Speech

Thank you Patrick for your kind introduction.

Good morning. It is great to be here in Barrie today.

With such a magnificent view of Kempenfelt Bay, I cannot think of a more appropriate setting to share some good news about the Lake Simcoe Watershed.

Canadians have been drawn to this region for generations. The Lake Simcoe provides safe drinking water for 8 municipalities and is a key driver in the region’s economy; infusing approximately $200 million a year into the community. And while those are very important assets, the value of this Lake goes well beyond what it brings in through tourism and recreational activities.

Lake Simcoe is a key part of Canada’s natural environment and all of us here recognize that we share a tremendous responsibility to ensure that this Lake is protected, because we understand that the health and quality of these waters have been declining. 

Large amounts of phosphorus have damaged the health and vitality of the lake, stimulating excess plant growth and leaving inadequate oxygen levels for the fish of this lake.

Without action, the future of this Lake would be in question, to say the least.

This Government of Canada recognizes the value of all our rivers, our oceans, and lakes - like Lake Simcoe - and we are taking action to deliver results to Canadians.

We are protecting Canadian lakes and rivers by requiring specific industries such as metal mines and pulp and paper to reduce the toxicity of their effluents. We have taken action to restrict the level of phosphates in laundry and dishwasher detergent as well as household cleaning products.  This will help cut down the growth of algae in our rivers and lakes.

And, in our very first Speech from the Throne, back in September 2007, this government announced an Action Plan on Clean Water, which is a comprehensive plan that encompasses initiatives to clean up our freshwater waterways.  Environment Canada is carrying out the plan’s work  through $96 million in clean-up funding for Lake Winnipeg, the 14 remaining Canadian Areas of Concern in the Great Lakes, and, of course, Lake Simcoe.

Because we recognized the specific environmental challenges facing this lake, we created the Lake Simcoe Clean-Up Fund to give us the tools we need to address them. The fund is a five-year, $30 million commitment to help restore the health of the lake.

Since 2008, Environment Canada has funded approximately 160 local projects, including the investment of $2.9 million in the seventh round of the Lake Simcoe Clean-Up Fund that we are announcing today. 

The Lake Simcoe Clean-Up Fund is used to support projects that reduce phosphorus input to Lake Simcoe, restore habitats, as well as scientific research and monitoring that can improve the scientific understanding of the lake for decision-making purposes.  Projects are led by land owners and Aboriginal communities, non-governmental and community organizations, agricultural associations, local conservation authorities, businesses, industry, educational institutions, and provincial and municipal agencies.

For example, as part of the $2.9 million investment we’re announcing here today, the Corporation of the Town of Aurora will receive $650,000 towards creating an innovative engineered wetland to control urban runoff from 58 hectares of intensely developed lands.  This will prevent an estimated 60 kilograms of phosphorus per year from entering Tannery Creek, a tributary of the East Holland River, which empties into Cook’s Bay in Lake Simcoe. This project will use a new technology, and will be the first application of its kind in Ontario.  

TBC from the Town of Aurora will share more details about the project in a moment, but I’d just like to say how proud I am that we are able to facilitate the pioneering of technology to improve the health of the watershed.

I want to thank the Town of Aurora for coming forward with this project and to give my thanks to all our project partners.  This program has been a huge success and a big part of that is the way that individuals and organizations in the region have embraced the opportunity the fund represents.  The Lake Simcoe Clean-Up Fund is a great example of how community and government can work together for results that matter.

I would also like to acknowledge the work of PROPEL, the Protect and Preserve the Environment of Lake Simcoe committee, that has served as the citizen advisory committee for this fund since its inception in 2007. The members of PROPEL have done an excellent job of bringing the interests of this region to me, and my predecessors in the Environment portfolio’s, attention. Your on-going engagement and advice are much appreciated.

The restoration of Lake Simcoe is an important part of Environment Canada’s comprehensive approach to deliver clean water for all Canadians. Those who work, live, or enjoy recreation around Lake Simcoe benefit from the efforts to clean up the lake, and that is part of what makes this a success story. But in many ways the true beneficiaries will be the future generations who will get the opportunity to experience and appreciate the incredible value of this beautiful lake.

Thank you.