The Great Lakes Freshwater Ecosystem Initiative combines science and action to address environmental challenges affecting Great Lakes' water quality and ecosystem health by supporting local projects. Through the Canada-Ontario Agreement on Great Lakes Water Quality and Ecosystem Health (2021-2026), the governments of Canada and Ontario support delivery of the commitments in the Canada-US Great Lakes Water Quality Agreement.
The Great Lakes Water Quality Agreement (GLWQA) was signed in 1972 and is an agreement between Canada and the United States. It contributes to the quality of life of millions of Canadians by identifying shared priorities and coordinating actions to restore and protect the Great Lakes.
Following Canada's announcement in 2023 of $420 million over 10 years in new resources for the Great Lakes Freshwater Ecosystem Initiative, this funding will support accelerated action under the Canada Water Agency-led Freshwater Action Plan to restore and protect the Great Lakes.
The recent round of allocated funding in 2024-2025 will support 50 projects over the next 4 years with a special focus on the following priorities:
- Restoring water quality and ecosystem health in Great Lakes Areas of Concern (AOCs)
- Preventing toxic and nuisance algae
- Restoring and protecting critically important coastal areas, including wetlands
- Reducing releases of harmful chemicals
- Supporting community-based science
- Increasing participation of Indigenous peoples in governance, stewardship, and monitoring
- Advancing Great Lakes governance, accountability, and reporting mechanisms
Restoring Great Lakes Areas of Concern
Project: Neebing-McIntyre Floodway Corridor Habitat Improvement - Waterford Site
Proponent: Lakehead Region Conservation Authority
Government of Canada funding: $70,250 over two years
Project description: This project will rehabilitate riparian habitat and remove invasive species at the Waterford site of the Neebing-McIntyre Floodway Corridor in the Thunder Bay Area of Concern. It will also create habitat structures to convert a heavily trafficked area into a naturalized space.
Project: Monitoring Nutrient (Nitrogen and Phosphorus) and Bacterial Contamination in the Chedoke and Red Hill Creek Watersheds
Proponent: Redeemer University
Government of Canada funding: $69,692 over three years
Project description: This project will monitor sewage contamination in Chedoke Creek and Red Hill Creek, which flow into Cootes Paradise and the Hamilton Harbour Area of Concern. Activities include water sampling, water quality analysis, and collaboration with the City of Hamilton and technical experts to share data and insights.
Project: Red Rock Indian Band: Nipigon Bay Area of Concern Delisting Review, Jackfish Bay Assessment Review and Lake Superior Lakewide Management
Proponent: Red Rock Indian Band over two years
Government of Canada funding: $60,000
Project description: This project will support the Red Rock Indian Band's involvement in decision-making for the Nipigon Bay Area of Concern, Jackfish Bay Area of Concern in Recovery, and the Lake Superior Lakewide Action and Management Plan. Activities include developing an approach to engage community leadership and members in reviewing site assessments and participating in the Jackfish Bay Remedial Action Plan process.
Project: Pool 6 Habitat Restoration Project - Phase 2: Wetland Park
Proponent: The Corporation of the City of Thunder Bay
Government of Canada funding: $200,000 over three years
Project description: This project will create new shoreline and wetland habitat features, enhancing efforts to transform the waterfront landmark in the Thunder Bay Area of Concern. The project will also incorporate green infrastructure and low impact developments into the redevelopment of the eight-hectare "Pool 6 property" on the Lake Superior waterfront.
Project: Niagara River Area of Concern Remedial Action Plan Coordination
Proponent: Niagara Peninsula Conservation Authority
Government of Canada funding: $140,000 over two years
Project description: This project will advance the Niagara River Remedial Action Plan through community engagement and inter-agency collaboration. The project will engage the community in decision-making related to the restoration of fish and wildlife populations, habitat, and benthos populations at Lyons Creek East, the final contaminated sediment site on the Canadian side of the Niagara River Area of Concern.
Project: Detroit River Remedial Action Plan Governance
Proponent: Essex Region Conservation Authority
Government of Canada funding: $140,000 over two years
Project description: This project will support public and Indigenous involvement in decisions affecting the Detroit River Area of Concern. Activities include engaging local governments, the public and binational agencies, and coordinating technical reviews, as well as coordinating remedial activities to restore fish and wildlife populations and habitat.
