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The Vancouver Aquarium is closing its doors due to significant loss in income due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. An announcement posted to their online blog stated they are “temporarily pausing public programming after September 7, 2020.”
The idea behind this closure is being used as a “transformation” to help the Vancouver Aquarium adapt the ever changing environment while continuing to support initiatives that impact the ocean and waterways.
During the initial stages of the pandemic back in March, the aquarium closed its doors and some staff were let go, but then later reopened in June to limited occupancy to meet local government mandates regarding social distancing.
A report by the CBC says that the Vancouver Aquarium received $2 million CAD from the federal government and thousands of dollars in donations, but that was not enough to offset the approximately $1 million CAD per month used to feed and support the various animals in its care. With a limited number of visitors, the lack of revenue from admission alone is unsustainable. About 330 employees were affected by the initial closure in March, and now 200 more jobs are on the line.
Ocean Wise, the non-profit organization operating the Vancouver Aquarium, stated that they will retain essential staff to maintain veterinary services and ensure its 70,000 resident creatures are looked after.
Sources: CBC, Ocean Wise
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