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What does the future hold for our Great Lakes?

The province has released a discussion paper on strategies for the Great Lakes.

For decades, the federal and provincial governments have partnered on the Canada- Ontario Agreement Respecting the Great Lakes Basin Ecosystem (C.O.A.). The agreement sees the two levels of government fund initiatives that further the goal of the C.O.A., which is to protect, restore and sustain the Great Lakes Basin ecosystem. The current agreement involves matching contributions from each, usually over a five year term.

In anticipation of the next C.O.A., the three provincial ministries involved, Natural Resources, Environment, and Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs, have jointly developed a discussion paper outlining the goals and key strategies for provincially managing the Great Lakes into the future. The paper, entitled, Healthy Great Lakes, Strong Ontario, Talking with Ontarians about Protecting, Restoring, Using and Enjoying the Great Lakes was posted on the Environmental Registry website for public comment in March. Meetings were also held in locations around the lakes (Kingston, London, Goderich, Thunder Bay and Toronto), with representatives of the Ontario Federation of Anglers and Hunters (O.F.A.H.) attending.

We have submitted our comments to the E.B.R. on behalf of O.F.A.H. members, (a copy of which is available by clicking here) and we will continue to work with the Ministry of Natural Resources on this exercise to ensure that issues of key importance to anglers and hunters are appropriately considered.