Project: Remedial Action Plan Coordination for the St. Clair River Area of Concern
Proponent: St. Clair Region Conservation Authority
Government of Canada funding: $134,443 over two years
Project description: This project will support community involvement in the St. Clair River Remedial Action Plan. The project will focus on completing necessary actions to improve water quality and habitat, and engaging the public, Indigenous communities, and binational partners. The project will also develop and maintain resources to aid decision-making processes in the St. Clair River Area of Concern.
Project: Communications, Engagement, and Leadership Towards Implementation of the Hamilton Harbour Remedial Action Plan
Proponent: Bay Area Restoration Council of Hamilton and Halton Inc.
Government of Canada funding: $140,000 over two years
Project description: This project will monitor, assess, and restore three environmental impairments in the Hamilton Harbour Area of Concern. It will also support public outreach and communications activities for the Remedial Action Plan and the Randle Reef sediment cleanup efforts.
Project: Remedial Action Plan Coordination for the Hamilton Harbour Area of Concern
Proponent: Halton Region Conservation Authority
Government of Canada funding: $210,000 over three years
Project description: This project will engage partners and the community to advance the Hamilton Harbour Remedial Action Plan. The project will support the Bay Area Implementation Team in identifying and implementing actions to restore 11 environmental impairments. The project will also develop and maintain resources to communicate progress in the Hamilton Harbour Area of Concern.
Project: Restoring and Enhancing Provincially Significant Coastal Wetlands within the St. Lawrence River Area of Concern at Cornwall/Akwesasne
Proponent: Raisin Region Conservation Authority
Government of Canada funding: $360,000 over three years
Project description: This project will restore the Charlottenburgh Marsh, a significant coastal wetland in the St. Lawrence River Area of Concern. Activities include creating open water habitat, enhancing degraded wetlands and coastal areas with native vegetation and habitat features, and engaging community members in conservation efforts.
Project: Eutrophication Strategy for the St. Lawrence River Area of Concern at Cornwall/Akwesasne
Proponent: Raisin Region Conservation Authority
Government of Canada funding: $160,000 over two years
Project description: This project will guide the implementation of remedial projects intended to improve water quality and habitat for St. Lawrence River Area of Concern at Cornwall/Akwesasne. The project will focus on reducing phosphorus levels in key tributaries, restoring coastal wetlands, and enhancing riparian areas. Activities will promote the use of buffer strips, shoreline stabilization, wetland restoration, and agricultural best practices.
Project: Remedial Action Plan Coordination for the St. Lawrence River (Cornwall/Akwesasne) Area of Concern
Proponent: St. Lawrence River Institute of Environmental Sciences
Government of Canada funding: $147,835 over two years
Project description: This project will promote community engagement in the St. Lawrence River Area of Concern at Cornwall/Akwesasne. The project will focus on assessing impairments related to fish and wildlife populations, their loss of habitat, and fish tumors or other deformities.
Project: Watersheds Canada's Natural Edge Project - Shoreline Restoration in the St. Lawrence River Area of Concern
Proponent: Watersheds Canada
Government of Canada funding: $163,000 over two years
Project description: This project will engage waterfront property owners in Akwesasne and around Lake St. Francis to restore five km of degraded shoreline in the St. Lawrence River Area of Concern at Cornwall/Akwesasne. The project will reduce shoreline erosion and phosphorus runoff and will restore 15,000 square metres of habitat.
Project: Remedial Action Plan Coordination for the Toronto and Region Area of Concern
Proponent: Toronto and Region Conservation Authority
Government of Canada funding: $303,000 over two years
Project description: This project will support the management and completion of remedial actions, monitoring, and community engagement in decision-making in the Toronto and Region Area of Concern. The project will also support outreach opportunities, as well as technical and communications support for habitat restoration and infrastructure projects, particularly the Don River Naturalization and Port Lands Flood Protection project and the Don and Central Waterfront project.
