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According to the Insurance Bureau of Canada between 25 and 30 Canadians die in ice-related incidents each year and many more have to be rescued. As the weather gets colder, it is enticing to want to venture out onto the ice. It is important to remember that the most dangerous time to be on the ice is in early winter and late spring when the ice can be less stable. If you are going out on the ice: always let someone know where you are going and when you expect to return know the waters under the ice you will be on - depth and currents can impact the thickness and strength watch the weather, as temperature fluctuations and precipitation may soften the ice avoid slushy ice, untracked ice or ice near moving waters or dock bubblers The following is a list of 10 Ice Saf
Water levels continue to be well above average and near record high levels, but all the lakes are continuing their seasonal declines. Lake Michigan-Huron continues to be below the level it was at this time last year – see first graph below. All the lakes are now lower than they were at this time last year. From a month ago the water levels on Lakes Superior and Michigan-Huron are both down 3 inches, and Lakes St Clair, Erie & Ontario are up 1, 2 & 2 inches, respectively. Lakes Superior, Michigan-Huron, St Clair, Erie & Ontario, are lower by 6, 6, 1, 0 & 12 inches, respectively, than they were at this time last year. Lakes Superior, Michigan-Huron, St Clair, Erie & Ontario are 9, 31, 32, 28 & 4 inches, respectively, above their long term Ja
Water levels continue to be well above average and near record high levels, but all the lakes are continuing their seasonal declines. Lake Michigan-Huron continues to be below the level it was at this time last year – see first graph below. All the lakes are now lower than they were at this time last year. From a month ago the water levels on Lakes Superior and Michigan-Huron, St Clair & Erie & are down 4, 2, 4, & 0 inches respectively, and Lake Ontario is up 2 inches. Lakes Superior, Michigan-Huron, St Clair, Erie & Ontario, are lower by 6, 6, 2, 1 & 14 inches, respectively, than they were at this time last year. Lakes Superior, Michigan-Huron, St Clair, Erie & Ontario are 10, 32, 29, 26 & 4 inches, respectively, above their long te
Water levels continue to be well above average and near record high levels, but all the lakes are continuing their seasonal declines. Lake Michigan-Huron continues to be below the level it was at this time last year – see first graph below. All the lakes are now lower than they were at this time last year. From a month ago the water levels on Lakes Superior and Michigan-Huron, St Clair, Erie & Ontario are down 3, 3, 3, 1 & 0 inches respectively. Lakes Superior, Michigan-Huron, St Clair, Erie & Ontario, are lower by 3, 4, 3, 2 & 16 inches, respectively, than they were at this time last year. Lake Superior, Michigan-Huron, St Clair, Erie & Ontario are 8, 30, 26, 24 & 2 inches, respectively, above their long term December average. All the l
Water levels continue to be well above average and near record high levels, but all the lakes are continuing their seasonal declines. Lake Michigan-Huron continues to be below the level it was at this time last year – see first graph below. All the lakes are now lower than they were at this time last year. From a month ago the water levels on Lakes Superior and Michigan-Huron, are down 4 & 2 inches respectively, while Lakes St Clair, Erie & Ontario are up 4, 3 & 1 inches respectively. Lakes Superior, Michigan-Huron & Ontario, are lower by 5, 4, & 16 inches, respectively, than they were at this time last year, while Lakes St Clair & Erie are up 2 & 1 inches respectively. Lakes Superior, Michigan-Huron, St Clair, Erie & Ontario are 8, 3
As Canadian winters are becoming warmer, new research suggests that youth are particularly vulnerable to winter drownings. In a recently published study looking at stats across 10 countries, children under the age of 9 made up 44% of the winter drownings that did not involve a vehicle. In cases with vehicles, such as snowmobiles, most of the deaths were in those younger that 24 years old. - The research found that most of the drownings occurred when the temperature was between -5 °C and 0ºC and often included other factors that can weaken ice such as freeze-thaw and rain events. Read more here.
The International Joint Commission (IJC) recently released its triennial progress report on Great Lakes water quality. GBA joined the discussion on this report in which the IJC summarized the results of their latest public consultations, which showed that climate change concerns have become the #1 issue. They also released their progress report, which can be found here.
This portal now enables individuals to directly support special projects and important initiatives of GBA, which require funding from outside of our regular annual operating budget. Please find background information here or simply make a contribution here.
