Event: Lake Ontario Evening
– April 2024

Assessing Fish and Fish Habitat in the Toronto Region

Date:
Thursday April 11, 2024

Time:
6:00 to 8:30 p.m.

Location:
Small Arms Inspection Building
1352 Lakeshore Road East
Mississauga, ON
Get Directions


Since being identified as an Area of Concern (AOC) in 1987, there have been exhaustive efforts put towards assessing local fish populations and their habitat in Toronto and Region.

Using a variety of data collection methods, we have learned so much about our aquatic communities, their movement patterns, and the use of habitat restoration efforts. The results derived from this information are used to inform future decision-making and ultimately create more sustainable populations and habitats.

Join us along the Lake Ontario Waterfront for this Lake Ontario Evening to learn more about the health of our fish populations and how they utilize aquatic habitats in Canada’s largest urban centre.

This event is intended for a general audience:

  • Beginner level information
  • Includes intermediate concepts
  • Content intended for older youth and adults

Lake Ontario Evenings is a free speaker series presented by the Toronto and Region Remedial Action Plan. Each event covers a different Lake Ontario and/or Toronto waterfront related topic. Lake Ontario Evenings events are free and open to the public.

Toronto and Region Conservation Authority (TRCA) is committed to creating an accessible experience for all participants. If you require an accessibility accommodation, please email tisha.tan@trca.ca at least seven days prior to the event.

 

Consuming Fish in the Toronto and Region Area of Concern: A Lake Ontario Evening

Missed our October 12 Lake Ontario Evening event? No problem — the full video is now available for viewing!

Consuming Fish in the Toronto and Region Area of Concern

Most resident Toronto and Region fish are safe to eat!

Levels of contaminants like mercury and polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) have substantially declined in the Toronto and Region Area of Concern. These improvements to water and sediment quality have made both catching and eating fish in Toronto a reality.

This Lake Ontario Evening highlights some of the angler engagement surveys taking place in Lake Ontario, and explains how you can provide feedback on a recent assessment of the Restrictions on Fish Consumption Beneficial Use Impairment.

 

Event: Lake Ontario Evening
– October 2023

Consuming Fish in the Toronto and Region Area of Concern

Date: Thursday October 12, 2023
Time: 5:30 to 7:30 p.m.
Location: Online (webinar)

*This event is taking place via Zoom. After registration, you will be emailed a link to join the webinar.


Most resident Toronto and Region fish are safe to eat!

Levels of contaminants like mercury and polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) have substantially declined in the Toronto and Region Area of Concern. These improvements to water and sediment quality have made both catching and eating fish in Toronto a reality.

Join us for this Lake Ontario Evening as we hear about some of the angler engagement surveys taking place in Lake Ontario. Find out how you can provide feedback on a recent assessment of the Restrictions on Fish Consumption Beneficial Use Impairment.

Following this event, we will raffle off a $150 Bass Pro/Cabela’s gift card. View the contest terms and conditions.

Presenters:

  • Jeanne Coffin-Schmitt, PhD Candidate, Cornell University
  • Ken Drouillard, Professor, University of Windsor

Lake Ontario Evenings is a free speaker series presented by the Toronto and Region Remedial Action Plan. Each event covers a different Lake Ontario and/or Toronto waterfront related topic. Lake Ontario Evenings events are free and open to the public.

Toronto and Region Conservation Authority (TRCA) is committed to creating an accessible experience for all participants. If you require an accessibility accommodation, please email tisha.tan@trca.ca at least seven days prior to the event.

 

Following Toronto and Region’s Largest Waterfront Projects from East to West – Part Two: A Lake Ontario Evening

Missed our March 23 Lake Ontario Evening event? No problem — the full video is now available for viewing!

Following Toronto and Region’s Largest Waterfront Projects from East to West – Part Two

Large-scale projects are transforming the face of Toronto’s waterfront. These efforts to upgrade infrastructure, control erosion, and reduce elevated nutrient levels will deliver a number of benefits, from providing habitat for aquatic and terrestrial species to creating recreational opportunities.

