Founded in 1956, Ocean Wise Conservation Association (Ocean Wise) is an environmental charity that works to “inspire the global community to become Ocean Wise by increasing its understanding, wonder, and appreciation for our oceans.” Ocean Wise runs animal care, conservation, engagement, education, and research programs. It also operates the Vancouver Aquarium which is home to thousands of ocean species and types of aquatic life.

Ocean Wise Conservation Association’s Marine Mammal Rescue program is a hospital and care facility for sick, injured, or orphaned marine mammals. Each year, Ocean Wise says that it saves over 100 marine mammals and rehabilitates them for release back into the wild. In F2018, the charity reports that it released 2,600 endangered frogs (tadpoles and froglets) to the wild and reared 17 fish and invertebrate species.

Conservation programs include The Great Canadian Shoreline Cleanup and Ocean Wise Seafood. The Shoreline Cleanup is a national conservation initiative that gives people the opportunity to take environmental action in their communities. In F2018, Ocean Wise reports that 116,429 kilograms of litter, including 560,432 cigarettes, was removed from Canadian shorelines. Ocean Wise Seafood is a sustainable seafood program that aims to tackle the problem of overfishing. The charity reports that over 3,000 locations across Canada are now selling Ocean Wise recommended seafood.

Ocean Wise’s Engagement and Education programs aim to create a real sense of awareness, across all ages, of the conservation issues our world is facing. The charity reached 168 million people online and had 296,390 education program participants in F2018. It also reports that it got over 14,000 pledges to #BePlasticWise and that 8,000 reports were submitted to the BC Cetacean Sightings Network.

Ocean Wise researchers study habitats and animals both in the wild and on site, in order to advance knowledge necessary to improve environmental conservation. Ocean Wise says that it is now home to more than 30 researchers who published 16 research papers in F2018.

Ocean Wise Conservation Association is a ­­­­large charity, with total donations of $8.1m in F2018. Administrative costs are 17% of revenues (excluding investment income) and fundraising costs are 57% of donations. For every dollar donated, 27 cents go to the cause. This is outside Ci’s reasonable range for overhead spending. Funding reserves of $17.8m can cover almost 10 months of annual program costs.

­­This charity report is a new charity report that has been sent to Ocean Wise Conservation Association for review. Changes and edits may be forthcoming.

Updated on August 15, 2019 by Lauren Chin.