Our Great Lakes

GOVERNMENT OF CANADA

Partners in helping to ensure a healthy,
prosperous and sustainable
Great Lakes Basin ecosystem.

Acting to Protect the Great Lakes

In the 30 years since the signing of the Great Lakes Water Quality Agreement, many remarkable achievements have been made in restoring the Great Lakes Basin ecosystem to health. These accomplishments are investments in the economic and social well-being of the region as a whole, for present and future inhabitants.

Various levels of government, municipalities, industries and citizens have joined forces in these efforts - demonstrating the importance of cooperation and information sharing in fostering positive change.

The Government of Canada recognizes its role in protecting the valuable natural resource that is the Great Lakes Basin. This kit contains further information about the exciting work being carried out by Government of Canada departments to remediate and protect our Great Lakes.

For more information about the Great Lakes and how you can get involved, please visit "Our Great Lakes" on Environment Canada's Ontario Green Lane, www.on.ec.gc.ca/great_lakes/

A Proud History of Great Lakes Initiatives

The Great Lakes are cleaner today than they have been for 50 years, but many factors continue to threaten their health. Population growth, coupled with rapid industrial development, means increased risk to the ecosystem in the form of higher water consumption, natural resource depletion, escalating waste and air emissions, more intensive land use, and demands for more recreational space.

Two key agreements are in place to ensure cooperation, knowledge sharing, and action to protect and restore the Great Lakes ecosystem: the Canada-Ontario Agreement Respecting the Great Lakes Basin Ecosystem and the Canada-United States Great Lakes Water Quality Agreement.

Action Where Action is Needed

Eight Government of Canada departments have joined in the current Great Lakes initiative: Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, Environment Canada, Fisheries and Oceans Canada, Health Canada, Natural Resources Canada, the Parks Canada Agency, Public Works and Government Services Canada, and Transport Canada.

Together with other stakeholders, they have established a shared vision of a healthy, prosperous and sustainable Great Lakes Basin ecosystem. The Government of Canada's role in achieving this vision is one of leadership, stewardship and working cooperatively with partners to ensure past and present environmental problems are addressed and future problems prevented.

The Government of Canada's Great Lakes Program was renewed in 2000 as the Great Lakes Action Plan (2000-2005). Its mandate is to continue to restore areas harmed by pollution and land use practices, prevent further pollution, protect and rehabilitate habitat, control exotic species such as the sea lamprey, and assess new challenges to the health of the Great Lakes Basin ecosystem.