Great Lakes Section

           

The Great Lakes Section of SCO started in 2010. It is led by veteran Great Lakes advocate Mary Muter and comprised of Sierra Club members with specific experience and focus on Great Lakes issues. They are addressing the multiple components of the Great Lakes ecosystem using bi-national coordination of activities with the Sierra Club in the States.

Sierra Club’s substantial body of work includes a leading role in the agreement of Great Lakes jurisdictions to ban new diversions of water out of the basin.

Current work includes focus on sponsoring wetland research by McMaster University, advocating for restoration of healthy water levels in the Middle Great Lakes (Huron, Michigan & Georgian Bay), and protecting the ecosystem from invasive exotic species like Asian Carp (sign the petition HERE).

For further information contact issue chair Mary Muter or SCO Chapter Director Dan McDermott at ontariochapter@sierraclub.ca

CLICK HERE to make a charitable donation towards our Great Lakes work.

Restore our Waters meetings for the end of May

The Great Lakes Section of Sierra Club Ontario is hosting meetings on Wednesday May 29 at the Kortright Centre (Major Mac and Pine Valley Drive) from 7:30pm to 9:30pm and on May 30 at the Rec Plex in Wasaga Beach from 7pm to 9pm.

Learn about the Great Lakes water level crisis. Sierra Club has a policy supporting the need for responsible restoration of Lakes Michigan Huron levels to pre 1962 St. Clair River navigation conditions.... Read more »

Sierra Club's Mary Muter on TVO's The Agenda THIS THURSDAY 8pm

The topic on TVO's The Agenda with Steve Pakin this THURSDAY will be Great Lakes water levels with a panel discussion that includes Paul Cowley (President of FoTTSA), an environmental lawyer, Mary Muter (Chair of the Sierra Club Great Lakes Section) and Gail Krantzberg, a NOAA climatologist. It will be filmed late Thursday afternoon and airs at 8pm and 11pm on the same day. You can also watch it on the internet.
> For more details on this critical topic please visit http://restoreourwater.com/ - taken from an email from John Moretto from the Federation of Tiny Township Shoreline Associations.

Groups applaud reintroduction of Great Lakes Protection Act: urge all parties to support a strong law to protect the lakes

Toronto, ON -- The Great Lakes Protection Act Alliance - representing six environmental groups - is delighted that Ontario Minister of the Environment Jim Bradley re-introduced the Great Lakes Protection Act today as the new government’s first legislative agenda item.

“We’re thrilled that the Great Lakes are a priority for the government,” said Sarah Winterton, Acting Executive Director, Environmental Defence. “Improving protection for the source of drinking water for 80 per cent of Ontarians and protecting our shorelines and beaches is the right thing to do, and we urge all parties to work together to pass a strong Act.”

The bill was first introduced June 6, 2012, but died on the order table when the legislature was prorogued. Next, the bill will be debated, and amendments considered by an all-party committee.... Read more »

Re: Ministry’s Policy Proposal – Protecting Ontario’s Fisheries: Discussion Paper on Tougher Measures to Prevent an Asian Carp Invasion EBR Registry Number 011-7849

February 21, 2013 

Donna Wales 
Policy Advisor 
Ministry of Natural Resources 
300 Water Street, Floor 2 
Robinson Place North Tower 
Peterborough, Ontario 
K9J 8M5 
donna.wales@ontario.ca 

Dear Ms. Wales, 

Re: Ministry’s Policy Proposal – Protecting Ontario’s Fisheries: Discussion Paper on Tougher Measures to Prevent an Asian Carp Invasion EBR Registry Number 011-7849 ... Read more »

How to Fix a Leaky Great Lakes & Stabilize Geo Bay

Radio interview with Great Lakes Section Chair Mary Muter includes radio call in and discussion of multiple issues related to the Great Lakes: i.e. water levels management, the Asian Carp threat and the late 2012 fish kills in Georgian Bay. 
http://www.zoomerradio.ca/shows/goldhawk-fights-back/podcast-goldhawk-fights-back/gfb-podcast-mary-muter/

SCO supports GeoBay protecting revisions to the Provincial Policy Statement

Pasted and attached below are the Provincial Policy Statement (PPS) comments that were submitted on Friday.  SCO supports the mentioned revisions to the PPS and notes that the 3,751 highest quality most diverse coastal wetlands found anywhere is the Great Lakes will now get the protection from encroachment and or pollution that they need.
 


November 23, 2012

Provincial Policy Statement Review
Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing
Provincial Planning Policy Branch
777 Bay Street, 14th Floor
Toronto, ON M5G 2E5

To Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing,
 

Re: Draft Provincial Policy Statement (PPS)... Read more »

Information on Georgian bay water levels

For those seeking information on Georgian Bay water levels, there are 3 slideshow presentations attached below.  

There are also a series of videos you can watch on the CTV News Barrie website:

http://www.ctvbarrie.ca/georgian-bay-series/

 

Super low water levels in Georgian Bay are leading to fish & wildlife die-off

Lakes Michigan/Huron/Georgian Bay water levels are now within a few centimetres of setting a new record low. While  more wetlands are drying up, the number of dead birds and fish washing up on the south shores of Georgian Bay are increasing every day. Dead loons, ducks, grebes and Lake Sturgeon ( a Species At Risk) are being picked up by local residents wearing protective gloves.

