A first anniversary for British Columbia’s community observatories

Ocean Networks Canada (ONC) installed three community observatories in March 2016 to provide real-time information regarding marine environment observations. With West Coast industry and ports continuing to expand, coastal communities are facing various rapid environmental changes. The real-time data from the cabled observatories can be used by community members to make informed decisions about their coastal and marine resources. The three community observatories are located in Campbell River, Kitamaat Village, and Prince Rupert. ONC is the first to explore the depths of the northeast Pacific Ocean in real time. After a year in operation, this first anniversary review celebrates the successes, challenges and future for ONC’s community observatories. Last month, the community observatories along the British Columbia coast underwent their first annual maintenance overhaul to ensure that they continue to gather clear, reliable data.