Canada has the longest coastline in the world, linking the Atlantic, Arctic, and Pacific oceans. These oceans are crucial to the marine plants, animals and to the humans that live there. We rely on the oceans for food and energy resources, plus they play a key role in removing carbon dioxide from the atmosphere and supporting marine biodiversity. Water (the oceans included) is a finite resource. The water we have on Earth today is all the water we will ever have. That means we need to protect our oceans, rivers, and lakes so our planet can keep supporting us and its many species of plants, animals, and fungi.

If we don’t reduce greenhouse gas emissions, we will see water temperatures rising and increasing sea levels, which will cause more extreme weather events and threaten our marine ecosystems, food security, and more.

Oceans and their coastal ecosystems play an important role in our lives by:

• regulating the Earth’s temperature
• providing half the oxygen we breathe
• protecting land masses, reducing flooding, erosion, and natural disaster impacts – thanks to coastal ecosystems such as coral reefs, salt marches, and mangroves
• providing food for millions of people across the globe
• supporting most of the planet’s biodiversity

You can help our oceans by:

• supporting local, provincial, and federal policies to protect ocean environments and reduce carbon emissions
• reducing the use of single use plastics
• properly disposing of garbage
• using fuel efficient, electric vehicles or public transportation
• respecting wildlife habitats
• getting involved with beach clean-ups in your area. Check out the Great Canadian Shoreline Cleanup for clean-up projects that may be taking place in your area. Learn more about Canada’s oceans and what you can do to help