The Government of Canada announced $326,500 in funding from the Great Lakes Sustainability Fund for seven projects to clean up the Niagara River area of concern. Thirty-eight projects throughout the Great Lakes are receiving $2.2 million in funding this year.
"The Great Lakes Sustainability Fund is a concrete example of how we can work together to ensure clean water for Canadians, and to restore the health of the Great Lakes,” said the Hon. Rob Nicholson, member of Parliament for Niagara Falls, minister of justice and attorney general of Canada. “The funding we are announcing today will help to address challenges and bring us closer to our goal of restoring water quality in the Niagara River and in all of Canada's Great Lakes Areas of Concern.”
The Water Quality and Habitat Improvement Program includes teams of biologists, technicians and trained volunteers who have undertaken a natural areas inventory. The inventory is creating a database of biological data and detailed mapping information that will act as a resource for the community. The information is being incorporated into the provincial wetland classification system and will also serve as a baseline for use in future environmental planning and policy development.
"The Government of Canada is taking action to preserve our environment,” Environment Minister Jim Prentice said. “Together with our partners and with all Canadians, we are helping ensure that Canada's communities and families can thrive in a healthy environment.”
Using the Great Lakes Sustainability Fund, the Government of Canada is partnering with provincial and local governments and community organizations to help clean up the 15 Canadian Areas of Concern in the Great Lakes Basin. The fund supports environmental restoration activities in three priority areas: fish and wildlife habitat rehabilitation and stewardship, contaminated sediment assessment and remediation, and innovative approaches to improve municipal wastewater effluent quality.
Source: Environment Canada
