The Great Lakes are vitally important to all Ontarians for our drinking water, quality of life, and prosperity. We need to restore them now to continue to enjoy their benefits for this and future generations.
New challenges are overwhelming old solutions. Population growth and emerging issues including new chemicals of concern, invasive species, pollution and climate change are stressing the Great Lakes, so our work on the Great Lakes needs to continue.
In the past 40 years, Ontario has worked with the federal government to clean up toxic hot spots in Collingwood, Severn Sound and Wheatley Harbour. Cleanup actions at Spanish Harbour and Jackfish Bay have started the environmental recovery there. Our restoration efforts under the Canada-Ontario Agreement, includes more than $660 million in investments in municipal water infrastructure since 2007.
In June 2012, Ontario released a draft Great Lakes Strategy for public comment. The comments have been reviewed and Ontario’s Great Lakes Strategy is now available. The strategy is designed to guide Ontario’s future actions to protect the Great Lakes. At the same time, the province introduced a proposed Great Lakes Protection Act to restore and protect our Great Lakes to keep them drinkable, swimmable and fishable. The proposed Great Lakes Protection Act will move forward if it is reintroduced or a motion is passed by the legislature in a new parliamentary session.
Read more about what actions the Ontario government, along with many partners, is taking to protect and restore the Great Lakes:
- The Great Lakes Strategy
- The Great Lakes Guardian Community Fund
- Existing legislation
- The Canada-Ontario Agreement Respecting the Great Lakes Basin Ecosystem (COA)
- The Canada-U.S. Great Lakes Water Quality Agreement
Learn more about the progress we’ve already made.
Cleaning up Peninsula Harbour