Locals hope funds can be raised to dredge the entrance to the Nottawasaga River to allow Lake Sturgeon in next spring to be able to spawn. With levels expected to decline more over the coming months the ecological and economic costs are mounting. Interest and support for restoration of Lakes Michigan Huron Georgian Bay waters levels has now broad support around the Great Lakes. ... Read more »

Baird & Assoc.: Middle Great Lakes are 50cm lower than trends say

New information from the internationally respected coastal consulting firm W.F.Baird & Assoc.comes this very disturbing report that Lakes Michigan/Huron/Georgian Bay water levels based on many historic trends should be 50cm higher than they are right now. Baird agrees that climate is a factor but that the rate of erosion in the St Clair River that has lowered lake levels is ongoing and has likely increased very significantly.

Acclaimed enviro writer exposes the politics behind low lake levels

Losses to Lakes Michigan, Huron put focus on St. Clair River

Pressure is mounting on the U.S. and Canadian governments to explore ways to restore water levels on Lakes Michigan and Huron that have been lowered nearly two feet due to historic dredging on the St. Clair River. The two lakes, which are actually one body of water connected at the Straits of Mackinac, have been below their long-term average for more than a decade, and forecasters say in the coming months they could plunge below their record low.

Now an organization of 90 mayors representing more than 15 million residents in cities across the Great Lakes region is telling the International Joint Commission that it is "dissatisfied" with a recent study that determined restoring lake levels by installing some type of structure to repair damage done to the St. Clair River would be a costly project that could take decades and ultimately do more harm than good.... Read more »

Acclaimed enviro writer exposes the politics behind low lake levels

Pressure is mounting on the U.S. and Canadian governments to explore ways to restore water levels on Lakes Michigan and Huron that have been lowered nearly two feet due to historic dredging on the St. Clair River. The two lakes, which are actually one body of water connected at the Straits of Mackinac, have been below their long-term average for more than a decade, and forecasters say in the coming months they could plunge below their record low.

Now an organization of 90 mayors representing more than 15 million residents in cities across the Great Lakes region is telling the International Joint Commission that it is "dissatisfied" with a recent study that determined restoring lake levels by installing some type of structure to repair damage done to the St. Clair River would be a costly project that could take decades and ultimately do more harm than good.... Read more »

Nuclear waste dump in Great Lakes?

Learn about current proposals to bury nuclear waste and the Great Lakes locations being considered for the dump:

Sunday, Sept. 30, 6:30-8:30pm

St. Clair County Community College

Georgian Bay loses water while International Joint Commission does nothing

Toronto Star - Wednesday, Sept. 19, 2012

By Catherine Porter, Columnist

The maples on Georgian Bay are already changing. It’s almost time to say goodbye for another year.

 ... Read more »

Breaking News: IJC Accepts Comments Until Sept. 30; Holds Teleconference on Sept. 19

In an Open Public Letter sent out on August 31, 2012 – the first-announced deadline for comments on their Report on International Great Lakes Study – the International Joint Commission (IJC) has stated:

“Due to strong public interest, the IJC has extended the deadline for written comment until September 30, 2012.”

How to send comments;

Address your mail as follows:

International Joint Commission
234 Laurier Avenue West, 22nd Floor
Ottawa, Ontario K1P 6K6                                       

... Read more »

Sierra Club applauds the new Great Lakes Water Quality Agreement

Updated GLWQA signed in Washington DC, September 7, 2012

By Mary Muter, Chair Sierra Club Canada Great Lakes Section... Read more »

The Great Lakes Protection Act – Will the Promise Lead to Fulfillment?

By Dan McDermott

In January of this year I attended a briefing held by Ontario Environment Minister Jim Bradley and his staff regarding the Great Lakes Protection Act (GLPA) initiative that had been promised by Premier McGuinty during last fall’s election campaign. The specifics of the Act, then as now, are few. The draft Act, which has yet to become law, is enabling legislation with many details left to follow. Throughout this year Great Lakes advocates have been encouraged to submit an expansive list of Great Lakes concerns on the many issues related to Great Lakes water quality and quantity.... Read more »

Why the Lakes are slowly getting less Great

Receding waters have stranded the dock of Pat Thomas’s cottage on dry land. (Fred Lum/The Globe and Mail)

WAUBAUSHENE, ONT. — The Globe and Mail... Read more »

Where the water went: Georgian Bay and the future of the Great Lake

Concerned about the future of our water resources? Talk to someone from Georgian Bay. They’re living in that future

Source: http://www2.macleans.ca/2012/08/24/where-the-water-went-georgian-bay-and-the-future-of-the-great-lakes/
 ... Read more »

Sierra Club Ontario's letter to the International Joint Commission

August 27, 2012

International Joint Commission, Canadian Section
234 Laurier Avenue West, 22nd Floor
Ottawa, ON K1P 6K6  Canada

The Hon. John Baird
House of Commons
Ottawa,  Canada

International Joint Commission United States Section,
2000 L Street, NW
Suite #615
Washington, DC 20036  USA

 

Dear IJC Canadian and United States Commissioners;

Thank you for providing the opportunity to comment during your recent public hearings and in writing on the International Upper Great Lakes Study Board’s (IUGLSB) Reports.... Read more »

Press Release: IJC to allow Georgian Bay to drop another 1.25 meters

Immediate release: August 9, 2012

IJC to allow Georgian Bay to drop another 1.25 meters

(Midland) -- The International Joint Commission may be intending to allow water levels in Lake Huron and Georgian Bay to drop by more than 1.25 meters (4 feet) below current levels that are already at historically low threatening shoreline wetlands, navigation and access of island properties if the recommendations of a report by the Upper Great Lakes Study Board are adopted.  A video shown at a series of public meeting arranged by the IJC  appeared to downplay the implications to the middle lakes.... Read more »

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