- The Great Lakes are a treasured resource, providing drinking water, recreation, and economic benefits to millions of people in the United States and Canada. However, there have been a number of recent debates in the US about withdrawing Great Lakes water to address mounting water shortages in the west. This cannot be done unless the Great Lakes-St. Lawrence River River Compact that prevents Great Lakes water withdrawals is overridden. Chicago seeks to eliminate any prospect of this happening, summarized in the article here, which is worth a read. -

The provincial government wants to add more clean electricity sources to Ontario’s grid, but with technologies changing so quickly, it can be hard to know which direction to go. A TVO commentary about the future of energy in Ontario raises important questions about the viability of the proposed pumped electric storage project in Meaford and the broader implications for Ontario's electricity landscape. These comments from TV Ontario are consistent with what the Independent Electricity Supply Operator (IESO) has consistently been saying about Trans Canada Energy’s proposed pumped energy storage project at Meaford. The new Ontario Minister of Energy and Electrification, Stephen Lecce, has yet to make a decision on this proposal. - Read the TVO article here. -

Lake Michigan-Huron is now 2 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 0, 3, 2, 3 & 4 inches, respectively. Lakes Superior Michigan-Huron, St Clair, Erie & Ontario are lower by 7, 2, 6, 4 & 5 inches, respectively, than they were at this time last year. Lakes Michigan-Huron, St Clair, & Erie are 2, 9 & 9 inches, respectively, above their long-term August average, and Lakes Superior & Ontario are 2 & 1 inches below, respectively. All the lakes remain well below their August record highs. - In a month’s time Lakes Superior is expected to stay at the same level, and Lakes Michigan-Huron, St. Clair, Erie & Ontar

Last year GBA joined forces with Safe Quiet Lakes, FOCA and other concerned lake associations to form the Safe Wakes Coalition to tackle the growing issue of destructive wakes on our lakes. Large wakes from boats can cause: Shoreline erosion and damage Safety concerns for boaters and shoreline residents Habitat destruction for wildlife Turbidity and water quality concerns The coalition is working towards province-wide regulations to mitigate these impacts. To make our case, we need your input! Share your experiences and concerns about wakes on our lakes: Have you seen damage to your shoreline or dock? Have you witnessed safety issues or near-misses? Are you concerned about the impact on local wildlife? Let us know by emailing us at boating@georgianbay.ca.

GBA’s aquaculture committee has held a watchful eye for 27 years and is very concerned by the potential environmental impacts of open-cage aquaculture in Georgian Bay and the North Channel. These high-density fish farms in open net pens rely on full exchange of the publicly shared water resource and bottomlands of the basin to both grow the fish and expel the fish waste between the farm and the surrounding aquatic environment, leading to several issues. Open net cage aquaculture is not supported by any of the 8 U.S. Great Lake States, nor by Quebec.  GBA has highlighted 3 main environmental concerns with Ontario’s open-cage aquaculture which are:  Nutrient Loading: GBA has witnessed the effects of nutrient input, particularly phosphorus, on reduction in water quality, hypo

Lake Michigan-Huron is still one inch 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, 2, 4, 4 & 4 inches, respectively. Lakes Superior Michigan-Huron, St Clair, Erie & Ontario are lower by 8, 1, 2, 2 & 5 inches, respectively, than they were at this time last year. Lakes Michigan-Huron, St Clair, Erie & Ontario are 4, 11, 9 & 0 inches, respectively, above their long-term August average, and Lakes Superior is 3 inches below. All the lakes remain well below their August record highs. - In a month’s time Lakes Superior is expected to stay at the same level, and Lakes Michigan-Huron, St. Clair, Erie & Ontario are expected to f

There has been a noticeable Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) marine presence this summer in Georgian Bay and many boaters are being caught without the proper safety equipment onboard.  Leading up the the July long weekend, 102 vessel checks led to over half (52) operators being warned and educated about minor violations of the Canada Shipping Act. Three operators were charged for violations under the same act, while nine operators were charged with lifejacket offences, and one operator was charged with a liquor-related offence. During the high winds and heavy rain in early August, 65 vessels were checked for equipment which led to five operators being charged for lifejacket offences and three others being charged with liquor related offences. Another 22

There is mounting evidence that excessive wakes too close to shore or where waters are too shallow cause shoreline erosion and negatively impact marine life and water quality as well as posing a risk to swimmers, paddlers and other boaters. Dr. Chris Houser, the Dean of Science at the University of Waterloo, has spent years studying wave energy in Georgia, Texas and Florida. For the past three years, he has concentrated his research on Ontario’s lakes, specifically looking at recreational boat wakes and their impact. Dr. Houser and student researchers installed and tracked wave measurement sensors in more than 30 different locations in Ontario. In busy lakes, such as Lake Muskoka and Lake Joseph, the sensors detected as many as 120 to 130 waves per hour. His work provides a strong sci

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