Ontario Supporting Projects to Protect the Great Lakes in Niagara
July 17, 2023
Jordan Station – The Ontario government is investing $6 million to support thirty multi-year projects that will help protect, conserve, and restore the Great Lakes, including two shoreline projects in Niagara. These investments will help reduce plastic litter, excess nutrients and road salt entering lakes, rivers and streams, advancing climate resiliency, and making significant progress on Great Lakes restoration to Areas of Concern.
The projects are led by community groups, not-for profits, conservation authorities, universities and Indigenous organizations and communities across the province and support commitments in the Canada-Ontario Agreement on Great Lakes Water Quality and Ecosystem Health and Ontario’s Great Lakes Strategy.
Local Great Lakes restoration projects receiving provincial funding in Niagara include:
- Working with the Niagara Peninsula Conservation Authority to conduct studies and develop a plan to clean-up contaminated sediment in a tributary of the Niagara River, engage the community in decision-making related to habitat restoration goals and provide students and teachers with educational opportunities to learn about the Great Lakes;
- Working with Niagara Coastal to expand a web platform that engages coastal citizens, community groups and local organizations in collecting data to fill knowledge gaps for Great Lakes shorelines, including the Niagara River Area of Concern.
“Our government is supporting two local important projects to help address environmental challenges facing our local shorelines and deliver projects that help protect, conserve and restore our Great Lakes resources,” said Sam Oosterhoff, MPP for Niagara West.
“I applaud the Niagara Peninsula Conservation Authority and Niagara Coastal for working to build a healthy and resilient coastal ecosystem on both shorelines of Lake Erie and Lake Ontario and the banks of the Niagara River.”
“Our government is continuing to work with partners to ensure Ontario’s Great Lakes are protected,” said Hon. David Piccini, Minister of the Environment, Conservation and Parks.
“We are very proud to be supporting projects that will improve water quality, reduce plastic and salt pollution and increase collaboration with farmers, Indigenous organizations and communities to help improve the Great Lakes.”
Funding for the Great Lakes Program is part of the Ontario government’s $14 million in annual investments to further protect, conserve and restore the health of the Great Lakes and support the well-being of communities that rely on them.
The Niagara Peninsula Conservation Authority is committed to be a strong on-the ground delivery partner for commitments made by the provincial and federal governments related to the Canada-U.S. Great Lakes Water Quality Agreement and Canada-Ontario Agreement on Great Lakes Water Quality and Ecosystem Health (COA) currently implemented through the Niagara River Remedial Action Plan and its associated ecosystems improvement projects,” said Rob Foster, Chair of the Niagara Peninsula Conservation Authority, and Councillor for the Regional Municipality of Niagara.
“We thank the provincial government for their ongoing commitment and support for this program to ensure the Great Lakes are healthy for years to come.”
“As a shared community resource, it will take a community of people passionate about protecting the Great Lakes and our coastal ecosystems to ensure they can continue to meet our needs and adapt to changing climate conditions,” said Kiersten McCutcheon, Coastal Science Coordinator at Niagara Coastal.
“The Visual Assessment Survey Tool (VAST) empowers coastal citizens, community groups and local organizations to become active participants in the protection of their shorelines by collecting data to help guide coastal management decisions and local action. The provincial funds have allowed Niagara Coastal to expand the tool to continue monitoring coastal issues and public health and safety concerns across Niagara and the broader Great Lakes region.”
“Initiatives such as these will be valuable in increasing awareness and engagement regarding shoreline protection for one of our most valuable natural assets,” said Sandra Easton, Mayor for the Town of Lincoln, and Canadian Chair of the Great Lakes and St. Lawrence Cities Initiative’s Mayors Commission on Coastal Resilience.
“As a lifelong resident of Lincoln, I have witnessed the direct impacts of a changing climate on our coastal regions, and I will continue to participate fully in the efforts to bring coastal communities towards resilience and protect the future needs of our residents and the environment.”