North Coast Ecology Centre Society

What North Coast Ecology Centre Society does

North Coast Ecology Centre Society (NCECS) is a registered non-profit charity and community-based society in Prince Rupert, British Columbia, founded in 2017/2018 to create the first ecology centre of its kind in Northern BC. Its mission is to highlight the ecological richness of the North Coast - from peak to reef - including the spirit bear, grizzly bear conservancy, Hecate Glass Sponge Reef, and Indigenous cultural context. NCECS delivers environmental education through a permanent Phase 1 Ecology Centre housing local marine species in touch tanks at the Lax Süülda Container Market waterfront (opened 2023), the Live Dive virtual streaming program developed with Triton Environmental Consultants, week-long Eco Camps for children ages 6-12, the Coastal Conversations speaker series, and an educational resources bank spanning marine, freshwater, and terrestrial ecosystems.

The organization's underlying technology stack centers on real-time underwater broadcast cameras and two-way communication infrastructure used during marine species relocation projects to stream into Prince Rupert classrooms. NCECS also runs a three-year microplastics citizen-science research initiative with Ocean Diagnostics Inc. funded through the Department of Fisheries and Oceans Canada.

Revenue mechanics are diversified across charitable channels: $100-per-child Eco Camp fees, recurring memberships for unlimited centre visits, corporate sponsorships across multiple named tiers (Reef, Humpback Whale, Grizzly Bear, Giant Pacific Octopus, Bald Eagle, Starfish), donations via its registered charity status, and program-specific grants (e.g., DFO's Coastal Environmental Baseline Program). Go-to-market is community-led and event-driven, anchored by free quarterly newsletters, Facebook and Instagram channels, Eco Camps, the Coastal Conversations lecture series, and annual events like Whale Fest. The organization is governed by a board of directors and relies on a small paid staff supplemented by volunteers, including prior placements through Ecotrust's North Coast Innovation Lab.

Name

North Coast Ecology Centre Society

Legal name

North Coast Ecology Centre Society

Website

https://northcoastecologycentresociety.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2018

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

North Coast Ecology Centre Society is a registered non-profit charity in Prince Rupert, BC that delivers hands-on marine and terrestrial ecology education through a permanent touch-tank centre, virtual Live Dive classroom programming, children's Eco Camps, and a Coastal Conversations speaker series serving residents, schools, and visitors.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Environmental Education Services

NAICS

Nature Parks and Other Similar Institutions (712190), Nature Parks and Other Similar Institutions (71219), Zoos and Botanical Gardens (712130)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Marine Wildlife & Coastal Nature Tours (Whale/Dolphin Watching, Sea Kayaking) (THAAAEAD)

akta.pro secondary industry

Marine Conservation & Citizen-Science Experiences (reef monitoring, turtle walks) (THAAAIAH)

Keywords

• Environmental education
• Marine education
• Ecology centre
• Youth summer camps
• Citizen science

Headquarters

HQ city

Prince Rupert

HQ country

Canada

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Eco Camp Fees: Week-long summer camps for children ages 6-12 featuring ecology themes including salmon life cycle, shoreline ecosystems, and coastal connections. Operated Monday-Friday from 1:00-4:00pm.
2. Membership Programs: Membership offering unlimited visits and access to new content as tank species change throughout the season.
3. Donations: NCECS is a registered charity accepting donations to support the Centre's operations and programs.
4. Sponsorships: Corporate sponsors at various tiers (Reef, Humpback Whale, Grizzly Bear, Giant Pacific Octopus, Bald Eagle, Starfish) providing financial support for ecology centre development and operations.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

North Coast Ecology Centre Society operates an environmental education centre in Prince Rupert, BC, delivering hands-on marine and terrestrial ecology programming through live touch tanks, a Live Dive virtual classroom program, summer Eco Camps for children, community speaker series, and curated educational and citizen science resources. The society serves both individual/family visitors and school groups across the North Coast region.

Product overview

The North Coast Ecology Centre Society is a non-profit organization operating an ecology education centre in Prince Rupert, BC, offering direct public engagement through its permanent Ecology Centre featuring touch tanks and marine displays, complemented by virtual programming via the Live Dive platform. The organization delivers youth education through seasonal Eco Camps, hosts the Coastal Conversations speaker series, and maintains extensive educational resources spanning marine, freshwater, and terrestrial ecosystems. Community engagement is supported through memberships, newsletters, volunteer opportunities, and annual events including Whale Fest. The society also conducts citizen science initiatives, most notably its microplastics research project in partnership with Ocean Diagnostics Inc. and the Department of Fisheries and Oceans Canada.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• North Coast Ecology Centre (Phase 1) A permanent environmental education facility in Prince Rupert, BC, featuring live marine touch tanks and ecological exhibits, open to the public for visits and used as the base for society programs. Targeted at local residents, families, and visitors.
• Pop-Up Ecology Centre A temporary ecology centre with a touch tank and educational displays set up in downtown Prince Rupert, providing the community with a preview of the planned permanent centre. Aimed at local residents and visitors.
• Live Dive Program A free, ~45-minute virtual live broadcast delivered into classrooms (primarily targeting Grade 4-5 students) that brings live marine biology content and two-way interaction with NCECS educators to schools across the North Coast region. Aimed at K-12 teachers and school groups.
• Eco Camps Week-long hands-on summer ecology camps for children, priced at $100 per child per week with a member discount (e.g., $5 off per week), providing nature-based learning experiences. Targeted at families with children in the local area.
• Coastal Conversations Speaker Series A recurring community speaker series presenting marine and coastal science and conservation talks by invited experts. Aimed at the general public and community learners in the North Coast region.
• NCECS Membership Program An annual membership program (individual and family tiers) providing unlimited free visits to the ecology centre, discounts on programs such as Eco Camps, and other benefits. Targeted at local residents and families who want recurring access and to support the society.

