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September 11, 2025
Victoria, BC — On May 11, 2025, Prince of Whales Whale & Marine Wildlife Adventures proudly joined forces with Transport Canada, Surfrider Vancouver Island, and Black Ball Ferry Line for a successful cleanup of the Gorge Waterway, an essential initiative to protect and preserve the health of Victoria’s beloved marine environments.
Together, the teams removed 241.3 kilograms (532 pounds) of debris from the shoreline and water. Prince of Whales and Black Ball’s crew collected 90.5 kilograms, including nearly 14 kilograms of rope and several heavy, hard-to-reach items. Transport Canada’s team focused on more elusive pollutants, removing 24.3 kilograms of foam, a particularly harmful form of debris that, while lightweight, poses long-term ecological threats due to its tendency to break into microplastics.
This year’s effort builds on the success of last summer’s cleanup, which took place on July 23, 2024, and removed 380 kilograms of garbage from Victoria’s Inner Harbour and Gorge area. Items collected ranged from tires and appliances to plastic wrappers, foam, and discarded textiles. These initiatives demonstrate the importance of collective action in preventing pollution from entering marine ecosystems and causing long-term harm to wildlife and water quality.
“As stewards of the Salish Sea, we feel a deep responsibility to lead by example when it comes to environmental protection,” said Elspeth McGillivray, General Manager at Prince of Whales. “This cleanup is just one of many ways we live out our commitment to conservation and community.”
The collaboration with Surfrider Foundation Vancouver Island and Transport Canada has once again proven the power of partnership in tackling environmental challenges. We are immensely grateful to everyone who rolled up their sleeves to help, from the marine operations teams to the staff and volunteers who gave their time and energy to this cause.
Prince of Whales remains committed to supporting community-led action and sustainable tourism practices across all the coastal communities we serve.
