Upcoming Negotiations for a New Canada-Ontario Agreement Respecting the Great LakesBasin Ecosystem (COA)
The Great Lakes are vitally important to Ontario families and communities for our drinking water, quality of life, and prosperity. We need to keep them healthy now and for our children.
We have worked successfully with Canada for over 40 years to protect the Great Lakes. The seventh COA was signed in June 2007 and expired on June 24, 2012.
Over 900 projects have been undertaken since 2007, with implementation, research, monitoring and reporting all being key COA deliverables. Through COA, a broad range of partnerships with Aboriginal communities, industries, municipalities, outdoor recreation clubs, conservation organizations, community groups and non-government organizations have been developed to help in the delivery of Great Lakes restoration and protection initiatives.
Ontario has committed over $51 million to COA projects since 2007, including $14 million for work on Areas of Concern. In addition to this dedicated COA funding, Ontario has also committed more than $653 million to wastewater and stormwater infrastructure upgrades in the Great LakesBasin since March 2007.
Ontario introduced Bill 100, the proposed Great Lakes Protection Act, on June 6, 2012 in the Ontario legislature. The Act, if passed, will be complementary to COA and will strengthen Ontario’s ability to use various tools to protect the Great Lakes. In addition, the province also released a draft Ontario’s Great Lakes Strategy. The draft Strategy has been posted on Ontario’s Environmental Registry for public consultation over the summer months (June 6 to August 7, 2012).
With the Canada-U.S. Great Lakes Water Quality Agreement amendment process now nearing completion, Ontario is looking forward to working with Canada on a new COA. The negotiation process will require effective and meaningful engagement of the Great Lakes community, including First Nations and Métis.
We will continue to work with our partners on key Great Lakes protection projects while a new agreement is finalized. Work will continue on projects to clean up Areas of Concern, protect and restore aquatic habitats, rehabilitate fish and wildlife species, sustain natural resources, and reduce harmful pollutants.
Over the coming months, the governments of Ontario and Canada will negotiate a new COA. This new COA will set out the action plan for federal and provincial governments to work cooperatively toward the achievement of shared goals. Ontario’s intention to begin negotiations is reflected in a recent letter from the Honourable Jim Bradley, Ontario Minister of Environment, to the Honourable Peter Kent, Federal Minister of the Environment.
The Government of Ontario looks forward to working with Canada to meaningfully engage and involve the Great Lakes community in the development of a new COA. COA negotiations will be further informed by findings and recommendations from a review of the Agreement completed in 2009.
For more information, see the related links below.
Related links:
- Minister Bradley’s letter to Minister Kent
- 2007-2010 Canada-Ontario Agreement Respecting the Great Lakes Basin Ecosystem
- Canada-Unites States Great Lakes Water Quality Agreement
- Ontario Environmental Registry Policy Proposal Notice 011-646: Great Lakes Protection Act
- Ontario Environmental Registry Policy Proposal Notice 011-6418: Ontario’s Great Lakes Strategy
