Lake Michigan-Huron is 8 inches below its level at this time last year. - From a month ago the water levels on Lakes Superior & Michigan-Huron are each down 2 inches, Lakes St. Clair, Erie & Ontario are up 7, 3 & 3 inches, respectively. Lakes Superior Michigan-Huron, St. Clair, Erie & Ontario are lower by 5, 8, 2, 4 & 2 inches, respectively, than they were at this time last year. Lakes St. Clair & Erie are 9 & 6 inches above their long-term January averages, and Lakes Superior, Lake Michigan-Huron & Ontario are all 4 inches below their long-term January averages. All the lakes remain well below their January record highs. - In a month, Lakes Superior, Michigan-Huron & St. Clair are expected to fall by 2, 1 & 4 inches, respectively. Lake Erie

Lake Michigan-Huron is now 8 inches below its level at this time last year. - From a month ago the water levels on Lakes Superior, Michigan-Huron, St Clair, Erie & Ontario are down 4, 2, 1, & 1 inches respectively, and Lake Ontario is up 2 inches. Lakes Superior Michigan-Huron, St Clair, Erie & Ontario are lower by 6, 8, 7, 6 & 3 inches, respectively, than they were at this time last year. Lakes St. Clair & Erie are 2 & 4 inches above their long-term December averages, and Lakes Superior, Lake Michigan-Huron & Ontario are 8, 5, & 4 inches below, respectively. All the lakes remain well below their December record highs. - In a month’s time, Lakes Superior & Michigan-Huron are expected to fall by 3 & 2 inches, respectively, while Lake S

Did you know winter is the best time to prune your coniferous trees? Did you also know that removing low-lying branches is a great way to help reduce the spread of wildfires? With the trees in a dormant state, pruning is less stressful for the tree, there's little risk of insect infestation and you can more easily identify and remove necessary branches. By pruning live or dead branches from the ground up to 2 metres up the trunk, you'll promote healthy tree growth, reduce potential fuel for wildfires, and create a defensible space around your home to better protect your property! So if you're looking to spend some time outside this winter, consider cleaning up your conifers and help make your property more wildfire resilient! Learn more about making your property wildfire resilien

Lake Michigan-Huron is now 9 inches below its level at this time last year. - From a month ago the water levels on Lakes Superior, Michigan-Huron, St Clair, Erie & Ontario are down 2, 4, 2, & 2 inches respectively, and Lake Ontario is up 2 inches. Lakes Superior Michigan-Huron, St Clair, Erie & Ontario are lower by 4, 9, 6, 5 & 2 inches, respectively, than they were at this time last year. Lakes St. Clair & Erie are 1 & 4 inches above their long-term December averages, and Lakes Superior, Lake Michigan-Huron & Ontario are 6, 6, & 3 inches below, respectively. All the lakes remain well below their December record highs. - In a month’s time, Lakes Superior, Michigan-Huron & Erie are expected to fall by 3, 2 & 1 inches, respectively.

A dramatic rescue operation was undertaken in Ontario's Frontenac Provincial Park on December 8, 2024, after a 30-year-old female hiker slipped and fell down an embankment, injuring her leg. Her fellow hikers contacted emergency services, who were able to pinpoint her location by using the what3words app. Once on the scene, a paramedic firefighter determined that the hiker had likely broken her leg. Due to the remote location and deteriorating conditions, it was decided that airlifting the hiker to hospital was the safest option. The Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) were contacted for air support, and a search and rescue helicopter from the Joint Rescue Co-ordination Centre in Trenton was dispatched to airlift the hiker to Kingston General Hospital for medi

A second person is facing charges in connection with the fatal boat collision on Bobs Lake that occurred on May 18, 2024, killing three and injuring five others. The operator of the fishing-style boat that was struck now faces charges under the Canada Shipping Act for allegedly failing to display the boat's required lights and not having enough lifejackets. He will appear in court on January 13, 2025. The collision happened around 9:30 p.m. in the Buck Bay area of Bobs Lake, roughly 140 kilometres southwest of Ottawa, when a speedboat struck a small fishing-style boat, ending up on top of it. The driver of the speed boat was charged in October with 12 criminal offences, including three counts each of dangerous operation of a conveyance causing death, dangerous operation of a conve