Water levels continue to be well above average and near record high levels, but all the lakes are continuing their seasonal declines. Lake Michigan-Huron continues to be below the level it was at this time last year – see first graph below. All the lakes are now lower than they were 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, 2, 2 & 0 inches respectively. Lakes Superior, Michigan-Huron, St. Clair, Erie & Ontario, are lower by 4, 4, 2, 1 & 15 inches, respectively, than they were at this time last year. Lakes Superior, Michigan-Huron, St Clair, Erie & Ontario are 9, 31, 27, 24 & 3 inches, respectively, above their long term December average. All the lakes
Parry Sound has a perennial need for housing that is both affordable and fits families. Area businesses cite this lack of adequate housing as a hinderance to attracting qualified staff. This long-standing problem affects the availability of contracting, marina and other services for seasonal residents. GBA has long been a proponent of the need to address the matter and for the federal and provincial governments to provide appropriate support to municipalities to find ways to increase the supply without negatively impacting the environment. Read more here. -
GBA has added its voice objecting to the Ontario Government’s application of Minister’s Zoning Orders (MZOs) to override normal planning and environmental approval processes to facilitate development projects involving two provincially significant wetlands. The two projects in Vaughan and Pickering authorized the destruction of wetlands in favour of commercial interests. The use of the MZOs in these instances sets a dangerous precedent as MZOs bypass municipal rules and regulations. MZOs also require no public notice, no public comment process and are not subject to appeal. GBA is strongly opposed to the precedent being set and is calling on the government to respect and uphold the protection of all provincially significant wetlands in Ontario. - Read GBA’s submission here and a re
Water levels continue to be well above average and near record high levels, but all the lakes are continuing their seasonal declines. Lake Michigan-Huron continues to be below the level it was at this time last year – see first graph below. All the lakes are now lower than they were at this time last year. From a month ago the water levels on Lakes Superior, Michigan-Huron, St Clair, Erie & Ontario are down 1, 2, 0, 1 & 0 inches respectively. Lakes Superior, Michigan-Huron, St. Clair, Erie & Ontario, are lower by 4, 4, 1, 1 & 15 inches, respectively, than they were at this time last year. Lakes Superior, Michigan-Huron, St Clair, Erie & Ontario are 11, 32, 29, 25 & 3 inches, respectively, above their long term December average. All the
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GBA will continue to work with government and non-government agencies in the US and Canada to determine if and how a better job can be done to improve coordination between the different control structures that affect our water levels. The aim is to do the best we can to mitigate and address the impacts of extreme high and low water levels which are expected to worsen if climate change impacts unfold as expected. We will also be surfacing any issues on the accuracy and completeness of water levels data and exploring how water levels data can be enhanced to improve ease of interpretation and better inform decision making including adaption strategies.
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What’s your name and what’s your connection to Georgian Bay? Sheila Williams and I (Celesta Bjornson) are the co-presidents of the Bay of Islands Association (BICA) and have been enjoying our summers in the Bay of Islands since we were toddlers. My family is from Pittsburgh and we originally found the Bay of Islands in the 1950s by vacationing at a fishing lodge called Moredolpton Lodge. Sheila's family is one of the founding families of the Bay of Islands. Her grandfather discovered the Bay of Islands in early 1900s while working on the lakers, travelling from southern Georgian Bay to the North Channel, transporting lumber back south. He fell in love with the area and purchased an island around 1924 and began building a cottage. Why is being a Guardian of the Bay important to yo
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 in the fall offers colourful views, solitude and excellent fishing. It is a truly great time to be on the water. But fall boating 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 fall 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 fuel line from freezing. Having a backup gas tank onboa
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
Large wakes continue to be a bone of contention. They cause damage to docks and shorelines and can be very disruptive to cottagers enjoyment of their docks. What can be done? The occasional disruption and damage caused by excessive wakes are an ongoing source of irritation between boaters and cottagers. Boaters are responsible for their wakes and any damage caused by them. But the OPP tells us that damage caused by wakes is a civil issue. And so what you need to do is be able to identify the vessel and the operator and pursue the matter in small claims court if a reasonable result can’t be agreed upon between the parties on their own. However, if a boater is observed to be operating their vessel in a dangerous or careless way then the OPP should be called. They ideally would like t
This past summer there seemed to be a search & rescue operation happening and it left many cottagers confused about what was going on. The questions were about what to do in a situation like that - where to get information, and potentially how to help. When involved in a current investigation the OPP generally will not disseminate info through the media. They most often feel they have the resources to adequately conduct a search. Note that, if the OPP does ask the public for assistance, they are civilly liable if a member of the public gets injured while searching, and so tend not to involve the public. If the OPP is not successful then they will ask the public for assistance through media channels. If people have questions they can call the OPP non emergency ( 1 800-310-1122 ) num
My name is Eileen Maynard; I am 10 years old and the eldest of the 5th generation in my family at our cottage in Cognashene, part of the Georgian Bay Archipelago. Georgian Bay is so special to me. It is where I spend my summers and any weekend we can get free of our crazy life in the city. In the summer you can go swimming and tubing or out to islands for picnics. In the fall, it is so pretty with all of the colorful leaves and trees and a great time to go for a walk on Beausoleil Island. Being a Guardian of the Bay is important to me because Georgian Bay is vital to us and the animals around us. Being a Guardian of the Bay is a responsibility that we all have for keeping it healthy for the next 5 generations. Last year, with my grandfather, I applied for and was accepted as a vo
Sticking it to Garbage Along the Shoreline What’s your name and what’s your connection to Georgian Bay? My name’s Chloe Drayton and I’ve been going to Georgian Bay with my family since I was born - I’m only 7! It’s a nice, peaceful place and it’s nice to go swimming, look for turtles, go exploring on the rocks along the shore and spend time with my family. - Why is being a Guardian of the Bay important to you? Because I want to help all the animals and plants in nature and because it’s nicer to enjoy the cottage when there isn’t garbage lying around. I also want to enjoy Georgian Bay for a long, long time so we have to keep it nice and clean. - What’s your story that helps to show your Guardian of the Bay values? Every year we walk around the shoreline of ou
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