Project: Tommy Thompson Park Nearshore Fish Habitat Enhancement
Proponent: Toronto and Region Conservation Authority
Government of Canada funding: $319,071 over three years
Project description: This project will improve conditions for warm- and cool-water fish species at Tommy Thompson Park by creating habitats in three wetlands and two embayments in the Toronto and Region Area of Concern. The project will also involve planting native plants in priority areas to control shoreline erosion.
Project: Near Shore Fisheries Monitoring Enhancements
Proponent: Toronto and Region Conservation Authority
Government of Canada funding: $199,970 over three years
Project description: This project will improve a fish community index tool to better measure the impact of habitat restoration efforts, especially in shoreline projects, such as erosion control. The project will monitor fish populations at 63 sites in the Toronto and Region Area of Concern, which will support the assessment of degraded fish populations and guide future restoration efforts.
Project: Implementation of Detroit River Area of Concern Wetland Habitat Restoration and Protection
Proponent: Essex Region Conservation Authority
Government of Canada funding: $5,348,715 over four years
Project description: This project will restore and protect vital wetland habitats in the Detroit River Area of Concern. The project will repair the finger dike at River Canard to protect a significant wetland and recreate six hectares of historic wetland at Fighting Island, enhancing habitats for fish, marsh birds, and aquatic wildlife.
Preventing toxic and nuisance algae
Project: Lake Erie Small Excavated Wetlands for Phosphorus Retention in the Lake Erie Watershed
Proponent: Ducks Unlimited Canada
Government of Canada funding: $329,000 over four years
Project description: This project will create wetlands in the Lake Erie basin to reduce phosphorus loads from targeted fields to help prevent harmful algal blooms and areas of low oxygen in the western and central basins of Lake Erie. The project will apply a precision conservation approach to identify priority areas for the implementation of best management practices, in coordination with local conservation authorities.
Project: Upper Thames River Watershed Phosphorus Reduction Initiative
Proponent: Upper Thames River Conservation Authority
Government of Canada funding: $17,410,000 over four years
Project description: This project will adopt a precision conservation approach to reduce phosphorus loads from entering Lake Erie from the Upper Thames River watershed to help prevent harmful algal blooms and areas of low oxygen. The project will increase the use of best management practices, such as cover crops and erosion controls, monitor progress through targeted sampling, and create community outreach and education opportunities.
Project: Engaging Farmers and Ranchers in Phosphorus Reduction in the Sydenham and Thames River Watersheds
Proponent: ALUS Canada
Government of Canada funding: $2,050,000 over four years
Project description: This project will adopt a Precision Conservation approach to reduce phosphorus loads from entering Lake Erie through the Thames River and Sydenham River watersheds to help prevent harmful algal blooms and areas of low oxygen. The project will support farmers and ranchers to implement best management practices and create local partnerships through engagement initiatives. Activities will include planting buffer strips, creating riparian habitat, restoring wetlands, and installing livestock fencing to protect waterbodies.
Project: Essex Region Nutrient Reduction Program
Proponent: Essex Region Conservation Authority
Government of Canada funding: $6,300,000 over four years
Project description: This project will adopt a precision conservation approach to reduce phosphorus loads from entering Lake Erie through priority sub-watersheds of the Leamington and Kingsville areas to help prevent harmful algal blooms and areas of low oxygen. The project will implement best management practices, conduct strategic science and monitoring to measure results and-decision making, and develop and implement outreach and engagement activities to promote long-term behavioural change and long-term sustainability of results.
Project: Comprehensive Implementation and Enhanced Analysis of Agricultural Best Management Practices to Reduce Phosphorus Loading to Lake Erie
Proponent: Ontario Soil and Crop Improvement Association
Government of Canada funding: $1,000,000 over four years
Project description: This project will fill critical knowledge gaps regarding the efficacy of implementing best management practices that reduce phosphorus runoff from agricultural fields to Lake Erie. The findings will be shared with decision-makers, such as farmers and conservation authorities in the Lake Erie basin, to inform the use of best practices.
Project: Demonstrating Phosphorus Reduction Techniques in the Upper Thames River Watershed
Proponent: Upper Thames River Conservation Authority
Government of Canada funding: $850,000 over four years
Project description: This project will demonstrate innovative best management practices for reducing phosphorus runoff in the Upper Thames River watershed. The project will use a water recycling system to capture phosphorus and test methods to decrease accumulated phosphorus in soil. The results will be communicated with local farmers and contractors to inform the use of best practices.
