Harper Government announces support for Lake Simcoe and South-eastern Georgian Bay

OTTAWA, July 24, 2015 /CNW/ - The Honourable Leona Aglukkaq, Minister of the Environment, Minister of the Canadian Northern Economic Development Agency and Minister for the Arctic Council, today announced over $3.7 million for 32 projects that will help restore the ecological health of Lake Simcoe and South‑eastern Georgian Bay.

These projects are being funded under the third round of the Lake Simcoe/South‑eastern Georgian Bay Clean-Up Fund. The Fund supports community-based projects that focus on priorities such as reducing phosphorous inputs from urban and rural sources, restoring fish and aquatic wildlife habitat and populations, and addressing nearshore toxic and nuisance algae growth.

Quick Facts

• Economic Action Plan 2012 committed $29 million over five years to continue to support the Lake Simcoe Clean-up Fund and extend it to include South-eastern Georgian Bay.
• The Fund is one of the many ways the Government of Canada is contributing to ensuring clean water for all Canadians. Other examples include cleaning up contaminated sediment in Great Lakes Areas of Concern, and taking action on pollution in Lake Winnipeg. It builds on the success of the 2007-2012 $30 million Lake Simcoe Clean-Up Fund.
• The Lake Simcoe/South-eastern Georgian Bay Clean-Up Fund supports work undertaken under the Canada-United States Great Lakes Water Quality Agreement, the Canada-Ontario Agreement on Great Lakes Water Quality and Ecosystem Health, 2014, and the National Conservation Plan.

Quote

"Our Government is investing in new environmental projects focused on restoring ecosystem health and improving water quality for residents in the Lake Simcoe and South-eastern Georgian Bay region. Supporting environmental projects in these watersheds will help make the communities around Lake Simcoe and South-eastern Georgian Bay better places to live, work and play."
– The Honourable Leona Aglukkaq, Minister of the Environment, Minister of the Canadian Northern Economic Development Agency and Minister for the Arctic Council

Associated Link

• Cleaning Up Lake Simcoe and South-eastern Georgian Bay (Environment Canada)

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SOURCE Environment Canada

Ted Laking, Director of Communications, Office of the Minister of the Environment, 819-997-1441; Media Relations, Environment Canada, 819-934-8008