Our two-part Lake Ontario Evening series highlights some of these major projects and reveals how they are helping to move Toronto closer to delisting as an Area of Concern (AOC). In part two, we focus on projects in the western side of the AOC, including the Don Mouth Naturalization and Port Lands Flood Protection Project, Jim Tovey Lakeview Conservation Area, and various major maintenance projects.

VIEW PART ONE.

 

Event: Lake Ontario Evening
– March 2023

Following Toronto and Region’s Largest Waterfront Projects from East to West – Part Two

Date: Thursday March 23, 2023
Time: 5:30 to 7:30 p.m.
Location: Online (webinar)

*This event is taking place via Zoom. After registration, you will be emailed a link to join the webinar.


The face of Toronto’s waterfront is transforming and providing huge benefits to visitors, residents, and the natural environment.

Many large-scale projects are currently underway to upgrade infrastructure, control erosion, and reduce elevated nutrient levels. Not only do these undertakings increase the functionality of the waterfront – they also provide habitat for aquatic and terrestrial species, create recreational opportunities, and impart a more aesthetic and enjoyable user experience.

This two-part Lake Ontario Evening series highlights some of these large projects, from east to west, and showcases the incredible feats of engineering and design being implemented to help move Toronto closer to delisting as an Area of Concern.

In Part Two of our series, we will discuss projects in the western side of the Toronto and Region Area of Concern.

Presentations will highlight the Don Mouth Naturalization and Port Lands Flood Protection Project, Jim Tovey Lakeview Conservation Area, and various major maintenance projects.

Presenters:

  • Ken Dion (Project Director, Port Lands Integration, Waterfront Toronto)
  • Ralph Toninger (Associate Director, Restoration and Resource Management, Toronto and Region Conservation Authority)
  • Bryana McLaughlin (Coordinator, Restoration and Management, Credit Valley Conservation)
  • Jet Taylor (Manager, Capital and Special Projects, Toronto and Region Conservation Authority)

In Part One of this series, on February 23, 2023, we discussed projects in the eastern side of the Area of Concern. If you missed this event, a recording is now available HERE.


Lake Ontario Evenings is a free speaker series presented by the Toronto and Region Remedial Action Plan. Each event covers a different Lake Ontario and/or Toronto waterfront related topic. Lake Ontario Evenings events are free and open to the public.

Toronto and Region Conservation Authority (TRCA) is committed to creating an accessible experience for all participants. If you require an accessibility accommodation, please email tisha.tan@trca.ca at least seven days prior to the event.

 

Following Toronto and Region’s Largest Waterfront Projects from East to West – Part One: A Lake Ontario Evening

Missed our February 23 Lake Ontario Evening event? No problem — the full video is now available for viewing!

Following Toronto and Region’s Largest Waterfront Projects from East to West – Part One

Large-scale projects are transforming the face of Toronto’s waterfront. These efforts to upgrade infrastructure, control erosion, and reduce elevated nutrient levels will deliver a number of benefits, from providing habitat for aquatic and terrestrial species to creating recreational opportunities.

Our two-part Lake Ontario Evening series highlights some of these major projects and reveals how they are helping to move Toronto closer to delisting as an Area of Concern (AOC). In part one, we focus on projects in the eastern side of the AOC, including the Ashbridges Bay Landform Project and the Ashbridges Bay Treatment Plant Outfall Project.

Stay tuned for part two, coming Thursday March 23, 2023.

 

Event: Lake Ontario Evening
– February 2023

Following Toronto and Region’s Largest Waterfront Projects from East to West – Part One

Date: Thursday February 23, 2023
Time: 5:30 to 7:30 p.m.
Location: Online (webinar)

Banner image courtesy of AECOM and City of Toronto.

*This event is taking place via Zoom. After registration, you will be emailed a link to join the webinar.


