OUR STORY
The Pacific Ocean Discovery Station (PODS) will be an innovative aquatic research and education facility situated in kalpilin (Pender Harbour), on the Sunshine Coast of British Columbia, just 100 kilometres north of Vancouver.
Research will focus on environmental health, preserving species-at-risk, maintaining and enhancing biodiversity, and clarifying ecosystem responses to climate change and ocean acidification.
PODS is a collaborative initiative of the Loon Foundation and the shíshálh Nation. The Loon Foundation is a registered charity founded in 2002 (as the Ruby Lake Lagoon Nature Reserve Society) and is dedicated to connecting people with the natural world and fostering responsible stewardship for future generations.
Building on the Loon Foundation’s long-term monitoring programs and the shíshálh Nation’s traditional stewardship, PODS will continue collecting data to inform research projects that help us better understand spatial and temporal variation in our diverse aquatic environments. Universities, colleges, schools, non-profits, and other organizations will be able to use our lab facilities to gain a deeper understanding of the coastal waters of Pender Harbour, the Sunshine Coast, and the northern Salish Sea.
At PODS, the laboratories, galleries, performance spaces, and restaurant will significantly increase the number of visitors to the Sunshine Coast. PODS will provide the public with a wide variety of learning opportunities through engaging workshops, stewardship courses, scuba-diving training, and hands-on biological studies. Educational programming will align with existing elementary and secondary curricula in British Columbia.
PODS will foster meaningful connections with the shíshálh Nation and the entire Sunshine Coast community, stretching from Langdale to Lund. Art and science will come together to create more diverse understandings and deeper connections to the natural world around us. PODS will curate art events and host live musical and theatrical performances to help share scientific knowledge in new ways.
Our Vision
To build an empowered community dedicated to maintaining and enhancing the rich biodiversity of our coastal waters for generations to come. A Net-Zero state-of-the-art facility inspiring innovative solutions and connecting its visitors to the natural world through science, culture, and the arts.
Our Mission
The PODS mission is to inspire, engage, and empower all its visitors with the wonders of coastal waters, uncovering solutions to the most pressing environmental challenges of our time.