Ontario’s Proposed Great Lakes Protection Act and Strategy
In June, the Government of Ontario released a Draft Great Lakes Protection Act and accompanying Great Lakes Protection Strategy that, if passed, will create new tools to help empower communities, and promote collaboration amongst the Great Lakes community to discuss priorities, share information, and develop initiatives. The Act will be accompanied by a new Great Lakes community action fund which would help support hundreds of local Great Lakes projects across Ontario.
The Province encouraged public feedback on the draft strategy and act, and accepted comments up until August 7, 2012.
| Ontario’s VISION is one of healthy Great Lakes for a stronger Ontario– Great Lakes that are drinkable, swimmable and fishable. |
The draft Great Lakes Protection Strategy identifies six goals
- Empower communities
- Protect water
- Improve wetlands, beaches, and coastal areas
- Protect habitats and species
- Enhance understanding and adaptation
- Ensure environmentally sustainable economic opportunities and innovation
Ontario’s Conservation Authorities care about the Great Lakes and help protect them through local strategies and programs— we encourage you to learn more about the great lakes and Ontario's vision by reading the proposed Great Lakes Protection Act and Strategy!
For more information about the Great Lakes Protection Act and Strategy, you can visit the Ministry of Environment's website.
For more information about the Great Lakes Guardian Community Fund click here
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More than 80% of
Ontarians get their drinking water from Lakes Superior, Huron, Erie, and Ontario
In 2010, Ontario saw over 73 million tourist visits in the Great Lakes Region with estimated spending of $12.3 billion
There are over 4,000
species of plants, fish, and wildlife in the Great Lakes Basin
The Canada-U.S. Great Lakes and St. Lawrence River region supports 56 million jobs and a GDP of $5.1 trillion
The Great Lakes contain almost 20% of the world’s fresh surface water
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