The face of Toronto’s waterfront is transforming and providing huge benefits to visitors, residents, and the natural environment.

Many large-scale projects are currently underway to upgrade infrastructure, control erosion, and reduce elevated nutrient levels. Not only do these undertakings increase the functionality of the waterfront – they also provide habitat for aquatic and terrestrial species, create recreational opportunities, and impart a more aesthetic and enjoyable user experience.

Join us for a two-part Lake Ontario Evening series as we highlight some of these large projects from East to West and showcase the incredible feats of engineering and design being implemented to help move Toronto closer to delisting as an Area of Concern.

This is Part One of the series. At this Lake Ontario Evening, we will discuss projects in the eastern side of the Toronto and Region Area of Concern, including the Ashbridges Bay Landform Project and the Ashbridges Bay Treatment Plant Outfall Project.

The western projects will be discussed in Part Two on Thursday March 23, 2023.

Presenters:

  • Vlad Petran (Senior Engineer, City of Toronto)
  • Kevin Waher (Senior Project Engineer, Hatch)
  • Jet Taylor (Manager, Capital and Special Projects, Toronto and Region Conservation Authority)

Lake Ontario Evenings is a free speaker series presented by the Toronto and Region Remedial Action Plan. Each event covers a different Lake Ontario and/or Toronto waterfront related topic. Lake Ontario Evenings events are free and open to the public.

Toronto and Region Conservation Authority (TRCA) is committed to creating an accessible experience for all participants. If you require an accessibility accommodation, please email mailto:tisha.tan@trca.ca at least seven days prior to the event.

 

How Circulation Patterns Affect Water Quality Along the Toronto Waterfront: A Lake Ontario Evening

Missed our June 23 Lake Ontario Evening event? No problem — the full video is now available for viewing!

How Circulation Patterns Affect Water Quality Along the Toronto Waterfront

Knowing how water circulates can help us predict areas of reduced water quality on the Toronto and Region waterfront and focus our remediation efforts.This Lake Ontario Evening showcases some of the amazing work being done to better understand water circulation patterns and address water quality issues within Canada’s largest urban centre.

 

Event: Lake Ontario Evening
– June 2022

How Circulation Patterns Affect Water Quality Along the Toronto Waterfront

Date: Thursday June 23, 2022
Time: 5:30 to 7:30 p.m.
Location: Online (webinar)

*This event is taking place via Zoom. After registration, you will be emailed a link to join the webinar.


Reduced water quality has the potential to impact our use and enjoyment of the Toronto and Region waterfront. Although we have made great progress addressing issues such as floatable trash, beach closures, and increased growth of potentially harmful algae, these continue to be a cause for concern.

Knowing how water circulates can help address these concerns by predicting areas of reduced water quality and focusing on remediation efforts.

This Lake Ontario Evening will showcase some of the amazing work being done to better understand water circulation patterns and address water quality issues within Canada’s largest urban centre.

Presenters:

  • Chelsea Rochman, Assistant Professor at University of Toronto and co-founder of the U of T Trash Team
  • Calvin Hitch, Project Manager, Flood Infrastructure and Hydrometrics at Toronto and Region Conservation Authority (TRCA)
  • Nadine Benoit, Surface Water Specialist, Water Investigations at Ontario Ministry of Environment, Conservation and Parks
  • Lauren Barth, Post-Doctoral Fellow at University of Toronto

Lake Ontario Evenings is a free speaker series presented by the Toronto and Region Remedial Action Plan. Each event covers a different Lake Ontario and/or Toronto waterfront related topic. Lake Ontario Evenings events are free and open to the public.

We are committed to creating an accessible experience for all participants. If you require an accommodation, please email tisha.tan@trca.ca at least seven days prior to the event.

 

Lessons Learned in 30 Years of Restoration: A Lake Ontario Evening

Missed our March 8 Lake Ontario Evening event? No problem — the full video is now available for viewing!