GBA’s Aquaculture committee has written to Steven Guilbeault, Minister of Environment and Climate Change of Canada (ECCC), to ask for more federal oversight on the industry to mitigate ecological damage and to ensure compliance with the Great Lakes Water Quality Agreement. GBA also made several recommendations, including:  Expanding aquaculture research in Lake Huron to better understand the impacts of this industry and eliminate the research gaps. Expanding ECCC and the Department of Fisheries and Oceans (DFO) oversight of the industry to ensure that regulations are enforced and the environment is protected.  Convening a working group for transparency and collaboration among stakeholders. Moving the

Luc Voorn is a cottager in the South Channel and a passionate advocate for Georgian Bay. He currently serves as the Membership Chairperson for the South Channel Association (SCA), Editor of the SCA “On the Waterfront” newsletter, and as Director, Friends of the Massasauga Park. This past summer (2019), he was nominated as a Guardian of Georgian Bay for his ongoing enthusiasm and efforts to protect and preserve the Bay. Note from Jamie Drayton, GBA Chair of Guardians of Georgian Bay Committee My Dad used to take us camping. His lure to get us to bathe was to promise us ice cream if we ran into the water first thing in the morning for a swim. I recall the water being absolutely freezing at 7 o’clock in the morning… I don’t recall ever getting any ice cream. A few years l

Boating from October through June offers a very different experience steeped in solitude and excellent fishing. It is a beautiful time to be on the water. But boating during this season also requires extra attention to detail and the ability to be self-sufficient given that there are fewer boaters around should you require assistance. Here are some helpful tips from the Canadian Safe Boating Council (CSBC) and the Ontario Federation of Anglers & Hunters to make off-season boating safer for you. Check the weather forecast. The weather can change quickly and storms can be more violent. Fog is also more common. Ensure that your boat and engine are in good working order. Ethanol-based fuel can allow water contamination in the tank. The use of a fuel additive prevents water in the f

As nominated by Heather Sargeant  My Phragbuster Hero About 5 or 6 years ago, at an event jointly put on by the Georgian Bay Association, Georgian Bay Forever, and featuring Dr. Gilbert, an ecologist with Phragmites expertise , I first learned about invasive Phragmites and the harm it can have on wetlands. I decided to investigate if Phragmites was a threat in Woods Bay (my favourite area of Georgian Bay), and that’s when my journey tackling this plant began.  I wasn’t sure if a plant across from the family cottage was indeed the invasive type, and so I was nervous and queasy about leading people to help me cut it.  What if it was the native plant, and I’d taken all these people out to cut down something benign? One of my neighbors told me there was a hero on Georgian

The Nature Conservancy of Canada is asking motorists to look out for vulnerable turtles on our roadways. Road surfaces provide an attractive source of warmth for these cold-blooded reptiles, particularly in the spring and early summer. During this time, turtles are mating and nesting; in late summer and early fall, newly hatched turtles are travelling from their nests to nearby wetlands. The Nature Conservatory of Canada has an informative video and tips for safely moving turtles. Watch the video and read the tips here.

Here are some things to think about around Fire Safety at the cottage: Make sure smoke and carbon monoxide detectors are present and working. Have a list of local emergency numbers posted for all to see. Include all pertinent cottage location information.   Have the right fire extinguishers in the right places. Have an individual fire plan for evacuation. Make sure your plan has two escape routes. Respect local fire ratings. Have a fire pump and use it regularly to ensure it is in good working order. At the very least have a list of neighbours to call for assistance. Follow your association’s emergency plan if it exists. Make sure you have insurance. Make sure you understand what it covers and that it is adequate to rebuild and covers contents AND fire de

The Environmental Commissioner of Ontario has just released a useful guide on how to how we can all reduce our environmental footprints. Being a Guardian of the Bay also means doing what we can to reduce our individual consumption of carbon based fuels. - Here is a very good fact sheet and here is a full presentation on this topic. -

What’s your name and what’s your connection to Georgian Bay? Cory Kozmik, Anthony Laforge, Samantha Noganosh, Chevaun Toulouse. We are the Lands and Resource Department for Magnetawan First Nation, in Britt, Ontario. - Source: Magnetawan First Nation Our connection to the Bay is the dense biodiversity that it hosts and the role its ecology plays in our lives, including the environment. It is also where ancestors of the Anishinabek Nation walked and practiced each day what it means to live with the land in reciprocity. The connection to the land and water is sacred to the Anishinaabe culture, and held very close to the communities that inhabit the area. - Why is being a Guardian of the Bay important to you? We take great pride in being “Guardians” because it is our