National Data and Integrated Scenarios
The National Data and Integrated Scenarios (NDIS) Working Group, based at the University of British Columbia, is compiling secondary data to create a user-friendly searchable research database. This database will house important social, cultural, governance, economic and environmental data and we envision that it will help researchers more easily assess and monitor trends related to the health of Canada’s three coastal-ocean environments. Through our work with scenario modelling, we are mapping the potential pathways to human and environmental sustainability within Canada’s coastal-ocean regions and appraising their associated opportunities and risks.
View National Data and Integrated Scenarios
Law and Policy
The Law and Policy Working Group, based at Dalhousie University, is studying the current state of Canada’s law and policy frameworks in critical sectors affecting the management of our oceans, with a view to strengthening a principled approach to these legal and policy structures. Legal principles of sustainable development can be made the “foundation stones” for supporting healthy social-ecological systems, and we employ this perspective in all aspects of our work.
Knowledge Mobilization
The Knowledge Mobilization Working Group, based at the University of Winnipeg, is conducting research that explores modern media (such as video and social media) as a way to document, in Canada’s three coastal-ocean regions, different perspectives on the importance of oceans for community (such as food, culture, economy).
Arctic Region
The Arctic Working Group, based at Carleton and McMaster universities, is working to connect current knowledge of key issues of concern to Arctic Ocean coastal communities to broad questions of science and policy integration. The group holds as a key goal the empowerment of community voices in the Arctic region and is currently establishing collaborative activities that can support this work.
Atlantic Region
The Atlantic Working Group operates out of the University of Waterloo and Saint Mary’s University, and is addressing critical knowledge gaps, contributing methodologically innovative strategies for ocean and coastal planning, and developing policy insights about pressing regional concerns.
Pacific Region
The Pacific Working Group, based at the University of Victoria and the University of British Columbia, is studying human well-being in the face of social-ecological change in Canada’s Pacific Ocean coastal communities. Members of our Working Group have partnered with local communities to conduct policy-relevant research on social-ecological interactions in coastal ocean areas to support marine spatial planning. Research themes include assessing social values of community and coastal resource users and understanding the impacts of climate change on biodiversity and ecosystem valuation. Collectively, our research is generating a better understanding of the socio-cultural, economic and ecological challenges facing coastal communities. We are linking with industry stakeholders and integrating academic research with on-the-ground adaptive management.