Lessons Learned in 30 Years of Restoration

In the last three decades, extensive efforts have been made in restoring aquatic and terrestrial habitat along the Toronto and Region waterfront and within its watersheds. Join the Toronto & Region Remedial Action Plan (RAP) team to learn about these efforts in detail and explore some of the positive changes that have occurred.

 

Event: Lake Ontario Evening
– March 2022

Lessons Learned in 30 Years of Restoration

Date: Tuesday March 8, 2022
Time: 5:30 to 7:30 p.m.
Location: Online (webinar)

*This event is taking place via GoToWebinar. After registration, you will be emailed a link to join the webinar.


Over the past 200 years, pressures of urbanization, port expansion, industrial activity, transport, and recreation along the Toronto waterfront have resulted in the destruction of wetlands and riparian habitats.

In the last three decades, however, extensive efforts have been made in restoring aquatic and terrestrial habitat along the Toronto and Region waterfront and within its watersheds.

Using best management practices and advice from industry leaders, more than 50 hectares of aquatic and terrestrial habitat has been restored along the waterfront, and more than 850 hectares within watersheds.

This Lake Ontario Evening event will showcase these efforts in detail and highlight some of the positive changes that have occurred.

Presenters:


Lake Ontario Evenings is a free speaker series hosted by the Toronto and Region Remedial Action Plan. Each event covers a different Lake Ontario and/or Toronto waterfront related topic. Lake Ontario Evenings events are free and open to the public.

We are committed to creating an accessible experience for all participants. If you require an accommodation, please email tisha.tan@trca.ca at least seven days prior to the event.

 

Event: Lake Ontario Evening
– October 2021

All Our Relations: Water Beings of the Great Lakes

Date: Wednesday October 20, 2021
Time: 5:30 to 7:00 p.m.
Location: Online (webinar)

Join special guest speaker Barbara Moktthewenkwe Wall at the next Lake Ontario Evening hosted by the Toronto and Region Remedial Action Plan (RAP).

Barbara Moktthewenkwe Wall
Barbara Moktthewenkwe Wall. Photo by Shelby Lisk.

Barbara is a Bodwewaadmii Anishinaabekwe of the Citizen Potawatomi Nation in Shawnee, Oklahoma and a traditional Knowledge Holder. She is a storyteller, educator, professional engineer, writer, and dreamer. Barbara retells Anishinaabe stories to audiences of all ages, weaving together teachings, humour and song.

Barbara’s essay “Nokmisag: Bemnigying” is the final piece in the forthcoming Grandmothers and Grandmothering: Creative and Critical Contemplations in Honour of our Women Elders. She is a professor teaching in the Indigenous Environmental Studies in Sciences program within Trent University’s Chanie Wenjack School for Indigenous Studies.

About the Talk

We, and the Great Lakes, are at a turning point. Restoring our relationships with the other than human beings that inhabit the land, water, and the cosmos is essential for sustaining the health of the Great Lakes. The protection of ecological integrity is intimately tied to relationship restoration.

Through story, prophecy, and song, this talk will share Anishinaabe concepts of relationality with, and responsibility for, the Great Lakes and the water beings that reside here.

This workshop will take place via GoToWebinar. After registration you will be emailed a link to join the webinar.


Lake Ontario Evenings is a free speaker series hosted by the Toronto and Region Remedial Action Plan. Each event covers a different Lake Ontario and/or Toronto waterfront related topic. Lake Ontario Evenings events are free and open to the public.

We are committed to creating an accessible experience for all participants. If you require an accommodation, please email tisha.tan@trca.ca at least seven days prior to the event.

 

Ecohealth: A Lake Ontario Evening

Missed our April 28 Lake Ontario Evening event? No problem — the full video is now available for viewing!

Ecohealth

Join the Toronto & Region Remedial Action Plan (RAP) team to learn about the growing evidence of the benefits of healthy ecosystems on human health and well-being.

