UNDERSTANDING OCEAN LITERACY IN CANADA ST. LAWRENCE REGIONAL REPORt: WITH GREAT LAKES OVERVIEW AND HIGHLIGHTS UNDERSTANDING OCEAN LITERACY IN CANADA ST. LAWRENCE REGIONAL REPORT WITH GREAT LAKES OVERVIEW AND HIGHLIGHTS JUNE 2020 1 UNDERSTANDING OCEAN LITERACY IN CANADA ST. LAWRENCE REGIONAL REPORt: WITH GREAT LAKES OVERVIEW AND HIGHLIGHTS 1 Executive Summary Introduction: Framing our 2 Canada-wide Study St. Lawrence and Great 5 Lakes: Background Context Exploring the Term ‘Ocean 7 Literacy’ TABLE OF Key Findings: Strengths of 10 Ocean Literacy CONTENTS 16 Key Findings: Barriers to Ocean Literacy Preliminary 20 Recommendations to Advance Ocean Literacy 22 References Cover Photos: Julia Ostertag Background Artwork: Nancy Breton © MacNeil, S. (2020) Understanding Ocean Literacy in Canada: St. Lawrence Regional Report. Canadian Ocean Literacy Coalition. Creative Commons Attribution- NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License. 2 UNDERSTANDING OCEAN LITERACY IN CANADA ST. LAWRENCE REGIONAL REPORt: WITH GREAT LAKES OVERVIEW AND HIGHLIGHTS Executive Summary This report is one of five regional reports that partnerships. The key barriers to OL identified support a Canada-wide study conducted by the are funding challenges, disconnection from the Canadian Ocean Literacy Coalition (COLC) to regions’ waters, access to the ocean and its establish a baseline seascape of ocean literacy resources, and language constraints. (OL) in Canada. The study’s results will be used to develop an evidence-based national OL Four recommendations to advance OL in strategy and implementation plan. the St. Lawrence Region emerged from the study. These include: provide sustained funding This report shares the findings from the St. for OL; integrate knowledge and perspectives Lawrence Region with key highlights relevant to of First Nations and non-Indigenous coastal the Great Lakes. These combined waterways communities into the co-production of OL span southern Ontario and Quebec, as well as knowledge; support and promote accessible eight American states, and are comprised of knowledge and science communication tools; many diverse ecosystems, which encompass and create collaborative tools and spaces for OL a gradual transition from freshwater to marine. practice across borders. Although the Great Lakes and the St. Lawrence River are inherently connected, inhabitants of Acknowledgements these shores are separated by provincial and international borders that harbour different Lead Author: Sarah MacNeil models, cultures, networks, institutions, policies, Editor: Lisa (Diz) Glithero and perspectives, which all affect citizens’ Reviewers: Special thanks to Noémie Roy, relationships to water and the ocean. Capacity Shannon Monk, Anne-Marie Asselin, and limitations of this study have guided the Mélanie Lemire, Denise Pérusse, Dany Dumont, decision to focus primarily on one province’s Jean-Éric Turcotte, Lyne Morissette, realities, those of Quebec. Nicola Crawhall, Jimmy Vigneux, Étienne Laurence, Sandra Gauthier, The key strengths of OL identified in this Véronique Trudeau, Lynn Jacobs, study are coordinated consultation and Marie-Ève Muller, Pierre Léonard, dialogue, dynamic and accessible knowledge Richard Sears, Catherine Lambert Koizumi, communication, multidisciplinary research Evelyne Daigle, Sonia Wesche, networks, and intersectoral collaborations and and CarolAnne Black. Partners COLC would like to thank NIVA Inc. for their in-kind contribution on the publication design. * The above partners directly contributed to supporting this region’s research. See Appendix F for complete list of all funding partners. Heading Photo:Julia Ostertag © MacNeil, S. (2020) Understanding Ocean Literacy in Canada: St. Lawrence Regional Report. Canadian Ocean Literacy Coalition. Creative Commons Attribution- NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License. 1 UNDERSTANDING OCEAN LITERACY IN CANADA ST. LAWRENCE REGIONAL REPORt: WITH GREAT LAKES OVERVIEW AND HIGHLIGHTS introduction: FRAMING OUR CANADA-WIDE STUDY Canada has the longest coastline in the world The Canadian Ocean Literacy Coalition (COLC) and jurisdiction over an area of ocean equivalent is an alliance of organizations, networks, to about 55% of the country’s landmass.1 For the institutions, and communities working together 6.5 million Canadians living in a coastal zone2 to better understand and advance ocean literacy the ocean is deeply embedded in the fabric of (OL) in Canada. Widely accepted internationally, community livelihoods, food security, and well- OL is defined as understanding“ our impact being. Across Canada, the ocean is a major on the ocean and the ocean’s impact on us.”4 economic driver, the backbone of weather and COLC’s primary project since its inception in climate