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The federal government announced a “historic” $76 million in new funding for freshwater restoration on the Great Lakes Friday, with investments targeted toward improving water quality and ecosystem health, as well as community-based science projects.
“Canada’s fresh water is under increasing threat from climate change and pollution,” said Terry Duguid, parliamentary secretary to the prime minister and special advisor for water. “Extreme weather events … are on the rise.
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“These events can lead to more run off of sediments, nutrients, pathogens and other substances into water affecting water quality,” Duguid said.
“The Great Lakes are the largest freshwater ecosystem in the world (with) 45 million people in the region … (and) water is so important to the economy, so important to the environment.
“One in four Canadians take their drinking water from the Great Lakes. So we need to protect this very, very important ecosystem for all of the benefits that we enjoy.”
Duguid, along with MP Irek Kusmierczyk (Lib — Windsor-Tecumseh), said the historic $76-million investment is slated to be paid over four years under the Great Lakes Freshwater Ecosystem Initiative.
Locally, $18,465,715 in funding will be divided between Essex Region Conservation Authority ($15,988,715 for four projects), University of Windsor ($1,590,000 for two projects) and Flowers Canada ( $887,000 for one project).
Duguid was joined by mayors Crystal Meloche, Sherry Bondy and Gary McNamara, First Nations representatives and University of Windsor staff and students outside the Great Lakes Institute for Environmental Research (GLIER) in LaSalle for the announcement.
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“It’s the largest fresh water investment in the history of Canada,” Kusmierczyk said.
“It’s not just vital for the health of all of our residents in Windsor-Essex, it’s not just the foundation of business in this community, but it’s also an incredibly important part of who we are, it is part of our identity.
“That’s what we’re protecting here.”
Funding will support a project to restore and protect vital wetland habitats in the Detroit River Area of Concern by the Essex Region Conservation Authority and the re-creation of a historic open-water wetland at the south end of Fighting Island across from LaSalle.
Thirteen new projects will tackle harmful algal blooms in Lake Erie by reducing phosphorus loads, led in part by the University of Windsor, Essex Region Conservation Authority (ERCA) and Flowers Canada Growers.
The Chippewas of the Thames First Nation will implement practices in the Thames River watershed to reduce phosphorus loads from reaching Lake Erie.
“You look at the industrial footprint of our community, both agriculture and manufacturing,” Kusmierczyk said. “That puts incredible stress on our fresh water.
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“This is about helping Mother Nature. It’s about balancing the environment and the economy. This is vital for our community.”
Michael McKay, director of the University of Windsor’s GLIER, said the investment will bring “meaningful change.”
“With a legacy of industrialization, high population density and present-day land use allocation dominated by agriculture, the Huron-Erie corridor of the Great Lakes is faced with unique challenges to maintaining the integrity of this valuable freshwater ecosystem,” McKay said.
ERCA’s chief administrative officer Tim Byrne called the announcement “generational.”
“It’s a lifetime announcement,” Byrne said. “The legacy of what we can accomplish with this type of money, we will be able to see significant things occur on this wonderful watershed.”
Bryne said the funding will also rehabilitate the dyke that protects the River Canard wetland.
He praised the Caldwell First Nation as partners.
“We look forward to working with them on activities around Hillman (Marsh) … and around southwest Leamington.”
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