Restoring the Great Lakes Areas of Concern

Environmental quality in Canada’s 17 Great Lakes Areas of Concern (AOCs) has improved since the restoration program began in 1987. Between 1987 and 2012, the Collingwood Harbour, Severn Sound and Wheatley Harbour Areas of Concern have had their environmental conditions fully restored, and the Spanish Harbour and Jackfish Bay Areas of Concern are in recovery. Progress toward the restoration of an AOC is reflected in the decreased number of impaired beneficial uses observed at the AOC.

Progress on Canadian Great Lakes Areas of Concern, 1987 to 2012

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How this indicator was calculated

Note: The initial assessments were all conducted between 1988 and 1993, with the exception of Wheatley Harbour and Port Hope Harbour, produced in 1998 and 2003 respectively.
Source: Environment Canada’s Great Lakes Area of Concern Office.

In 1987, the Canada-United States Great Lakes Water Quality Agreement identified 43 Areas of Concern across the Great Lakes. Of these Areas of Concern, 26 are entirely in American waters, 12 entirely in Canadian waters, and 5 are on the channels connecting the lakes and are shared by both countries. Of the 43 original Areas of Concern in Canada and the United States, four have been restored: Collingwood Harbour, Severn Sound and Wheatley Harbour in Canada and the Oswego River in the United States.

An Area of Concern is a region that has experienced environmental degradation. There are 14 beneficial uses considered for each Area of Concern. An Impaired beneficial use indicates a change in the chemical, physical or biological integrity sufficient to restrict human use or the area’s ability to support aquatic life. A beneficial use that Requires further assessmentneeds scientific study to determine whether it is impaired or not. When all objectives for the impaired beneficial uses defined in the Remedial Action Plan have been achieved, the Area of Concern is restored. An Area in Recovery is an area originally identified as an Area of Concern where, based on community and government consensus, all scientifically feasible and economically reasonable actions have been carried out and time is required for the environment to recover.

Status of the Canadian Great Lakes Areas of Concern, 2012

Source: Environment Canada’s Great Lakes Area of Concern Office.

Related information

• Great Lakes Areas of Concern