Harper Government continues to make progress on protecting and restoring Great Lakes water quality

OTTAWA, June 5, 2015 /CNW/ - Today, the Honourable Leona Aglukkaq, Minister of the Environment, Minister of the Canadian Northern Economic Development Agency and Minister for the Arctic Council, announced funding to support environmental clean-up projects in the Great Lakes.

The Government of Canada's Great Lakes Sustainability Fund is contributing more than $2.8 million towards over 30 new projects in Canadian Great Lakes Areas of Concern—areas where the environment and water quality are severely degraded. Restoring these areas is a priority for the Government of Canada because they impact the health of the ecosystem across the Great Lakes basin.

These environmental projects support the Government of Canada's National Conservation Plan to conserve and restore our waters and lands while encouraging Canadian families to connect with natural spaces.

Quick Facts

• Since 2006, the Government of Canada has invested nearly $403 million in targeted actions to restore and protect Great Lakes water quality and ecosystem health.
• This includes approximately $23 million to support more than 400 partnered projects in Canadian Great Lakes Areas of Concern.
• Projects supported by the Great Lakes Sustainability Fund typically focus on restoring fish and wildlife habitat and populations, cleaning up contaminated sediment, and controlling pollution from municipal wastewater, urban storm water and rural run‑off.

Quote

"Our Government continues to invest in targeted actions to improve water quality for Canadians and conserve important ecosystems around the Great Lakes. Our most recent investments under the Great Lakes Sustainability Fund will go toward clean-up projects that advance the aims of the National Conservation Plan and build on the conservation and restoration efforts already underway to protect this important environmental resource."

– Leona Aglukkaq, Minister of the Environment, Minister of the Canadian Northern Economic Development Agency and Minister for the Arctic Council

Related Product

For more information and to view a backgrounder on this announcement, please visit the Government of Canada's website.

Associated Link

The Great Lakes (Environment Canada)

Environment Canada's Twitter page

Environment Canada's Facebook page

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