Introduction

The Great Lakes Sustainability Fund (GLSF) was announced in 2000 as a component of the Great Lakes Program’s Great Lakes Basin 2020 Action Plan. GLSF, and the Great Lakes Program, has been renewed for another five year period which runs until March 31, 2010.

GLSF was established to work in partnership with other agencies and local community stakeholders to advance Remedial Action Plans that have been developed for each of Canada’s remaining “Areas of Concern” (AOC) located within the Great Lakes Basin.  GLSF provides technical and financial support to projects (up to one-third of the total cost) that implement remedial actions to complete the clean up and restoration in three key priority areas:  fish and wildlife habitat rehabilitation and stewardship; contaminated sediment assessment and remediation; and innovative approaches to improve municipal wastewater effluent quality.  Emphasis is placed on meeting the goals under the Canada-Ontario Agreement Respecting the Great Lakes Ecosystem (COA). See the following web site for more information on the Canada-Ontario Agreement: www.on.ec.gc.ca/coa