 

Event: Lake Ontario Evening
– April 2021

Ecohealth

Date: Wednesday April 28, 2021
Time: 5:30 to 7:30 p.m.
Location: Online (webinar)

Have you ever noticed how much better you feel after a walk in nature? Time in greenspaces not only improves our mental well-being, it has also been linked to a decreased incidence of health issues such as respiratory and heart conditions.

Come learn about the growing evidence of the benefits of healthy ecosystems on human health and well-being. Discover the basics of eco-health, the science behind it, and even get a chance to practice it.

Presentations:

  • Ecohealth in Ontario – Pegeen Walsh, Executive Director, Ontario Public Health Association
  • Ecohealth: Past and Present – Dr. Karen Morrison, Adjunct Professor, York University
  • Turning Everyday Walks Into a Bit of Forest Therapy – Ben Porchuk, Executive Director, Global Institute of Forest Therapy

Lake Ontario Evenings are free and open to the public.

 

Indigenous Treaties and Peoples of Toronto: A Lake Ontario Evening

Missed our February 9 Lake Ontario Evening event? No problem — the full video is now available for viewing!

Indigenous Treaties and Peoples of Toronto

Join Toronto & Region Remedial Action Plan (RAP) team to learn about the treaties that cover what is now the City of Toronto, which nations traditionally inhabited or moved through these lands, traditional ecological knowledge, the indigenous presence in Toronto today, and more.

 

Event: Lake Ontario Evening – February 2021

Indigenous Peoples and Treaties of Toronto

Date: Tuesday February 9, 2021
Time: 5:30 to 7:30 p.m.
Location: Online (webinar)

Please join us for a virtual Lake Ontario Evening on Indigenous Treaties and Peoples of Toronto.

The two-hour event will touch on the treaties that cover what is now the City of Toronto, which nations traditionally inhabited or moved through these lands, traditional ecological knowledge, the indigenous presence in Toronto today, and more.

Presentations:

  • Mississaugas of the Credit First Nation treaties in Toronto and Region – Darin Wybenga, Traditional Knowledge and Land Use Coordinator, Mississaugas of the Credit First Nation
  • The Michi Saagiig Peoples on the Eastern Shores of Lake Ontario – Gary Pritchard, Indigenous Restoration Ecologist
  • Urban Indigenous Tkaronto: Social Services Landscape – Lindsay (Swooping Hawk) Kretschmer, Executive Director, Toronto Aboriginal Support Services Council

Lake Ontario Evenings are free and open to the public.

 

Rain to Runoff: A Lake Ontario Evening

Missed our December 15 Lake Ontario Evening event? No problem — the full video is now available for viewing!

Rain to Runoff

Join Toronto & Region Remedial Action Plan (RAP) team to learn how rain interacts with the urban landscape, what you can do to minimize those impacts, and what is being done at the municipal level to address runoff.

 

Event: Lake Ontario Evening – December 2020

Rain to Runoff

Date: Tuesday December 15, 2020
Time: 5:30 to 7:30 p.m.
Location: Online (webinar)

Late fall is upon us, bringing a large helping of rain — with a side of snow! This increased precipitation creates more stormwater runoff, which can mean more flooding, impaired water quality, and overburdened municipal infrastructure.

Join us to learn about how rain interacts with the urban landscape, what you can do to minimize those impacts, and what is being done at the municipal level to address runoff.

During this Lake Ontario Evening, we will cover measures you can take on your property to minimize runoff, delve into how runoff interacts with our wider neighbourhoods, and finally, take a big-picture look at how runoff is addressed at a city-wide scale.

Finally, stick around to get an update on the construction of the City of Toronto’s largest stormwater infrastructure project: the Don and Central Waterfront Combined Sewer Overflow project.

