OTTAWA — Several projects in the Thunder Bay region have received funding under the federal government's Great Lakes Protection Initiative.
In an announcement Friday, Environment and Climate Change Minister Steven Guilbeault said the funding of a total of 39 new projects in Ontario engages and empowers communities to take action and contribute to the collective effort to restore and protect water quality.
Projects impacting Lake Superior reflect Canada's commitment to clean up previously-identified Areas of Concern.
Local initiatives include the following:
- $92,000 over three years for the Lakehead Region Conservation Authority (LRCA) to restore 4.5 hectares of riparian habitat across two key shoreline areas within the Thunder Bay area of concern.
- $65,000 over one year to Lakehead University to complete the development and organize the implementation of the Thunder Bay area of concern wildlife habitat strategy and Lake Superior remedial action plans. The project will also facilitate interagency collaboration as well as stakeholder and Indigenous participation in the Thunder Bay, Nipigon Bay, Jackfish Bay and Peninsula Harbour areas of concern.
- $15,000 over two years to the Red Rock Indian Band to support its participation in decision-making on the delisting of the Nipigon Bay area of concern and the technical review of the status of aesthetics, fish populations and fish habitat in the Jackfish Bay area of concern recovery.
- $10,000 over two years to Pays Plat First Nation to support its participation in assessments and decision-making related to the status of aesthetics, fish populations and fish habitat in the Jackfish Bay area of concern.
The Great Lakes Protection Initiative supports projects aimed at restoring water quality and ecosystem health in areas of concern, preventing toxic algae, reducing the release of harmful chemicals, engaging Indigenous peoples in addressing Great Lakes issues, and increasing public engagement through citizen science.
