Welcome to this week’s Midweek Memo. In this issue, learn about ongoing work in Victoria driven by the 1994 Commonwealth Games, investors focused on supporting women and underrepresented founders, and the local cleantech company representing the city on a global list of innovators.

Now on to today’s briefing. It’s 757 words: a three-minute read.

-Emily, [email protected]

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Can climate change solutions be found in the seafloor?

A new study from the University of Victoria has discovered that using marine protected areas to preserve natural carbon storage in key locations on the seafloor could be an additional strategy to help limit climate change.

Until recently, interest in natural carbon storage within the ocean, often referred to as “blue carbon,” has typically focused on mangrove forests, salt marshes, and seagrass meadows. A new study led by UVic postdoctoral fellow Graham Epstein argues that seabed sediments may hold greater potential for carbon storage and should also be considered for protection.

“The soils on the ocean floor may seem empty and unimportant, but they actually contain a unique, diverse, and often fragile group of species, and they are vital to marine ecosystems,” said Epstein, who is also a member of Blue Carbon Canada, a UVic-led national research coalition that is evaluating the current and future capacity of natural carbon storage across Canada’s marine habitats. “Seafloor sediments are the final point in the marine carbon cycle, and since they cover the majority of the ocean floor, they make up one of the planet's largest stores of carbon, dwarfing mangroves, seagrass meadows and salt marshes.”

The new study estimates that Canada’s current network of marine protected areas encompass just 11 percent of the carbon contained in the seafloor down to depths of 2,500 metres, and only around 13 per cent of the carbon hotspots. Working closely with Julia Baum — a UVic special advisor in climate and an expert in marine ecology and conservation — Epstein and partners at Oceans North and Fisheries and Oceans Canada found that Canada’s current proposed expansion to MPAs would provide protection to an additional nine per cent of the total seafloor carbon, and six per cent of the carbon hotspots.

📰 More Victoria innovation news

⭐️ Best foot forward: In this episode of Chamber Chats, Bruce Williams, CEO of the Greater Victoria Chamber of Commerce, discusses the legacy of the 1994 Commonwealth Games and the ongoing work of the ‘94 Forward organization. He’s joined by the organization’s CEO John Macmillan.

🥳 Where you’ll find me now: The Canada51 Hub, a list of investors committed to funding women and underrepresented founders, launched this week. Victoria-based Women’s Equity Lab is included on the list.

💧Set fire to the rain: Victoria’s Pani Energy, a water tech company that provides a machine learning platform for industrial- and city-scale water treatment facilities, was included on the Cleantech Group's 2025 Global Cleantech 100 list.

🕴️ Tech jobs of the week

Find your next career:

• Senior project manager at the Centre for Ocean Applied Sustainable Technologies

• Administrative assistant, HR and facilities at Ocean Networks Canada

• Assistant teaching professor, engineering design at the University of Victoria

Hiring in Victoria? Reply to this email and let us know!

📅 Upcoming events

February 20-21 | 6th Western Angel Investment Summit

Presented by Angel Forum with the support of VIATEC and the National Angel Capital Organization, the theme of this year’s Western Angel Investment Summit is “B.C. Be Bold.” Targeted at angels, founders, funds, and accelerators, the event will explore how B.C. founders and investors should be ready to take centre stage.

February 24-25 | 9th Annual BC Communications Forum

Join the BC Communications Forum, the premier gathering for communication professionals across the province. This is your opportunity to connect with industry leaders, exchange ideas with peers, and dive into the latest insights that can transform your day-to-day work.

Have an upcoming event? Reply to let us know.

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