Quantifiable outcome

• Visitor satisfaction rating of 4.8/5 stars with 98% recommendation rate
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature1 record

Partnerships

Seven partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• Ocean Diagnostics Inc. (ODI)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2023Collaboration on microplastics research project in Prince Rupert waters. ODI processed and analyzed sediment samples for chemical properties. Project aimed to establish a baseline for microplastic pollution and identify potential sources in the region.
• Ecotrust (North Coast Innovation Lab)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2020Partnership with Ecotrust's North Coast Innovation Lab to acquire an Ecology Centre Development Coordinator who lived and worked in Prince Rupert from January to September 2020. The NCIL partnership aims to create new forms of collaboration, capacity and partnership for initiatives in Prince Rupert to strengthen social and economic resilience.
• Triton Environmental Consultants Ltd.coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2020Partnership to produce the North Coast Live Dive virtual programming. Collaboration driven by shared community values and environmental education objectives. Live Dive uses Triton's dive time and broadcast technology during marine species relocation projects to create educational content for Prince Rupert students.
• Department of Fisheries and Oceans Canada (DFO)coreOthersFunding support through DFO's Coastal Environmental Baseline Program for the microplastics research project investigating plastic pollution in Prince Rupert's waters over three years.
• Prince Rupert Port AuthoritycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerHousing provider for the Pop-Up Ecology Centre in 2021 at the Northland Terminal in the Cow Bay area. Location partner supporting the temporary ecology centre operations.
• Peter Kiewit Sons ULC (Kiewit)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPresenting sponsor for the Pop-Up Ecology Centre in 2021, enabling the successful delivery of the temporary ecology centre and educational programming.
• Trigon (Community Investment Fund)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSponsor of Eco Camps through Trigon Community Investment Fund, enabling the launch of week-long educational summer camps for children ages 6-12.

Scale indicators9 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Pacific Coast Aquarium: California-based marine education non-profit similar in mission to NCECS: marine conservation, public engagement, and K-12 programming. Provides a relevant scale and operating model benchmark for community-based marine education centres.
• Pacific Marine Mammal Center: Laguna Beach, California-based marine mammal rescue and education centre with public touch tanks, school programs, and volunteer-driven operations. Comparable in non-profit marine education model, touch-tank exhibits, and K-12 programming.
• Bamfield Marine Sciences Centre: Public aquarium and marine science education centre on Vancouver Island's west coast. Comparable in marine education programming, public aquarium-style exhibits, and Pacific Northwest coastal ecology focus, though anchored in research and university partnerships rather than a volunteer-driven community model.
• Raincoast Education Society: Ucluelet-based non-profit delivering coastal ecology education, school programs, and citizen science on Vancouver Island. Directly comparable in operating model: non-profit society, coastal BC location, school programming, citizen science, and adult lecture series—making it the closest structural peer to NCECS.
• Shaw Centre for the Salish Sea: Pearson College-based aquarium and marine education centre focused on the Salish Sea ecosystem. Directly comparable in regional marine education, public aquarium exhibits, school programming, and BC Pacific coast positioning.

Broad incumbents

• Ocean Wise / Vancouver Aquarium: Largest marine education and conservation organization in BC, operating the Vancouver Aquarium and education programs across the province. Comparable to NCECS in mission (marine conservation education, citizen science, school programming) but operates at vastly greater scale and geographic reach.
• Hakai Institute: Major coastal ecology research and education organization on BC's Central Coast. Comparable in North Coast BC ecosystem focus, citizen science, and educational programming, but operates with substantially larger research funding and institutional backing.
• Pacific Science Center: Seattle-based science education centre with touch tanks, marine exhibits, and school programming. Comparable in touch-tank exhibits and STEM education delivery, though operating in a much larger urban market with broader science scope.

Regional players

• Pacific Discovery: BC-based outdoor and marine education program provider for youth. Comparable in youth Eco Camp-style programming and BC coastal ecology curriculum, though operates as a fee-for-service program rather than a free public centre.

Emerging players

• Centre for Ocean Applied Sustainable Technologies (COAST): Emerging marine science education and applied research organization. Comparable in marine education, citizen science, and BC Pacific coast focus, though broader in applied technology scope.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/NorthCoastEcologyCentreSociety
• Instagraminstagram.com/northcoastecology
• Xx.com/CoastEcology
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/north-coast-ecology-centre-society

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about North Coast Ecology Centre Society