Protecting Lake Simcoe

Lake Simcoe — a vital natural resource

The Lake Simcoe watershed contains important natural, urban and agricultural systems that are vital to the region and Ontario, including parts of the Oak Ridges Moraine and the Greenbelt.

The Lake Simcoe watershed is home to more than 450,000 people, crosses 20 municipal boundaries and is fed by 35 major streams and rivers. The lake itself has a surface area of 722 square-kilometres, while the surface area of the watershed is 2,899 square-kilometres.

The watershed provides many vital resources to local residents, including:

• drinking water
• water for agriculture
• diverse recreation opportunities

Environmental challenges

Over the years, human activities like urban development, agriculture and recreation have had significant affects on the ecological health of the watershed. To date:

• development in the area has changed the natural landscape
• excessive nutrients like phosphorus have had negative effects on the lake’s water quality, threatening native aquatic life, such as coldwater fish
• road salt in the streams and lake has significantly increased and could also affect aquatic life if it continues to rise
• shorelines have hardened and eroded, destroying habitat
• natural areas are lost and fragmented
• invasive species are changing the ecosystem
• climate change is having adverse effects on the ecosystem

Protecting the watershed

Recognizing the pressures facing this important watershed, the province established the Lake Simcoe Protection Act in 2008 to provide a legislative framework for the protection and restoration of Lake Simcoe.

The Lake Simcoe Protection Plan (LSPP) outlines a coordinated approach by many partners to protect and restore the lake's ecological health.

This requires collaboration with key partners, including:

• Indigenous communities
• municipalities
• local conservation authorities
• agricultural and commercial sectors
• residents

We also fund partners working in the watershed to support priority projects that advance the plan’s objectives. We target this funding to activities that will achieve the best possible outcome for the Lake. For example, we support:

• research to identify innovative solutions to emerging stressors
• the development of guidance and other tools to encourage the adoption of best practices that will improve conditions for the lake

Lake Simcoe Protection Plan

The Lake Simcoe Protection Plan is the most comprehensive watershed-based legislated plan in Canada. We designed it to:

• improve water quality
• protect natural heritage
• address the impacts of invasive species and climate change
• promote sustainable recreational use for the enjoyment of all Ontarians

We work with federal, provincial and local partners to protect and restore Lake Simcoe. We work together to:

• improve water quality caused by excessive phosphorus and other contaminants
• protect and restore shorelines and wetlands
• restore the aquatic habitat to improve the health of the fish and other aquatic life
• control and prevent invasive species
• understanding and adapting to climate change

Ontario and its partners use many tools to:

• monitor to better understand the issues facing the watershed and assess progress
• support research to help identify innovative solutions and encourage their adoption
• develop local watershed plans to identify priority projects that will help protect the lake and the watershed
• support on-the-ground actions to improve the watershed by restoring shorelines and stream banks
• provide outreach and education to engage local citizens to be lake stewards

Reporting on progress: The Lake Simcoe 10-Year Report

The Lake Simcoe 10-Year Report highlights some of the recent actions that the province and partners have taken to protect and restore Lake Simcoe. It also highlights monitoring results that show encouraging signs of improvement and demonstrate that our remedial efforts have an impact.

We have:

• restored more than 15 kilometres of degraded shorelines
• planted more than 55,000 trees and shrubs
• created or restored 120 hectares of wetlands
• repaired or replaced more than 160 failed septic systems
• reduced phosphorus loads from sewage treatment plants by 50% since 2009
• taken positive steps toward restoring and sustaining a cold-water fish community through continued signs of naturally reproducing cold-water species such as lake trout, lake whitefish and cisco
• improved dissolved oxygen levels in the lake’s deep waters, which will help support a self-sustaining cold-water fish community

The Lake Simcoe 10-year review

Improving the health of Lake Simcoe requires ongoing collaboration with all levels of government, Indigenous communities, local conservation authorities, agricultural and industrial sectors, residents and visitors to the watershed.

We are inviting all our partners, including the general public, to participate in the 10-year review of the Lake Simcoe Protection Plan to see if it needs to be amended to continue to protect and restore and the lake.

The Minister of the Environment, Conservation and Parks is required under the Lake Simcoe Protection Act, 2008, to ensure that a review of the Lake Simcoe Protection Plan is carried out at least every 10 years after the date the plan takes effect to determine whether the plan should be amended.

The engagement period for the review of the Lake Simcoe Protection Plan will take place between December 2020 and March 2021.

As the first step, we are asking the public what they think about our plan to protect Lake Simcoe by taking part in our public survey on ontario.ca. The survey will be open for 75 days, closing on March 3, 2021.

For other opportunities to engage in the review, please read the Lake Simcoe consultation “How to participate” section.

Based on the engagement and the findings from the review, the Minister of the Environment, Conservation and Parks will consider making amendments to the Lake Simcoe Protection Plan by the summer of 2021.

What property owners can do to help protect the Lake Simcoe Watershed

You can take actions to help improve water quality, protect and rebuild habitat, or prevent the spread of invasive species.

Here are some things property owners can do:

• catch and reuse rainwater by diverting your downspout into a rain barrel
• build a rain garden to collect runoff and encourage groundwater recharge
• consider using plant materials and stone, to protect the shoreline against waves and ice as an alternative to concrete or metal sheet piling
• keep yard waste out of waterways
• ensure your septic systems are properly maintained and pumped out regularly
• leave grass clippings on your lawn as compost to reduce the need for fertilizer and keep the grass length between 6 and 8 cm
• apply fertilizer only as needed, avoiding pathways, roadways and driveways
• plant native species instead of exotic or invasive plants
• don't put garbage, medications or food waste down the toilet
• fix oil leaks in cars and equipment
• minimize winter salt use - more salt does not mean more safety
• start a greening plan for your business
• check to see if you need a permit before doing any work on your property

More resources

• A Professional’s Guide to Healthy Shoreline Management for Lake Simcoe
• The LSRCA’s Rainscaping Initiative
• Lake Simcoe Region Conservation Authority's restoration assistance program, supporting landowners by sharing the costs of restoration projects
• SepticSmart! Understanding your home's septic system
• Tips to reduce the impacts of salt use on winter roads
• Learn about Ontario's rules to prevent and control the spread of high-risk invasive species
• Manage invasive plants on your property. Here are some helpful tips on the best ways to remove them so they don’t spread.
• Report an invasive species sighting at EDDMaps
• Learn more about innovative whole-farm approaches to reduce risks to water quality, with the Holland Marsh Growers Association’s Water Project
• Learn about Water Smart Farming techniques to use less water on-farm and improve water quality
• Learn more about agriculture in the Lake Simcoe watershed by previewing agricultural census data

Past Minister's reports on Lake Simcoe

The Minister's 2017 Report on Lake Simcoe summarizes implementation actions taken during 2017, as well as advice received from the two Minister’s advisory committees.

The Minister’s Five-Year Report on Lake Simcoe outlines actions taken to address the goals of the Lake Simcoe Protection Plan and summarizes the key results of ongoing environmental monitoring in the watershed.

The Minister’s 10-Year Report on Lake Simcoe describes the progress made towards the key priorities and commitments set out in the Lake Simcoe Protection Plan. It highlights the collaborative actions taken to implement the plan, as well as the results of monitoring programs.