Swim Season Impacts 2023
Every water sample provides new insights, every conversation about water brings further education, and every water steward can inspire others to take action. Remember, every action, no matter how large or small, can make an impact.
“Every day I have the privilege of connecting with our community whether that's through sampling with volunteers, attending community events or something as simple as chatting with someone as they pass by. Each of these conversations reminds me of how much people care about their local waters and how many gaps still exist when it comes to water literacy knowledge in the population as a whole. Something as simple as a conversation has the ability to change minds, peak curiosity, and empower people to become water stewards themselves. Any action you take no matter how significant it might seem, is a step in the right direction.”
- Megan Coad, Toronto Water Programs Coordinator
Since the kickoff of swim season in June, Swim Drink Fish has continued to grow and amplify our message of swimmable, drinkable, fishable water in Edmonton, Kingston, Toronto, Vancouver, and Victoria. We’ve made a lot of progress this season and are excited to share some highlights.
Swim Season Highlights 2023:
Over 1,600+ water quality samples
23 sites monitored by our Water Quality Monitoring Hubs
55+ Community Scientists
450+ Volunteer Hours
25+ Events
70+ Partnerships and collaborations with various organizations and companies in the community
Thanks to our devoted Community Scientists, Water Quality Monitoring Hubs and generous donors, these achievements were made possible through their unwavering dedication and hard work.
Our impact doesn’t stop here! Swim Drink Fish has a multitude of initiatives and here are some other notable highlights:
Blue Flag awarded to 20 beaches and 9 marinas
Over 10,000 beaches monitored on Swim Guide
Hundreds of Watermarks collected
Water Programs Manager, Gregary Ford, joined Blue Future Pathways for a Newfoundland and Labrador expedition rounding out his year of exploration
The first Adopt-A-Site program ran successfully at the Boulevard Club in Toronto
Launched the Victoria Hub in partnership with Power To Be
Engaging in the Swim Drink Fish Movement Across Canada
“This year I’ve had the opportunity to travel across Canada engaging people in the Swim Drink Fish movement. From our new Pacific monitoring hub in Victoria, BC with Power to Be, to First Nations around the Great Lakes as a part of the Biinaagami project, culminating with a research expedition in the Labrador Sea on the Atlantic Ocean with the Students On Ice Blue Futures Pathways Expedition. Canada can be defined by water. We have the longest coastline, the most lakes, and 20% of the world’s freshwater supply. And for a country of only 40 million people, we have some of the most engaged water advocates in the world. In my travels I was exposed to the incredible work being done by groups like the Surfrider Foundation on the West Coast, the First Nations of the Great Lakes like Biigtigong Nishnaabeg, and the Indigenous and Inuit youth on board the Blue Futures Pathways expedition on the East Coast. This year has been an incredible opportunity to experience differing Western and Indigenous perspectives on water, and most significantly, how these worldviews can come together to make an impact on how we govern, manage, conserve, protect, and restore our access to clean waters. It has been encouraging and inspiring to see many diverse young people across Canada starting their journey in the Swim Drink Fish movement and it makes me hopeful for the sustainable and just future of Canada’s water.”
- Gregary Ford, Director of Water Programs, Swim Drink Fish
Adopt-A-Site with the Boulevard Club
A tremendously exciting part of this season was having our first Adopt-A-Site program launch at the Boulevard Club in Toronto.
“Water sampling on behalf of Swim Drink Fish this summer has been an exciting endeavour for Boulevard Club Members and Staff alike. It has been a fantastic opportunity to connect teenage volunteers with our waterfront and to foster a sense of environmental stewardship in our community. We hope that by engaging in community science, we will continue to learn about our water and encourage more waterfront recreation amongst our Members and the people of Parkdale.”
- Charles Rishor, Yachting Director, Boulevard Club
This sets the framework for future Adopt-A-Site programs. We are excited about the prospect of expanding our work by having individuals, like you, take on sampling in your community!
Officially Launched the Victoria Hub
In July, Swim Drink Fish launched a new community-based Water Monitoring program in partnership with Power To Be on Prospect Lake in Victoria, BC. Power To Be is a non-profit organization, working to remove cognitive, physical and financial barriers to get more people into nature. It could not be a better friendship!
Victoria Monitoring Coordinator, Katie Wilson, has collected 10 weeks of monitoring data so far, with findings coming back in good health, which is great news for the programs at Power To Be, as they continue to build bridges to the natural world for more of us. So far, though the rain is coming, Prospect Lake has been an example of our monitoring showing the need to protect a beautiful space like this where eagle nests have been among some of the wildlife observations in the area. In the 10 weeks of monitoring, only once has the site failed recreational water guidelines. Recent preliminary concerns are showing that green algae has been observed, as well. Further showing the need for more monitoring of your waters.
Katie has also been doing investigative monitoring at Songhess Point in the Victoria Harbour where regular paddlers and rowing clubs frequent, to better understand the status of water quality on the shores of Victoria, as they’ve constructed a new Water Treatment Plant.
All of this would not be possible without you! Your involvement has made a tremendous impact and has helped us to continue the ripple effect throughout the year. Together, we are working towards our ultimate goal of creating a swimmable, drinkable, and fishable future for everyone.
If you're interested in continuing to support us, please consider becoming a Wave Maker or Contributary. You can also get involved by volunteering at one of our hubs.