Topics and Speakers:

  • Rainscaping Techniques to Reduce Runoff on Your Property – Liana D’Andrea, Toronto and Region Conservation Authority (TRCA)
  • Integrating Green Infrastructure into the Urban Landscape … And Making Us Feel Great Too! – Tim Van Seters, Sustainable Technology Evaluation Program (STEP)
  • Don River & Central Waterfront Project – 2020 Update – Jian Lei, City of Toronto

Lake Ontario Evenings are free and open to the public.

 

Fish Populations and Habitats: A Lake Ontario Evening

Missed our October 20 Lake Ontario Evening event? No problem — the full video is now available for viewing!

Assessment of Fish Populations and Habitats in Toronto and Region

Join Toronto & Region Remedial Action Plan (RAP) team to learn how fish populations and habitats are faring in the Toronto and Region Area of Concern, with a set of short presentations from our panel of experts!

 

Event: Lake Ontario Evening – October 2020

Assessment of Fish Populations and Habitats in Toronto and Region

Date: Tuesday October 20, 2020
Time: 5:30 to 7:30 p.m.
Location: Online (webinar)

Join us to learn all about how fish populations and habitats are faring in the Toronto and Region Area of Concern, with a set of short presentations from our panel of experts!

In 2019/2020, Department of Fisheries and Oceans (DFO) and Toronto and Region Conservation Authority (TRCA) scientists used more than 30 years of electrofishing data, long term habitat restoration records, and nearly a decade of hydroacoustic and telemetry survey data to assess the status of fish and their habitats in Toronto.

TRCA monitoring team electrofishing on Lake Ontario waterfront

In this Lake Ontario Evening webinar, you’ll learn how fish and fish habitat are doing, what we still don’t know, and how we can continue to support our native fish communities.

Presentations:

  • A Brief History of Aquatic Habitat along the Toronto and Region Waterfront – Rick Portiss, Senior Manager, TRCA
  • Fish Populations Status Assessment – Jon Midwood, Research Scientist, DFO
  • Fish Habitat Status Assessment – Susan Doka, Research Scientist, DFO
  • Toronto Waterfront Aquatic Habitat Restoration Update – Lyndsay Cartwright, Data Analyst, TRCA

 

News: Aesthetics BUI Re-designated to “Not Impaired”

On Friday July 10, 2020 the “Degradation of Aesthetics” Beneficial Use Impairment (BUI) was officially re-designated to “not impaired” status in the Toronto and Region Area of Concern (AOC), pursuant to the provisions of the Great Lakes Water Quality Agreement, 2012.

“Degradation of Aesthetics” was one of 11 impairments identified for Toronto and Region when it was identified as an Area of Concern in the late 1980s. The criteria for re-designation were: “Waters free of any substance that produces a persistent objectionable deposit, unnatural colour or turbidity, or objectionable odour.”

Path to Re-designation

Activities that contributed to the re-designation included:

  • Implementation of the City of Toronto’s Wet Weather Flow Master Plan
  • Shoreline and AOC-wide clean-ups by Toronto and Region Conservation Authority (TRCA), The Great Canadian Shoreline Cleanup, and other groups
  • Floating debris removal by Ports Toronto and Harbourfront Centre
  • Education and awareness campaigns on littering and waste disposal
  • Relocation of industry away from the waterfront, reducing oil slicks that were the greatest contributor to the degradation of aesthetics at the time of designation

Select image below to view full-sized.

chart displaying progress made by Toronto RAP in addressing beneficial use impairments in the Toronto and Region Area of Concern since 1987

Monitoring Aesthetics

Aesthetics monitoring was conducted in 2012, 2013, and 2015. A total of 1,667 samples were observed, from 320 sites throughout the Toronto and Region AOC. Of these:

  • 94% of observations showed excellent or good aesthetic condition.
  • 80% of observations showed that water was clear, colourless, and odourless, with no excess debris present.
  • 1% of observations (20 samples) were assessed as having poor (i.e., unacceptable) aesthetic condition. Of the sites assessed as poor on one or more occasion, none were considered to have persistent, objectionable aesthetic issues.

