Environmental Stewardship
We strive to care for and improve our club, our sport, and to protect the Gorge waterway that is our home.
Table of Contents
Environmental Partnerships
Our environmental partnerships include:
Key Initiatives
Transitioning from Gas to Electric Outboards
Switching from gas outboard motors to clean, quiet, electric motors has huge advantages for the Gorge Waterway, for our rowers, and for our coaches:
- No need to transport or store gas.
- No danger of spills on the dock or in the waterway.
- Reduced maintenance—the gas engines we replaced had to be driven to the shop twice a year.
- The quiet motors makes it easier to hear our coaches, which is important for both learning and safety, benefit wildlife, makes us better neighbours, and makes rowing more fun for everyone.
- The electric motors are easier on our coaches ears.
Since 2024, our club has been a Pilot Project location for Rowing BC’s Row Electric initiative, and initial insights and recommendations are available on their site. Data collection will continue through the fall of 2026. We installed two different electric outboard systems and collected data for a full year on cost, performance and user-experience, as well as practical real-world experiences with purchasing, installing, using, and maintaining electric outboard systems. Our experience and the data we collected will help other clubs begin the transition from gas to electric engines.
In 2026, we acquired our third electric outboard system, and formed a partnership with OceansEV, a local Vancouver Island business that is Canada’s first and only company focused solely on electric propulsion for boats.
Reducing Waste
Modern rowing shells are made of high-tech composite materials. Their original manufacture generates substantial plastic waste and pollution, and they are extremely challenging to recycle or dispose of responsibly. Rather than replacing our shells frequently, we focus on maintaining and refurbishing to extend their life, and on getting our members to understand that newer isn’t always better. One of our most popular boats dates back to 1995, and is still going strong!
For textiles, catering, event hosting, and marketing, GNRC prioritizes reusable and repurposable materials. Branded signage and equipment are designed for reuse, textiles such as shirts and promotional items are washable and reused, and event catering includes clearly organized recycling, composting, and waste streams
Avoiding Damage to Natural Habitats and species
We use biodegradable boat soaps and vinegar-based cleaning products. We also ensure that all our epoxy resins and catalysts for boat repair are sourced from environmentally friendly companies
The Gorge Waterway is home to many water birds that become unable to fly for several weeks in early summer (May–July) when they shed all their flight feathers at once, We educate our coaches and participants about this phenomenon, and the need to give the birds space and not force them to try and fly out of the way of boats
Our club’s HOG-TOG Regatta supports the Green Shores shoreline restoration project at Esquimalt Gorge Park. We modified crew launching locations to utilize a shoreline assessed as less susceptible to erosion, and used beach mats, caution tape, and marshals to ensure that crews launching and landing boats minimize disturbance to fragile ecosystems.
At events we engage vendors on reducing their footprint and ensure garbage and recycling facilities are available.
Restoring and Regenerating Nature
Our coaches routinely collect & properly dispose of waste and flotsam in the water.
GNRC collaborates annually with the Burnside Gorge Community Association on waterway clean-up initiatives, removing garbage and debris that threaten water quality, shoreline stability, and habitat health.
Additionally, GNRC has engaged with the Gorge Waterway Action Society and The Land Conservancy of British Columbia to explore shoreline and habitat restoration opportunities.
Limiting Our Transportation Footprint
Transporting a trailer full of rowing shells, as well as the athletes and coaches, to regattas, can use a lot of fuel. We choose to primarily attend regattas in Greater Victoria, and to share truck/trailer transport with other clubs.
Our club is located where people have options for greener transportation (walk, bike, roll, transit), and we’ve made a concerted effort to publicize and encourage these options for our staff & participants.
Whenever possible, we use local vendors for uniforms, signage, t-shirts, etc.
About Our Partners
OceansEV
OceansEV is Western Canada’s largest retailer of electric outboard motors and lithium batteries. They are the first and only company in Canada focused solely on electric propulsion for boats.
Rowing BC’s Row Electric Project
Rowing BC, in partnership with 4 pilot clubs, is testing 5 electric outboard motors, assessing their feasibility under "real world" conditions and collecting data on cost, performance and user experience over a full year. The aim of the RowElectric project is to accelerate the adoption of electric outboards by providing clubs with reliable information that will help them make informed purchasing decisions and by increasing familiarity with electric outboards and their benefits.
For more information on the RowElectric project, please contact Brenda Taylor at rowelectricbc@gmail.com.
Are you interested in a test ride? Please contact our director.
Sports for Nature
Sports for Nature is a joint initiative of the International Union for Conservation of Nature, International Olympic Committee, United Nations Environment Programme, Secretariat of the Convention on Biological Diversity, and Dona Bertarelli Philanthropy. It aims to deliver transformative action for nature across sports, by 2030 and beyond, enabling sports to champion nature and contribute to its protection and restoration. It provides a game plan for sports — at all levels — to accelerate and inspire others to take action for nature.
World Rowing Healthy Waters Alliance
The ambitious World Rowing & WWF Healthy Waters Alliance provides an unprecedented opportunity for National Rowing Federations, World Rowing Event Organizing Committees, Rowing clubs and Rowers as well as WWF offices, staff, and supporters to take action to protect and restore these priceless ecosystems ― together. The Alliance is a platform to create awareness about the threats and solutions, inspire and facilitate action, and enable active collaboration between the worlds of Rowing and conservation.
