Canadians living in the Great Lakes watershed depend on freshwater ecosystems for their daily drinking water, health, public safety, and the economy. However, historic industrial pollution has compromised many of the ecosystems that they know and love: the Detroit River, the St. Clair River, and the Great Lakes.
On September 20, Irek Kusmierczyk, Member of Parliament for Windsor Tecumseh, and Terry Duguid, Parliamentary Secretary to the Prime Minister and Special Advisor for Water, on behalf of the Honourable Steven Guilbeault, Minister of Environment and Climate Change, announced one of the largest single investments in freshwater restoration in Canadian history: $76 million to support 50 partner-led projects as part of the Great Lakes Freshwater Ecosystem Initiative.
This investment will empower local community water protection groups to reverse the degradations from historic pollution and restore these waters for the benefit of future generations. This announcement is part of the unprecedented level of investment being made by the government of Canada to clean freshwater systems, namely the $420 million over 10 years to protect and restore the Great Lakes through the Freshwater Action Plan.
This investment is targeted toward improving water quality and ecosystem health in Areas of Concern, which are areas most impacted by historical industrial pollution, so that wildlife can once again flourish. Additionally, the investment will help prevent toxic and nuisance algae in Lake Erie, reduce the release of harmful chemicals, restore coastal areas, and support community-based science projects.
Among the projects funded:
- The Essex Region Conservation Authority will lead a project to restore and protect vital wetland habitats in the Detroit River Area of Concern, the largest and best quality wetland complex and re-create a historic open-water wetland at the south end of Fighting Island.
- Thirteen new projects will tackle harmful algal blooms in Lake Erie by reducing phosphorus loads; this is led in part by the University of Windsor, the Essex Region Conservation Authority, and Flowers Canada Growers, including the advancement of innovative technology to remove and recover phosphorus from surface water in the Leamington/Kingsville area.
- Another project, by the Chippewas of the Thames First Nation, will implement best management practices in the Thames River watershed to reduce phosphorus loads from reaching Lake Erie.
These investments will contribute to the ongoing collaboration with Ontario and the United States in protecting and restoring Great Lakes water quality and ecosystem health. Significant developments, such as the reduction in persistent toxic substances, and the return of native species, including the Bald Eagle and Lake Trout, were made possible through this collaborative approach.
The newly launched Canada Water Agency is leading the delivery of the Great Lakes Freshwater Ecosystem Initiative and the larger Freshwater Action Plan. The Canada Water Agency's mandate is to provide leadership and effective federal collaboration, as well as improved coordination and collaboration with provinces, territories, and Indigenous peoples to proactively address freshwater challenges and opportunities.
Quotes
"The importance of protecting and preserving Canada's fresh water, including the Great Lakes, is crucial. Today's investment in the Great Lakes Freshwater Ecosystem Initiative will support partner-led projects that will strengthen our economy, protect freshwater ecosystems in Canada, and advance commitments in the Canada-US Great Lakes Water Quality Agreement."
- The Honourable Steven Guilbeault, Minister of Environment and Climate Change
"Investments made today through the Great Lakes Freshwater Ecosystem Initiative will support science and actions to protect and restore water quality and ecosystem health, including by addressing environmental degradation in Areas of Concern and preventing toxic and nuisance algae in Lake Erie by adopting a precision conservation approach. These projects will result in measurable, positive environmental outcomes that will benefit current local communities and future generations of Canadians."
- Terry Duguid, Parliamentary Secretary to the Prime Minister and Special Advisor for Water
"Since 2019, our federal government has delivered record investment for Windsor-Essex to create great jobs, build housing, and protect our environment. While there is still more work to do, today's announcement is a significant step forward to protect and restore the Great Lakes and the Detroit River and help bring back healthy ecosystems."
- Irek Kusmierczyk, Member of Parliament for Windsor Tecumseh
"With a legacy of industrialization, high population density, and present-day land use allocation dominated by agriculture, the Huron-Erie corridor of the Great Lakes is faced with unique challenges to maintain the integrity of this valuable freshwater ecosystem. Today's announcement of federal investment through the Great Lakes Freshwater Ecosystem Initiative will bring meaningful change to communities in our backyard, balancing safeguarding of this important natural resource while promoting sustainable growth and prosperity for our region."
