Lauzon announces funding for great lakes clean-up projects in St. Lawrence river (Cornwall) area of concern

October 23, 2009

Cornwall, Ontario – On behalf of Canada’s Environment Minister Jim Prentice, Member of Parliament for Stormont – Dundas – South Glengarry, Guy Lauzon, announced today $290,000 in funding from the Great Lakes Sustainability Fund for five projects to clean up the St. Lawrence River (Cornwall) Area of Concern. Thirty-eight projects throughout the Great Lakes are receiving $2.2 million in funding this year.

“The commitment and actions of local communities has been the driving force behind Great Lakes clean-up efforts.  We know we’ve come a long way, but challenges remain. The funding we are announcing today will help to address those challenges and bring us closer to our goal of restoring water quality in the St. Lawrence River and in all of Canada’s Great Lakes Areas of Concern,” said M.P. Lauzon.

“The Great Lakes Sustainability Fund has proven to be very effective in facilitating the many partnered projects working to restore water quality in the fifteen Canadian Areas of Concern. Here in Cornwall, the Great Lakes Sustainability Fund is being used to fund projects like the Lake St. Francis/St. Lawrence River Tributary Restoration,” said M.P. Lemieux.

Water quality and fish habitat in the tributaries of the St. Lawrence River and Lake St. Francis have been seriously degraded. Historical and ongoing land use practices have contributed to excessive amounts of nutrients and bacteria in the watershed, sedimentation, channelization and habitat loss. The watershed provides spawning and nursery habitats to northern pike, walleye, small and largemouth bass, muskellunge, yellow perch, pumpkinseeds and forage fish.

“The Government of Canada is committed to delivering a clean and healthy environment for Canadians. Together with our partners, we are taking real action to ensure that Canada’s communities and families can thrive in a healthy environment,” added Minister Prentice.

“The Tributary Restoration Program’s success is the result of the large number of partners and the significant support of Environment Canada and the local agricultural community. This program and beneficial management practices adopted by local landowners over the past 15 years, have contributed to progressive improvements in the waterways throughout the St. Lawrence River (Cornwall) Area of Concern. Ongoing local efforts will be a key component in maintaining the health of our watershed,” said Roger Houde, General Manager of the Raisin Region Conservation Authority.

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.

More information about the Great Lakes Sustainability Fund is available at sustainabilityfund.gc.ca.