Written collectively by Environmental Defence, Canadian Freshwater Alliance, and Freshwater Future Canada We are pleased to see the commitment from the federal and Ontario governments to address algal blooms in Lake Erie with a draft action plan. While this is a start, and we are encouraged to see there is […]
Nestlé Waters North America, Inc. (Nestlé Waters) is proposing to more than double the amount of water they are taking at their White Pine Springs Site in Evart, Michigan — an amount that could damage area wetlands and protected plant and animal species. In 2009, Michigan Citizens for Water Conservation […]
The International Joint Commission (IJC) recently approved Plan 2014 – great news for Lake Ontario and the St. Lawrence River, and for the organizations who have worked so hard over many years to make it happen. We’d like to give special mention to Save the River, one of our Great Lakes […]
Today, the Ontario government announced that it would ban new water bottling facilities from taking groundwater for 2 years. It also stops existing facilities from increasing their groundwater taking or testing for future groundwater sources. This is big news, especially for communities that have been competing with big water bottling […]
Today, the Great Lakes Governors voted to allow the community of Waukesha, Wisconsin to divert water from Lake Michigan to supplement their water supply. Waukesha is the first municipality to be allowed to divert water under a provision of the Great Lakes-St. Lawrence River Basin Water Resources Compact (the Compact), […]
Yesterday, March 22, the Government of Canada released its first budget since being elected. It’s one of the most important documents produced by the Canadian government because it tells us which promises and policies will have the resources to be implemented. March 22 was also World Water Day – a […]
Today, the Governments of Canada and the United States released new targets to reduce toxic and nuisance algae blooms affecting Lake Erie. This is a big deal and means that we can now turn our attention to developing strong and effective Domestic Action Plans that will turn this into real […]
If you live within a stone’s throw of Lake Erie, you’ve likely heard about the algae blooms. Stinky green mats that have shut down drinking water for residents of Pelee Island and Toledo last summer, closed beaches, and are toxic to wildlife and humans alike. If you’re a busy […]
The Ontario government recently did something wonderful for the Great Lakes. They passed the Great Lakes Protection Act! Freshwater Future Canada is thrilled to see that the Great Lakes community finally achieved this hard won battle. The bill was first introduced back in 2012, but failed to make it […]
Yesterday, Freshwater Future Canada, Canadian Freshwater Alliance, and Environmental Defence hosted a media tour of Pelee Island in Lake Erie. This week marks the one year anniversary of major water shut offs of Pelee Island that left a majority of their residents without water due to a toxic algal bloom. […]
Just in time for summer, as families get ready to hit the beach, Canada and the United States have announced their draft targets for reducing phosphorus loads to combat Lake Erie algal blooms. Harmful algal blooms have closed beaches, impacted the safety of our drinking water, and threatened the recreational […]
Decision makers around the Great Lakes made a promise to Lake Erie last week–just in time for summer and toxic algae season. Leaders from Michigan, Ohio and Ontario signed an agreement to reduce pollution significantly over the next 10 years. Last August, nearly half a million Toledo area residents couldn’t […]
We are pleased to invite you to apply to our grant programs and seek our expert advice with our consulting services. Our Grant Opportunities and Membership information for 2015 is now available online. Our Project Grants program’s spring cycle deadline is approaching, applications are due March 31, 2015 We are […]
We’ve all seen pictures of the slimy green algal blooms in Lake Erie, and we know it’s affecting our drinking water. We know nutrient pollution is a contributing factor and is threatening many of our precious Great Lakes.What is perhaps more confusing is what’s being done about it. Lots of […]
The Great Lakes Protection Act was reintroduced at Queen’s Park this week. If passed, this new law would help to ensure the healthy future of our Great Lakes waters. Freshwater Future Canada joins other conservation groups across Ontario in applauding the province for moving forward with this important legislation. The […]
Ontario Premier Kathleen Wynne recently released her mandate letters to her Ministers, including one to Environment Minister Glen Murray. The letter instructs the Ministry of the Environment and Climate Change on their priorities for the next four years. Key amongst these is the development of a new long-term climate change […]
Come and meet Freshwater Future Canada staff on Saturday, November 8 at Planet in Focus, Canada’s largest and longest running environmental film festival. Freshwater Future Canada is co-presenting the film Living on the Edge, and it can be seen at 11:00 am at the Nat Taylor Theatre, York University in […]
Freshwater Future Canada and Environmental Defence propose four-point plan to tackle algal blooms in Lake Erie and the Great Lakes.
The Ontario Great Lakes Need Assessment was an effort to explore how well the water community is working together, building on the recent national assessment documented in the report: “The Canadian Waterscape: Assessing the needs of Canada’s water leaders”. The current assessment was an opportunity to test the findings of the national […]