- Dr. Robert Michael McKay, Director, Great Lakes Institute for Environmental Research, University of Windsor
"We are extremely grateful to the Government of Canada and the Great Lakes Freshwater Ecosystem Initiative for this funding, which will allow critically important restoration work to proceed at Hillman Marsh Conservation Area; allow work with rural agricultural communities to reduce phosphorus outletting into Lake Erie, which leads to algal blooms; and implement initiatives toward delisting the Detroit River as an Area of Concern. Each of these projects is critical to improving the health of the Detroit River and Lake Erie watersheds, and we could not be more grateful for this support."
- Tim Byrne, Chief Administrative Officer, Essex Region Conservation Authority
"Nutrient loading is one of the most significant environmental challenges affecting Great Lakes water quality and ecosystem health. This excess of nutrients negatively affects communities and wildlife and alters the system's natural balance. The funding provided by Environment and Climate Change Canada will help equip the St. Clair Region Conservation Authority and local communities with the tools and resources needed to restore balance within the watershed."
- Ken Phillips, General Manager, St. Clair Region Conservation Authority
"This project represents a vital collaboration between researchers and industry to address phosphorus management in Lake Erie's watershed. With significant support from Environment and Climate Change Canada and the Ontario Greenhouse Vegetable Growers, we will be able to advance our understanding of phosphorus dynamics and develop innovative solutions to reduce nutrient runoff. This partnership exemplifies how working together can lead to meaningful environmental improvements, benefitting both our agricultural sector and the health of the Great Lakes."
- Dr. Chris Weisener, Professor, Great Lakes Institute for Environmental Research
"We're incredibly excited about this great opportunity to explore new technologies that further protect Ontario's water. Projects like this help to encourage investment in, and adoption of, important new tools that make a meaningful difference in water quality. Our organization and our members are proud to be a part of this initiative."
- Andrew Morse, Executive Director, Flowers Canada (Ontario)
Quick facts
- Canada is home to more fresh water than any other country, with over 20 percent of the world's fresh water.
- Importantly, this funding will support increased Indigenous participation in Great Lakes governance, monitoring, and stewardship by engaging and transferring knowledge to Indigenous youth and fostering long-term sustainability of their efforts through best management practices.
- This $76 million investment for the Great Lakes Freshwater Ecosystem Initiative is distributed over four years.
- The Government of Canada is investing $650 million over 10 years in the Freshwater Action Plan to strengthen the protection and restoration of bodies of fresh water of national significance in Canada.
- The Great Lakes provide drinking water for one in four Canadians and are vital to our health and well-being, the ecosystem, and our economy.
- The Great Lakes Freshwater Ecosystem Initiative combines science and action to address environmental challenges affecting Great Lakes water quality and ecosystem health and deliver on commitments in the Canada-US Great Lakes Water Quality Agreement.
- The Canada-Ontario Agreement on Great Lakes Water Quality and Ecosystem Health (2021-2026) details how the federal and provincial governments will collaborate together and with a range of partners and stakeholders to implement Canada's obligations under the Great Lakes Water Quality Agreement.
- In recognition of the significance of the Great Lakes to Indigenous peoples, both the Canada-US Great Lakes Water Quality Agreement and the Canada-Ontario Agreement on Great Lakes Water Quality and Ecosystem Health (2021-2026) seek to enhance opportunities to engage with First Nations and Métis in Great Lakes restoration, protection, and conservation initiatives and decision-making.
- Areas of Concern are specific locations designated by Canada and the United States under the Great Lakes Water Quality Agreement, where water quality and ecosystem health have been severely degraded by human activity at the local level, resulting in a range of issues (for example, beach closures, loss of habitat for fish and wildlife, and negative effects on fish and wildlife populations).
- Under the Great Lakes Water Quality Agreement between Canada and the United States, 43 such areas were identified, 12 of which were Canadian and five of which were shared binationally.
- The renewed and strengthened Freshwater Action Plan will support regionally specific actions to restore and protect the Great Lakes, Lake Winnipeg, Lake of the Woods, the St. Lawrence River, the Wolastoq/Saint John River, the Fraser River, the Mackenzie River, and Lake Simcoe.
- The new Canada Water Agency is the federal focal point for fresh water, working in partnership with Indigenous peoples, provinces, territories, and stakeholders to strengthen collaboration on fresh water. It delivers key elements of the strengthened Freshwater Action Plan.
Associated links
- Projects Funded Under the Great Lakes Freshwater Ecosystem Initiative
- Great Lakes Protection
- Canada-US Great Lakes Water Quality Agreement
- Canada-Ontario Agreement on Great Lakes Water Quality and Ecosystem Health
- Canada Water Agency