Project: Assessment of Phosphorus Removal and Recovery Using Hybrid Treatment Swales in the Leamington/Kingsville Area
Proponent: Flowers Canada (Ontario) Inc.
Government of Canada funding: $887,000 over four years
Project description: This project will reduce phosphorus levels in the Leamington/Kingsville area of the western Lake Erie basin. The project will demonstrate and evaluate the effectiveness of innovative new approaches to removing phosphorus, explore the potential reuse of recovered materials, and engage stakeholders and the public on project findings.
Project: Lower Thames River Watershed Precision Phosphorus Reduction Program
Proponent: Lower Thames Valley Conservation Authority
Government of Canada funding: $13,000,000 over four years
Project description: This project will adopt a precision conservation approach to reduce phosphorus loads from entering Lake Erie through priority sub-watersheds of the Lower Thames River to help prevent harmful algal blooms and areas of low oxygen. The project will implement best management practices, such as cover crops and erosion control, as well as conduct sub-watershed monitoring and targeted awareness campaigns to engage stakeholders.
Project: Assessment of Seasonal Phosphorus Dynamics and Sources in the Leamington Tributaries of the Lake Erie Watershed
Proponent: University of Windsor
Government of Canada funding: $1,050,000 over four years
Project description: This project will address knowledge gaps related to phosphorus loading from agricultural and urban sources to the Leamington area tributaries in the Lake Erie basin. The project will also conduct community outreach events to share project results and increase awareness concerning local water quality.
Project: Our Responsibility: Caring for Deshkan Ziibi (Thames River) and Lake Erie
Proponent: Chippewas of the Thames First Nation
Government of Canada funding: $1,544,000 over four years
Project description: This project will implement best management practices, such as cover crops and riparian buffers, in priority sub-watersheds of the Thames River to reduce phosphorus loads from reaching Lake Erie. The project will also conduct targeted outreach to Indigenous youth to transfer knowledge and ensure long-term sustainability of results.
Project: Sydenham River Phosphorus Reduction Initiative
Proponent: St. Clair Region Conservation Authority
Government of Canada funding: $7,850,000 over four years
Project description: This project will adopt a precision conservation approach to reduce phosphorus loads from entering Lake Erie through the Sydenham River to help prevent harmful algal blooms and areas of low oxygen. The project will implement best management practices, such as cover crops and erosion control structures, as well as conduct monitoring and targeted awareness campaigns to promote phosphorus reduction efforts.
Project: Addressing Non-Point Source Phosphorus in Priority Grand River Watersheds
Proponent: Grand River Conservation Authority
Government of Canada funding: $493,000 over four years
Project description: This project will adopt a precision conservation approach to reduce phosphorus loads from entering Lake Erie through Grand River to help prevent harmful algal blooms and areas of low oxygen. The project will implement suites of best management practices, such as cover crops and erosion controls; pilot the use of an agricultural conservation planning framework to help identify the best types and locations for best management practices; and conduct outreach to farmers to facilitate knowledge sharing and program uptake.
Project: Using Best Management Practices to Address Phosphorus loading in the Long Point Region Watershed
Proponent: Long Point Region Conservation Authority
Government of Canada funding: $470,000 over four years
Project description: This project will adopt a precision conservation approach in Big Otter Creek to reduce phosphorus loads entering Lake Erie to help prevent harmful algal blooms and areas of low oxygen. The project will implement best management practices, such as cover crops and erosion control structures, in high-risk phosphorus loss areas, as well as conduct monitoring and outreach activities to influence behavioural change and ensure the long-term sustainability of results.
Reducing releases of harmful chemicals
Project: Evaluating Recycled Rubbers as Potential Long-Term Reservoirs for Tire Anti-Degradants
Proponent: The Governing Council of the University of Toronto
Government of Canada funding: $132,000 over two years
Project description: This project will investigate whether recycled rubber products are a long-term source of the harmful chemicals 6PPD and 6PPD-Quinone in Ontario. The project will develop and distribute easy-to-use testing kits to detect these chemicals in recycled rubber and identify ways to reduce their presence.
