TORONTO, March 22, 2012 /CNW/ - Canada's Environment Minister, the
Honourable Peter Kent, today highlighted 46 projects that have received
funding under Canada's Great Lakes Action Plan. In total, the
Government of Canada is contributing $3,322,321 from its Great Lakes
Sustainability Fund for projects to advance remediation and clean up of
the severely degraded geographic regions officially designated as
Canadian Great Lakes Areas of Concern.
"The Great Lakes are fundamental to the well-being of millions of
Canadians who live and work along their shores," said Minister Kent.
"With this investment, the Government of Canada is working to realize a
vision of healthy, prosperous lakes. Celebrating the good work being
done to improve water quality in the Great Lakes is an ideal way to
commemorate World Water Day."
Funding has been provided for work in 12 of the remaining 14 Areas of
Concern, including the Toronto and Region Area of Concern. For example,
Aquatic Habitat Toronto is using acoustic tags in fish species of the
Toronto Harbour to track the seasonal movements of bass, pike, walleye
and carp in order to understand their habitat use. Knowing how the
species use the habitat helps to direct aquatic habitat restoration
efforts, like the Toronto and Region Conservation Authority's projects
creating 1.5 hectares of wetland on the Toronto Islands and restoring
wetlands in the Humber Bay Marsh.
"The financial support of the Great Lakes Sustainability Fund has
allowed Toronto and Region Conservation Authority, and its Aquatic
Habitat Toronto partners, to pursue scientific research that help us to
ground truth, and direct our habitat restoration efforts. This research
ensures that restoration is carried out in a scientifically defensible
manner. Results from the acoustic tagging project confirm that
restoration projects in Toronto are meeting The Living City objectives,
and have applicability to habitat restoration throughout the Great
Lakes," said Brian Denney, Chief Administrative Officer of the Toronto
and Region Conservation Authority.
Administered by Environment Canada, the Great Lakes Sustainability Fund
supports projects to remediate each of Canada's remaining Areas of
Concern within the Great Lakes Basin. Funding is provided to
initiatives that serve to restore the environment. Such
projects include fish and wildlife habitat restoration, contaminated
sediment remediation, land stewardship, and initiatives to control of
pollution from municipal wastewaters and rural runoff.
More information about Canada's Great Lakes Action Plan and the Great
Lakes Sustainability Fund is available at http://www.ec.gc.ca/raps-pas/.
For more information and to view a backgrounder on this announcement,
please visit the Web site of Environment Canada at http://www.ec.gc.ca/.
