Overview

The Great Lakes comprise the world's largest freshwater ecosystem. Programs by the federal government and the province of Ontario involve working in close partnerships with community organizations, individual citizens, industry groups, academics, and municipal governments to improve the ecosystem by restoring degraded areas, reducing and preventing pollution, and protecting human and ecosystem health. Since, the Great Lakes are a shared ecosystem between Canada and the United States, a successful partnership has been essential to deal with binational problems.

ISSUES
AGREEMENTS AND LEGISLATION
PROGRAMS
REPORTS AND GUIDELINES
DATA

ISSUES

• Water Quality
  Determinants of water quality in Canada
• Fluctuating Water Levels
  Concerns about fluctuating Great Lakes water levels
• Municipal Wastewater
  Information on the effects of wastewater effluents on the environment and the development and assessment of novel wastewater treatment technologies
• Water Pollution
  Information on pollutants such as agricultural run-off, chemicals etc.

AGREEMENTS AND LEGISLATION

• Boundary Waters Treaty Act
  The Treaty outlines principles and guidelines for the management of boundary and transboundary waters by Canada and the United States
• Canada-Ontario Agreement Respecting the Great Lakes Basin Ecosystem
  The Canada-Ontario Agreement (COA) promotes cooperative action between the governments of Canada and Ontario to restore and sustain the environmental quality of the Great Lakes
• Great Lakes Charter
  Agreements by the Council of Great Lakes Governors pertaining to the management of Great Lakes-St. Lawrence basin water
• Great Lakes Water Quality Agreement
  The Agreement expresses the commitment of Canada and the United States to restore and maintain the chemical, physical and biological integrity of the Great Lakes Basin Ecosystem

PROGRAMS

• Binational Toxics Strategy
  The Canada-United States strategy for the elimination of persistant toxic substances in the Great Lakes
• Canadian Great Lakes Program
  Partnership of eight federal departments and agencies working together to ensure that the Government of Canada's commitments to the Canada-United States Great Lakes Water Quality Agreement are met
  
• EcoAction
  Program providing financial support to community groups and non-profits for action-oriented projects that address Environment Canada's priority issues such as Water
  
• Lakewide Management Plans
  Plan of actions to assess, restore, protect and monitor the ecosystem health of the Great Lakes
  
• Niagara River Toxics Management Plan
  Reduction of toxic loadings to the Niagara River from hazardous waste sites
  
• Remedial Action Plans
  Commitment of Canada and the U.S. to an "ecosystem approach" for restoring and protecting environmentally degraded areas of the Great Lakes
  
• State of the Lakes Ecosystem Conference (SOLEC)
  SOLEC is a binational series of conferences hosted by Environment Canada and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
• Water Use and Supply Project
  A federal-provincial assessment of water supply and use for the Great Lakes Basin
  

REPORTS AND GUIDELINES

• Binational Toxics Strategy Progress Report 2003
  
• Canada’s Remedial Action Plan Progress Report 2003
  
• International Joint Commission (IJC) - Biennal Reports
  
• National Water Research Institute - Key Reports
  
• State of the Great Lakes 2003 Report
  


• Canadian Water Quality Guidelines
  The four categories of the Canadian Water Quality Guidelines (CWQGs)
• Storm and Wastewater
  Best practices for controlling storm and wastewater at source, improving performance of treatment plants and managing biosolids

DATA

• Data and Information
  Search this data portal to find data and information on water issues