TRCA team conducts aesthetics monitoring along Toronto waterfront

TRCA team conducts aesthetics monitoring along Toronto waterfront.

Ongoing Actions

Several activities are underway to maintain or improve the aesthetic conditions of waterways within the Toronto and Region Area of Concern. Actions include, but are not limited to:

  • Community cleanups such as the Great Canadian Shoreline Cleanup and the Toronto and Region Conservation Foundation’s Look After Where You Live program
  • Development of a multi-agency floatables strategy to address floating trash and debris along the waterfront
  • Installation of seabins — floating garbage receptacles that suck in trash floating atop the water — along the waterfront
  • Trash research and track-down initiatives by the University of Toronto Trash Team

corporate team participates in Look After Where You Live program

Corporate team participates in Toronto and Region Conservation Foundation’s Look After Where You Live program.

 

News: Beaches De-listing Criteria Updated

cover page of Beaches Criteria Update reportThe Toronto and Region Remedial Action Plan (RAP) has updated the de-listing criteria for Beneficial Use Impairment (BUI) 10 – Beach Closures.

The proposed new criteria were developed with input from the Beach Closures technical working group, and the Toronto and Region RAP team, both of which comprise experts from all three levels of government.

The proposed new criteria are as follows:

“Toronto and Region Area of Concern (AOC) bathing beaches are open 80% or more of the swimming season as determined by Toronto Public Health.

At bathing beaches where this guideline cannot be achieved for 80% of the swimming season:

• Sources of fecal pollution and impaired water quality must be identified and pollution prevention and remediation plans implemented.

• Risk management strategies and communication plans must be implemented to protect human health.”

LEARN MORE ABOUT THE RATIONALE BEHIND THE UPDATE.

Would you like to provide comment on the proposed criteria? Email Valerie.francella@trca.ca.

 

Great Lakes Cleanup Leads to Community and Economic Revitalization: Report

Cleanup and collaboration pay off. That’s the conclusion of a report released today by the International Association for Great Lakes Research, which documents how cleaning up even the most polluted areas of the Great Lakes is not only possible, but can lead to community and economic revitalization.

The Great Lakes Revival report tells the story of the most dangerously fouled waters in the Great Lakes, which resulted from the industrial and agricultural revolutions of the 19th and 20th centuries.

As citizens of the United States and Canada awoke to visible damage and invisible dangers of polluted water and toxic residues — crippling local economies and degrading the quality of life around these magnificent waters — they chose to act. The two nations made a commitment to clean water and, beginning in 1985, focused their efforts on what came to be known as the Great Lakes Areas of Concern.

The report presents case studies from 10 Areas of Concern, including Buffalo River (NY), Collingwood Harbour (ON), Cuyahoga River (OH), Detroit River (MI), Hamilton Harbour (ON), Muskegon Lake (MI), River Raisin (MI), Severn Sound (ON), St. Louis River (MN and WI), and Toronto Harbour (ON).

It shares how these communities came together, struggled, and ultimately found the paths to effectively reclaim their waters. These communities overcame challenges in defining the magnitude and scope of the problem, and how to even begin the work of unburdening the waters from years of abuse and neglect.

TRCA team members conduct water quality monitoring in Toronto harbour

Their efforts paid off in the form of preventing pollution, restoring habitat for fish and wildlife, cleaning up contaminated sediment, and, ultimately, creating vibrant waterfronts that connect people to the water.

Through their efforts, these communities have catalyzed local economic development and community rebirth to the tune of hundreds of millions, even billions of dollars of economic benefits and countless new jobs for local residents.

Just as important for long-term success, a spirit and practice of collaboration emerged in these communities.

“Thank you to the International Association for Great Lakes Research for completing this important report,” said U.S. Senator Debbie Stabenow of Michigan. “These case studies demonstrate the critical importance of continuing to invest in the cleanup of our Great Lakes and the powerful impact these investments have on local communities. Working together, we will continue to tackle these challenges head-on, protecting our water and reviving communities across the region.”