systems, and a recreational playground 2018 has been to lead a Canada-wide research for millions of Canadians and global visitors. initiative to better understand Canadians’ varying Ocean conservation is increasingly highlighted relationships with the ocean and to examine how as a priority, as signalled by Canada’s pledge to OL is understood and practiced across different establish marine protected areas covering 25% regions and sectors. The aim of this work is to of our ocean waters by 2025 and 30% by 2030.3 establish a baseline seascape of OL in Canada, and in so doing, to co-develop an evidence- The ocean space is not just about species and based national OL strategy and implementation industries; it is also about people, livelihoods, plan. relationships, and identity. A knowledgeable and engaged citizenry is required to support and This report presents the findings for the St. ensure ocean and human health, sustainable Lawrence Region, with key highlights relevant to ocean economies, and social equity. the Great Lakes. It is one of a set of five regional reports and one national report that are available at www.colcoalition.ca. Heading Artwork: Nancy Breton © MacNeil, S. (2020) Understanding Ocean Literacy in Canada: St. Lawrence Regional Photo: Quebec City waterfront, Photo Credit Report. Canadian Ocean Literacy Coalition. Creative Commons Attribution- Mike Sudoma/Students on Ice Foundation NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License. 2 UNDERSTANDING OCEAN LITERACY IN CANADA ST. LAWRENCE REGIONAL REPORt: WITH GREAT LAKES OVERVIEW AND HIGHLIGHTS Our Approach and Methods Through a collaborative research approach, Data was primarily collected from participants and drawing on qualitative and quantitative who are directly engaged in OL, or in other methods, the study focuses on five Canadian ocean-related work that (1) advances ocean regions (Atlantic, Inuit Nunangat, Pacific, St. knowledge systems (e.g., scientific, Indigenous, Lawrence, and Inland Canada), as well as a expert, local, etc.), (2) strengthens ocean national overview. The study moves beyond values (e.g., life-sustaining, economic, personal, an examination of OL in the context of formal communal, etc.), and/or (3) implements ocean education and youth to consider the practice of actions (i.e., individual behavioural change, OL within nine sectors: Government, NGO and social justice actions, policy changes, etc.). Advocacy, Academia and Research, Industry, Education, Community, Media, Cultural Heritage, and Health. The study was guided by three central research questions: 1 What is the current understanding and state of OL in Canada? 2 What are the current strengths and barriers of OL in Canada? 3 What are the key recommendations to advance OL in Canada? 5 Regions 9 Sectors 3 Dimensions of OL Figure 1: The conceptual framework used for the study, integrating the five regions, nine sectors, and three dimensions of OL – ocean knowledge, values, and actions © MacNeil, S. (2020) Understanding Ocean Literacy in Canada: St. Lawrence Regional Report. Canadian Ocean Literacy Coalition. Creative Commons Attribution- NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License. 3 UNDERSTANDING OCEAN LITERACY IN CANADA ST. LAWRENCE REGIONAL REPORt: WITH GREAT LAKES OVERVIEW AND HIGHLIGHTS Table 1 outlines the eight data collection methods used in the study and provides the sample total for each method, nationally and for the St. Lawrence Region. See Appendix E for further details on research methodology, ethics, and links to research tools. All data collection occurred between September 2019 and March 2020. Table 1: COLC Research by the Numbers St. Lawrence Data Method Description National (Great Lakes) National online survey with 565 Respondents Canadian Ocean Literacy COLC members’ networks & 1,359 respondents (QC = 150) Survey (COLSurvey) interested Canadians (ON = 415) (For Findings Report PDF) National poll conducted with Nanos Poll random sample 1,010 respondents 251 (For Findings Report PDF) Documents and reports 70 documents Document Scan 332 reviewed for context (see Appendix A) Semi-structured, 45 minutes 25 participants* Interviews 188 (see Appendix C) (see Appendix B) Ocean Literacy Mapping Organizational-level online 22 participants** 136 respondents Survey (OLMSurvey) survey for OL providers (see Appendix D) Researcher facilitated, semi- 3 workshops – 210 Youth Workshops structured focus groups National scale only youth total (For Youth Report PDF) Public interactions with artwork 5 interactive art works 1 art work Arts-based engagement and research question (For - 250 responses 53 responses St. Lawrence Arts Report PDF) Coarse-scale analysis of 1,253 articles; 77 Media & Social Media topics discussed in Canadian influential accounts National scale