News
May 05, 2009
News Release
ONTARIO MAYORS CALL FOR ACTION, COLLABORATION TO PROTECT THE GREAT LAKES
Mayors and Ministers meet at first Great Lakes Summit Hamilton, ON – Mayors of municipalities across Ontario presented their 5 point collaborative action plan to the Government of Ontario today at the first ever Great Lakes Summit in Toronto, hosted by the Great Lakes and St. Lawrence Cities Initiative and the Government of Ontario. In their report, “At the Shoreline: A Mayors’ Collaborative Action Plan to Protect the Great Lakes”, Ontario Great Lakes Mayors called for a new collaborative approach involving all three levels of government to tackle long standing problems of explosive algae growth, beach closures, and untreated sewage and stormwater entering the lakes.
The report calls for a tripartite table to coordinate protection efforts and investments among the three levels of government. The Mayors also called for an economic study to build a strong business case for Great Lakes investments. "Great Lakes municipalities are collectively the largest financial contributor to Great Lakes protection, with Ontario municipalities investing over $2 billion a year,” said Toronto Mayor David Miller. “It is essential that the federal and provincial governments work with us to coordinate our efforts and investments." "As Great Lakes Mayors, we are calling on our federal and provincial partners to work with us to implement a joint protection plan for the Great Lakes. Together, we can work to improve people's enjoyment of the lakes and stimulate local economies in municipalities across Ontario."
At the summit, Mayors and Ministers also engaged in a strategic political dialogue on how best to collaborate to make actions and investments to protect the lakes most effective. All agreed that having the full involvement of the federal government is critical to their success. “Great Lakes Mayors recognize the importance of securing further support from our federal government in protecting these waters of national and global significance,” said Thunder Bay Mayor Lynn Peterson, chair of the Great Lakes and St. Lawrence Cities Initiative. “Engaging federal governments on both sides of the border to strengthen bi-national cooperation and to involve mayors and local communities is vitally important.”
Mayors and Ministers also recognized the importance of attracting more people to the Great Lakes’ shorelines, to build support for Great Lakes investments and to promote local Great Lakes economies. “The people of Hamilton are very fortunate to live on the shores of Lake Ontario, with Lake Erie also very close by,” said Mayor Fred Eisenberger. “Protecting the Great Lakes is essential to continue attracting people to our community to live and work and to visit. A healthy lake promotes healthy lifestyles and a vibrant local economy.”
The Great Lakes and St. Lawrence Cities Initiative is an organization of over 60 mayors and other local officials in Canada and the US advocating for the protection, restoration and promotion of the Great Lakes and St. Lawrence River. To see the Mayors’ 5 point action plan and report, please visit the Cities Initiative website at www.glslcities.org.
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Media Contact
Nicola Crawhall
Deputy Director Great Lakes and St. Lawrence Cities Initiative
Cell: 416-432-2739
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