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Ontario Protecting the Great Lakes

September 25, 2025

Local project part of province’s $7.3 million investment to improve the health of local waterways and strengthen communities

September 25, 2025 – For Immediate Release

New Tecumseth, ON – Ontario is providing approximately $7.3 million to local organizations across the province for projects that will help strengthen the health and resiliency of the Great Lakes and their connecting waters, which together make up an unparalleled natural resource that supports communities, tourism and agriculture. This includes $25,000.00 to support projects in Simcoe-Grey

“The Great Lakes hold 20 per cent of the world’s fresh surface water — providing vital water resources to our communities and driving tourism and economic growth across the province,” said Todd McCarthy, Minister of the Environment, Conservation and Parks. “Our government is proud to support organizations whose hard work and innovation will help preserve the Great Lakes for generations to come.”

Local Great Lakes initiatives are funded by two provincial programs, the Great Lakes Program and the Great Lakes Local Action Fund. The project selected for funding in Simcoe-Grey is the Nottawasaga Valley Conservation Authority for the Lake Huron Student Conference Model Project.

This event brings together 100 high school students and their teachers for hands-on learning and stewardship activities. Participants will engage in projects that lead to tangible environmental improvements along the Lake Huron and Georgian Bay shoreline, fostering environmental leadership and community stewardship among the youth.

“Georgian Bay and the Great Lakes are central to life in Simcoe–Grey, shaping our environment, our economy, and our communities,” said MPP Brian Saunderson. “By supporting initiatives like the Lake Huron Student Project, our government is helping young people gain hands-on experience in stewardship while building the next generation of environmental leaders. It is encouraging to see provincial funding supporting projects that will strengthen the health of our shoreline and protect these waters for years to come.”

Projects selected for funding are led by community-based organizations, municipalities, conservation authorities, academic institutions and Indigenous communities to protect, conserve and restore the Great Lakes and their watersheds. Funding for these projects is part of the government’s commitment to the Canada-Ontario Agreement on Great Lakes Water Quality and Ecosystem Health and Ontario’s Great Lakes Strategy.

QUICK FACTS

  • Of the $7.3 million investment, $5.5 million is provided through the 2024/25 Great Lakes Program and nearly $1.8 million is provided through the Great Lakes Local Action Fund.
  • The Great Lakes economy is the third largest in the world. Almost 83 per cent of Ontario’s power generation and 95 per cent of Ontario’s agricultural lands depend on the Great Lakes-St. Lawrence River Basin.
  • Since 2018, the Ontario government has invested $80.7 million in approximately 679 projects to safeguard the Great Lakes. During that time, 52 environmental clean-up actions have taken place across 17 Areas of Concern in the Great Lakes.
  • Working with the Great Lakes community partners, our government is making progress on actions included in Ontario’s Great Lakes Strategy, such as:
    • restoring 14 Areas of Concern around the Great Lakes
    • restoring and enhancing over 9,900 acres of wetlands across Ontario through about 590 projects with $31 million in funding under the Wetlands Conservation Partner Program  
    • expanding the Great Lakes Waterfront Trail so it now stretches over 3,600 kilometers and connects 170 communities, villages and First Nation communities.

ADDITIONAL RESOURCES

• Find out how the government is Protecting the Great Lakes

• Learn more about the Great Lakes Local Action Fund