Celebrate International Coastal Cleanup Day with Ocean Wise
Host a Shoreline Cleanup
Can't make one of our events? Lead a cleanup in your community to host your own International Coastal Cleanup Day celebrations.
International Coastal Cleanup Day is happening on Saturday, September 17, 2022 and Ocean Wise is leading celebrations in Canada and America
Join us for an Ocean Wise Shoreline Cleanup in celebration of International Coastal Cleanup Day on September 17! We’ll clean the shoreline, have exciting speakers and celebrate our 1 millionth participant.
- Toronto: Woodbine Beach Park at 10AM local time
- Vancouver: English Bay Beach at 10AM local time
- Halifax: Black Rock Beach in Point Pleasant Park at 10AM local time
- San Francisco: India Basin Shoreline Park at 9AM local time
More event details
- Litter Data Cards – will be available to keep track of the litter. By submitting data on the litter we collect we are helping to address the most common types of litter before they enter our environment and waterways.
- Free Snacks & Refreshments – Food and beverages will be available on site.
- Family Friendly Event
Since 1994
30,542
Shoreline cleanups have been hosted
1,000,000
Volunteers have joined in
2,100,000
Kilograms of trash has been collected
In 1994, employees and volunteers at the Vancouver Aquarium decided to clean up a beach in Stanley Park to protect the city’s shorelines. From that first cleanup, the program expanded across British Columbia and by 1997, 400 volunteers were participating in the Great BC Beach Cleanup at 20 sites.
From there the program grew into a national conservation initiative called the Great Canadian Shoreline Cleanup, a partnership with WWF Canada. In 2002 and cleanups started appearing in every province and territory. By 2003, more than 20,000 volunteers were taking part. Public support grew as Canadians became more aware of the harmful effects of shoreline litter on ecosystems, wildlife and people.
In 2021 shoreline cleanups expanded outside of Canada, launching in California and Texas. To reflect this new scope Great Canadian Shoreline Cleanups became the Ocean Wise Shoreline Cleanup with a goal of getting 1,000,000 more volunteers out in their own communities by 2026!