Project: Minimizing the Per-and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances (PFAS) Load in Lake Erie Through On-Site Interception and Treatment of Landfill Leachate Using Energy-Efficient Electrochemical Technology
Proponent: The University of Western Ontario
Government of Canada funding: $150,000 over two years
Project description: This project will conduct a pilot study in London, Ontario, to improve the energy efficiency of a system used for destroying PFAS in landfill wastewater.
Project: Mercury (Hg) Biogeochemical Cycling and Methylation During Nearshore Cladophora Blooms in Lake Erie
Proponent: Brock University
Government of Canada funding: $149,180 over two years
Project description: This project will investigate how mercury behaves in Lake Erie's nearshore during Cladophora algae blooms. This project will work with community partners and improve ongoing monitoring efforts leading up to peak bloom periods.
Project: Mitigating Per-and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances (PFAS) Chemicals in the Great Lakes: Beyond Compliance Strategies and Innovative Removal Technologies from Canadian Wastewater Treatment Plants
Proponent: Toronto Metropolitan University
Government of Canada funding: $150,000 over two years
Project description: This project will develop innovative technologies for removing PFAS from wastewater in Ontario. The project will develop a hybrid technology called PFAS-Clean to enhance PFAS removal efficiency.
Restoring and protecting critically important coastal areas
Project: Improving Climate Resilience of Lynde Shores Coastal Wetlands
Proponent: Central Lake Ontario Conservation Authority
Government of Canada funding: $2,177,000 over four years
Project description: This project will improve climate-change resilience for the Lynde Shores coastal wetland system. The project will restore wetland structure and diversity, improve habitat connectivity with the broader Lynde Creek wetland system, and create barriers to protect the wetland from extreme water levels and storm events.
Project: Developing and Evaluating Nature-Based Solutions to Protect and Stabilize Coastlines in the Upper St. Lawrence River
Proponent: St. Lawrence River Institute of Environmental Sciences
Government of Canada funding: $650,000 over four years
Project description: This project will pilot two innovative nature-based shoreline stabilization methods along the coast of the upper St. Lawrence River. The project will also engage with community partners to inform restoration efforts and introduce these strategies to similar environments in the Great Lakes region.
Project: Southern Lake Huron Coastal Action Plan: Restoring Natural Sediment Transport Pathways
Proponent: Maitland Valley Conservation Authority
Government of Canada funding: $1,050,000 over four years
Project description: This project will restore and protect the natural transport pathways along Lake Huron's southern shores. The project will remove the Londesborough dam to reconnect the South Maitland River to Lake Huron and restore flow patterns, as well as implement sediment bypass techniques for nearshore coastal processes.
Project: Hillman Marsh Wetland Restoration and Climate Adaptation Plan
Proponent: Essex Region Conservation Authority
Government of Canada funding: $4,200,000 over four years
Project description: This project will make Hillman Marsh more resilient to climate change. The project will design and build a new protective barrier using traditional and natural methods and create protective structures that double as habitat. The project will also replant and restore the marsh with a variety of resilient wetland plants.
Project: Ajax Nearshore Restoration and Coastal Stabilization Project
Proponent: Toronto and Region Conservation Authority
Government of Canada funding: $1,650,000 over three years
Project description: This project will restore one kilometre of the Ajax nearshore to near-historic conditions using nature-based solutions. This includes reintroducing natural features and stabilizing coastal bluffs to support natural coastal processes.
Project: Assessing Nature-Based Solutions to Restore Coastal Processes Around the Graham Creek Jetties and Revitalization of Bond Head Park Beach
Proponent: The Corporation of the Municipality of Clarington
Government of Canada funding: $100,000 over two years
Project description: This project will study coastal processes near Clarington on Lake Ontario to guide the restoration of the Graham Creek Jetties and Bond Head Park Beach. Restoration will use nature-based methods to add features that support fish habitats and minimize impacts from climate change.
Project: Coastal Resilience Action Plan for the Long Point Littoral Cell
Proponent: Long Point World Biosphere Reserve Foundation
Government of Canada funding: $900,000 over three years
Project description: This project will develop a coastal resilience action plan for Lake Erie, focusing on the area between Port Glasgow and Long Point. The plan will focus on coastal processes within a 135 kilometre stretch of shoreline, focusing on reducing impacts from hardened shorelines and improving resilience to natural hazards and climate change.
