines.

In the past 17 years, more than 4.5 million participants from 120 countries have taken part in the annual ICC.

The Vancouver Aquarium started the TD Canada Trust Great Canadian Shoreline Cleanup over 12 years ago, and with support from the TD Canada Trust, the program has grown from a local beach cleanup to a national program with participants in every province and territory.

This is one environmental program that everyone can get involved with

The TD Canada Trust Great Canadian Shoreline Cleanup is the perfect opportunity for school groups, community groups, and families concerned individuals to get involved in a hands-on conservation program. It provides a chance to become involved with an activity that has a real, measurable effect in the environment both locally and globally. Cleanups are more than just collecting trash, they are examples of communities working together to create solutions that ensure our oceans and waterways are kept clean.

This is more than a one day event

Besides removing shoreline litter from a local shoreline, you will also be collecting important data. With every cleanup, participants fill out a Data Card - which is provided as part of their cleanup materials package.

As every piece of shoreline litter is removed from the shoreline, it's details are recorded on to the data card. That data card is sent back to the Vancouver Aquarium after your cleanup is completed.

All collected shoreline litter that cannot be recycled is deposited in either a garbage bin or delivered to the closet landfill. 

The Vancouver Aquarium tabulates all the information provided on the data cards and then sends in the national totals to the International Coastal Cleanup.

This national data is then used by the International Coastal Cleanup to affect legislation about shoreline litter around the world.

The TD Canada Trust Great Canadian Shoreline Cleanup objectives are:

• Education and Awareness - The TD Canada Trust Great Canadian Shoreline cleanup is designed to raise awareness and change attitudes about shoreline litter and aquatic debris. In addition, valuable data is collected during the cleanup. This is used to change legislation and design programs.

• Community Stewardship – In September of 2005, the TD Canada Trust Great Canadian Shoreline Cleanup removed debris from 813 sites across Canada. The cleanup attracts a diverse group of participants ranging in age and background. Many of these groups clean up the same shoreline each September and demonstrate a sense of stewardship for these sites.

• Environmental Monitoring and Restoration – Removal of debris from sensitive aquatic habitats helps to restore the environment. By changing attitudes about litter, these habitats will be protected and preserved from future debris related damage.

You are joining more then just a cleanup event

By becoming a site coordinator or participant, you are becoming a member of a community of Canadians who care enough to go out and do something about protecting our environment.

Like-minded people across Canada are getting involved, getting connected, and thinking of new ways that they can become stewards for their local environments.