Paddle Alberta Trash Treasure Hunt
Paddle, clean up our waterways, and share your weirdest finds for a chance to win.
Contest Dates: May 1 to September 7, 2026
Who Can Enter: Paddle Canada Instructor members and Paddle Alberta Club/Organization members in Alberta
Prizes: 1st Place $200 AQ gift card | 2nd Place $50 AQ gift card | 3rd Place $50 AQ gift card
About the Contest
The Paddle Alberta Trash Treasure Hunt invites paddlers to collect and document unusual or unexpected trash found during a paddling trip. By sharing your finds on social media, you will help raise awareness about cleaner rivers, lakes, and shorelines while having a chance to win a prize.
We are looking for the weirdest, wildest, and most unexpected items pulled from a waterway. Entries will be judged on uniqueness, creativity, environmental impact, and overall contribution to environmental awareness.
How to Enter
Step 1: Find it
Collect a piece of trash during a paddling trip on a river or lake where paddling is permitted in Canada.
Step 2: Document it
Take a photo, short video, or Reel showing your find. Include a short caption describing the item and where you found it.
Step 3: Post it
Share your entry on Instagram or Facebook using the following:
- #paddlealbertatrashtreasure
- #paddlealberta
- @paddlealberta
Your post must be publicly viewable at the time of judging.
Prizes
1st Place
$200 AQ gift card
2nd Place
$50 AQ gift card
3rd Place
$50 AQ gift card
Key Dates
Contest Opens: May 1, 2026
Contest Closes: September 7, 2026 at 11:59 PM Mountain Time
Winners Announced: At the Fall Rendezvous at the end of September
Prize Delivery: Gift cards will be mailed to the winners
Who Can Enter
This contest is open to:
- Paddle Canada Instructor members
- Paddle Alberta Club/Organization members in Alberta
Paddle Alberta staff, board members, Environment Committee judges, and their immediate family members are not eligible to win.
How Entries Will Be Judged
Entries will be reviewed by a panel from the Paddle Alberta Environment Committee.
Submissions will be judged on:
- Uniqueness of the item
- Creativity and fun of the post
- Environmental impact of removing the item
- Overall contribution to environmental awareness
Safety First
Please prioritize safety at all times.
Participants should wear appropriate paddling safety gear, including a life jacket and gloves. Do not attempt to collect hazardous, sharp, suspicious, or unsafe items unless it is clearly safe to do so. Do not trespass or put yourself at risk while collecting trash.
Respect the Waterway
Please avoid disturbing wildlife, shoreline vegetation, or sensitive habitat while participating. Collect trash only when it can be removed safely and responsibly.
Contest Rules at a Glance
- One social media post counts as one entry
- A post may include one or more found items
- Multiple entries are allowed
- Only one prize may be awarded per person
- Entries must be posted by the contest deadline
- Posts must be publicly viewable at the time of judging
- Trash must be found during a paddling activity
- The item must be collected, documented, and disposed of responsibly
- Paddle Alberta may repost submitted photos or videos for promotional purposes, with credit where possible
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I have to be in Alberta to participate?
The contest is open to Paddle Canada Instructor members and Paddle Alberta Club/Organization members in Alberta. Trash may be collected on any river or lake in Canada where paddling is permitted.
Can I submit more than one entry?
Yes. Multiple entries are allowed, but only one prize may be awarded per person.
Can one post include multiple items?
Yes. One post may include one or more found items and still counts as one entry.
Does my Instagram or Facebook post need to be public?
Yes. Your post must be publicly viewable at the time of judging.
Can I enter with a video or Reel instead of a photo?
Yes. A photo, short video, or Reel is acceptable.
What kinds of trash count?
Any type of garbage counts as long as it is found while engaged in a paddling activity and is collected safely and responsibly.
What if I find something unsafe or hazardous?
Do not collect anything that could put you at risk. Safety comes first.
How will winners be contacted?
Winners will be contacted after judging and asked to provide a mailing address for prize delivery.
Full Contest Terms
The Paddle Alberta Trash Treasure Hunt runs from May 1, 2026 to September 7, 2026 at 11:59 PM Mountain Time.
To enter, participants must collect a piece of trash during a paddling trip on a river or lake in Canada where paddling is permitted, document the item with a photo, short video, or Reel, and post it publicly on Instagram or Facebook using #paddlealbertatrashtreasure, #paddlealberta, and @paddlealberta. Posts must include a short description of the item and where it was found.
The contest is open to Paddle Canada Instructor members and Paddle Alberta Club/Organization members in Alberta. Paddle Alberta staff, board members, Environment Committee judges, and their immediate family members are not eligible to win.
One social media post counts as one entry. A post may include one or more found items. Multiple entries are allowed; however, only one prize may be awarded per person.
Entries will be judged by a panel from the Paddle Alberta Environment Committee based on uniqueness, creativity, environmental impact, and overall contribution to environmental awareness.
Participants are responsible for ensuring that trash is collected safely and disposed of properly. Recycling is encouraged where possible. Participants must not trespass, disturb wildlife or habitat, or attempt to recover hazardous, sharp, suspicious, or unsafe items.
Winners will be announced at the Fall Rendezvous at the end of September. Prize gift cards will be mailed to the winners. Winners must provide a mailing address within a reasonable period after being contacted. If a winner cannot be contacted or does not respond, Paddle Alberta reserves the right to select an alternate winner.
By entering the contest, participants grant Paddle Alberta permission to repost, share, and use submitted photos and videos for promotional purposes, with credit where possible.
Paddle Alberta reserves the right to modify, suspend, or cancel the contest if necessary.
This contest is in no way sponsored, endorsed, administered by, or associated with Instagram or Facebook.
Ready to Join the Hunt?
Let’s paddle together for clean water and a healthy ecosystem.
Share your Trash Treasure Hunt finds on Instagram or Facebook and help make a difference in our waterways.