Great Lakes - St. Lawrence River Basin Waters

Protecting Great Lakes-St. Lawrence River Basin Waters

The waters of the Great Lakes-St. Lawrence River Basin are vital to Ontario’s communities and must be protected.

The Ontario government has strengthened protection of these waters by signing on December 13, 2005, a historic agreement with Quebec and the eight Great Lakes states, which share the basin with Ontario.

The Great Lakes-St. Lawrence River Basin Sustainable Water Resources Agreement establishes :

• A virtual ban on diversions
• A basin-wide environmental standard for water uses
• Better conservation measures
• An increased role for science in decision-making.

The basin-wide environmental standard will significantly increase the control of water uses in the Great Lakes states. There was previously no such standard.

The Great Lakes states – Illinois , Indiana , Michigan , Minnesota , New York , Ohio , Pennsylvania and Wisconsin – have also signed a binding compact among themselves with similar terms.

Ontario a Leader in Protecting Basin Waters

Ontario is already a leader in implementing some of the most rigorous regulations to protect the basin waters. Through the Charter Annex agreements the province will continue its ban on diversions and will further advance its programs to protect Ontario waters.

Ontario listened carefully to the views of stakeholders, First Nations and the public who wanted “no diversions” in the final Great Lakes Charter Annex agreements. An advisory panel of stakeholders assisted the province during the 2005 negotiations.

Agreements Provide Framework

The two agreements – reached after difficult negotiations – provide a framework for each province and state to pass laws that put in place the new protections for the waters of the Great Lakes-St. Lawrence River Basin . Portions of the agreements are effective immediately. Others will be phased in over time.

Great Lakes Charter Annex

The Great Lakes Charter Annex agreements are intended to implement the 2001 Great Lakes Charter Annex, in which Ontario, Quebec and the eight Great Lakes States committed to protect and manage the waters of the Great Lakes-St. Lawrence River Basin through agreements that set a common standard for decisions about proposed water uses.

Contact:

Paula Thompson, Senior Policy Advisor
MNR Water Resources Section, Lands and Waters Branch
300 Water Street, P.O. Box 7000
Peterborough, Ontario, K9J 8M5
PHONE: (705) 755-1218
FAX: (705) 755-1267

 

PREVIOUS MATERIALS

2005 Documents

Draft Agreements:
Draft Great Lakes Basin Sustainable Water Resources Agreement (June 2005)
Draft Great Lakes Basin Water Resources Compact (June 2005)

News Releases:
November 23, 2005
July 14, 2005
June 30, 2005

Backgrounder:
June 2005

List of Ontario’s Advisory Panel Members:
June 2005

Fact Sheets:
Summary of the Agreements (June 2005)
History of the Agreements (June 2005)

2004 Documents

News Releases:
November 15, 2004
September 23, 2004
July 19, 2004

Fact Sheet:
September 23, 2004

Backgrounder:
July 19, 2004

Frequently Asked Questions
January 2005