Project: Validating the Use of the Resilience Index to Classify the Ecological Resilience of Coastal Marshes in Eastern and Northern Georgian Bay to Climate-Induced Extremes in Water-Level Fluctuations
Proponent: McMaster University
Government of Canada funding: $292,000 over four years
Project description: This project will investigate how water-level changes impact coastal wetlands in Georgian Bay. The project will develop a cost-effective method to assess and classify wetland vulnerability, produce maps of vulnerable wetlands, and share this data with conservation groups to prioritize conservation efforts.
Project: Leveraging Big Data to Connect Watershed Plans to Nearshore Lake Health: Rouge River Case Study
Proponent: Toronto and Region Conservation Authority
Government of Canada funding: $157,000 over three years
Project description: This project will combine data from sources across the Rouge River watershed in order to expand and connect watershed datasets with datasets from nearshore waters. This data will identify priority sub-watersheds and coastal areas in need of restoration and protection actions to reduce stress on nearshore waters.
Increasing public engagement through community-based science
Project: Lake Erie Guardians - Increasing Community Participation in Citizen Science
Proponent: Water Rangers
Government of Canada funding: $330,000 over three years
Project description: This project will collect water quality data to address regional data gaps and explore new monitoring methods for contaminants like PFAS, nutrients, and chloride/road salt in the western basin of Lake Erie. This data will be used to assess Lake Erie's health and inform decisions on Great Lakes' priorities.
Project: Engaging Citizen Scientists in Monitoring Coastal Change within the Great Lakes
Proponent: University of Waterloo
Government of Canada funding: $271,000 over four years
Project description: This project will expand a community-based science program to monitor coastal changes in the Great Lakes with a focus on nearshore coastal health and climate change. The data will support the development of an open-access database for research and educational purposes to aid coastal management in the Great Lakes.
Project: Mobilizing Community Science Data for Great Lakes Decision-Making
Proponent: DataStream Initiative
Government of Canada funding: $470,000 over four years
Project description: This project will improve the amount and availability of community-based science water quality by recruiting new participants, improving the Great Lakes DataStream platform, and supporting outreach and networking efforts. The project will expand the availability of data, improve data sharing practices, and highlight the potential applications of community-based science data.
Project: Expanding Community-Based Science Engagement Through an Ecosystem Health Assessment for the Upper St. Lawrence River
Proponent: St. Lawrence River Institute of Environmental Sciences
Government of Canada funding: $340,000 over three years
Project description: This project will address information gaps to better understand the ecosystem health of the Upper St. Lawrence River. The project will also connect scientific findings and Traditional Ecological Knowledge with the Lake Ontario Lakewide Action and Management Plan to enhance its management strategies.
Project: Community-Based Monitoring in the Northern Great Lakes
Proponent: Northern Ontario Research Development Ideas and Knowledge Institute
Government of Canada funding: $120,000 over two years
Project description: This project will engage citizens in community-based science by collecting water quality data in the lower Lake Superior and northern Lake Huron watersheds. The project will pilot activities in select northern communities to develop and evaluate a practical approach to community-based science for the northern Great Lakes in the future.
Project: Bridging Knowledge Gaps Between Scientific Data and Citizen Science
Proponent: University of Windsor
Government of Canada funding: $540,000 over four years
Project description: This project will engage citizens in collecting community-based scientific data to address knowledge gaps in water quality data collected via traditional scientific methods. The data will be used to fill knowledge gaps related to reducing toxic and nuisance algae, safeguarding critical coastal areas, assessing the impacts of harmful chemicals, and informing future decision-making and research efforts.
Project: Métis Engagement in Great Lakes Governance, Monitoring and Stewardship
Proponent: Métis Nation of Ontario
Government of Canada funding: $750,000 over two years
Project description: This project will support the Métis Nation of Ontario (MNO) in engaging Métis on Great Lakes water quality and ecosystem health issues. The project will also enable the MNO to advance its Great Lakes strategic plan by conducting water quality monitoring, implementing stewardship activities, and coordinating Métis participation in Great Lakes governance processes.