“People in my riding of Essex care deeply about the health of the Great Lakes and our water,” said Canadian Member of Parliament Tracey Ramsey. “In Essex County we rely on them for freshwater, recreation, fishing, and tourism, but they are facing some very serious environmental threats, including climate change, degraded water quality, invasive species, and habitat loss. I want to thank the International Association for Great Lakes Research for conducting this critical research that is essential to protecting this vital resource and rebuilding the Great Lakes’ surrounding communities together.”

The story told in this report documents the tangible and often intangible benefits of Great Lakes cleanup. It provides a powerful case for sustaining the flow of cleanup funding that has quite literally revived communities (the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative and Great Lakes Legacy Act in the United States and the Canada-Ontario Agreement on Great Lakes Water Quality and Ecosystem Health and the Great Lakes Protection Initiative in Canada).

The successes illustrated in the 10 case studies make a case for continued support to finish cleaning up the Areas of Concern, and demonstrate approaches that other waterfront communities can consider in shaping their own collaborative efforts. They also remind us of our place in the Great Lakes basin ecosystem, and of how our well-being and health is inextricably linked to the health of its waters.

The report is available online HERE.


Contacts:

 

Toronto AOC Study Now Available

Harbor Cleanup Drives Toronto’s Waterfront Revitalization

ANN ARBOR, MI — After a long history of underuse and neglect, Toronto’s waterfront has emerged as a vibrant gathering space that draws people to the shores of Lake Ontario. Decades of cleanup efforts and collaborative planning are behind this turnaround, which has resulted in significant ecological and economic benefits, according to a study released today by the International Association for Great Lakes Research (IAGLR).

Designated as one of the Great Lakes’ most polluted spots, the harbor has been the target of restoration efforts under the Toronto and Region Remedial Action Plan since 1985. Pollution control efforts, including stormwater and combined sewer overflow management and habitat restoration, have been key priorities.

These efforts are making a positive difference, including improvements in water and sediment quality, as well as the amount and condition of terrestrial and aquatic habitats.

“The RAP and its partners have been working in a complementary and reinforcing fashion to restore and sustain a vibrant ecosystem that provides numerous environmental, social, and economic benefits to local communities and visitors alike,” notes Valerie Francella, RAP Project Manager for Toronto and Region Conservation Authority (TRCA).

“Without the cleanup of Toronto Harbour, the revitalization of the waterfront would not have been possible.”

In 2000, when efforts began in earnest to revitalize the Toronto waterfront, those involved quickly realized the need to incorporate environmental restoration and health into development decisions. This coordinated approach has led to significant economic benefits, including $4.1 billion CAD in output to the Canadian economy, approximately $848 million CAD in tax revenues, and about 14,100 years of employment.

Such economic data, along with environmental and ecological data, demonstrate the importance of sustaining efforts to clean up Great Lakes Areas of Concern.

The Toronto & Region AOC case study is part of a larger project to evaluate achievements and lessons learned from 32 years of efforts to clean up Great Lakes AOCs. Available online HERE, this case study will become part of a user-friendly publication prepared for a broad range of stakeholders to help sustain support for cleaning up AOCs and to inspire and motivate others to restore other degraded aquatic ecosystems.

Funding was provided by the Fred A. and Barbara M. Erb Family Foundation to IAGLR. The Erb Family Foundation is a philanthropic organization that nurtures environmentally healthy and culturally vibrant communities in metro Detroit and supports initiatives to restore the Great Lakes ecosystem.


The International Association for Great Lakes Research is a scientific organization made up of researchers studying the Laurentian Great Lakes, other large lakes of the world, and their watersheds, as well as those with an interest in such research. With its mission to promote all aspects of large lakes research and communicate research findings, IAGLR is uniquely positioned to foster the connection between science and policy, a connection vital for effective management and protection of the world’s large lakes.