As water levels remain close to record highs on the Great Lakes, Georgian Bay Association (GBA) and Georgian Bay Forever (GBF) are hosting a Water Levels Web Symposium on October 24, 2020. This event will showcase Great Lakes System experts discussing water level fluctuations, human interference in the system, and data collection. There will also be a chance for you to ask your pressing questions.   More information on our speakers and registration details will follow shortly. Stay tuned!  

We know you love the Bay everyday, but here’s a special opportunity to show it all through August. As Guardians of the Bay we all share a deep appreciation for Georgian Bay and want to preserve and protect it so it can be enjoyed for generations to come. Bay Day is an annual initiative introduced by GBA where associations organize local events and activities to engage and educate the membership, celebrate, and spruce up the magnificent Georgian Bay we all care about. Normally Bay Day is an event held on one day in the summer in areas up and down the Bay. With COVID-19 upon us, these larger celebrations are being scaled back, so this year we’re taking Bay Day in a different direction and making every day in August a Bay Day. We invite you to come up with a fun activity

Their primitive looks and menacing name have given the snapping turtle a bad reputation, but these gentle giants are too shy to bite your toes in the water. Although generally found close to shore, snapping turtles would rather swim away from you than have a confrontation. In fact the “snapping” is a protective measure they use on land when threatened because, unlike some turtles, they can’t retract their entire body inside their shell. Snapping turtles are the largest freshwater turtles in Canada, with individuals weighing up to 34 kg. Their carapace, or shell, is black or brown, and they have a long tail, but their most distinguishing feature is their hooked upper jaw. Snapping turtles are omnivorous, and play an important role in cleaning our waters by eating rotting fish,

Over the last week the Great Lakes region received substantial precipitation. Most of the basin received between 0.25 to 2.0 inches; however, large portions of the basin received from 2.0 to 6.0 inches. Temperatures throughout the region remained above average for most of the past week. Water levels continue to be well above average and near or above record high levels. - From a month ago the water level on Lakes Superior & St Clair are up 2 & 1 inches respectively, Michigan-Huron is unchanged, and Lakes Erie & Ontario are down 1 & 3 inches, respectively. Lakes Superior, St. Clair, Ontario, & Erie are lower by 2, 1, 3 & 23 inches, respectively, and Lake Michigan-Huron is 4 inches higher than it was at this time last year. Lakes Superior, Michigan-

Large and destructive wakes have long been an issue for cottagers, and the recent high water levels and shoreline conditions have made the problem much worse. The law states that power-driven vessels must slow down to 10 km/hour within 30 meters of a shoreline except in canals and marked channels. While most boaters are aware and respectful of the rules, there are others who are not.  Understanding the Impacts Large wakes can create unsafe conditions, be harmful to the environment, and cause property damage, notably: Hazards for swimmers and smaller vessels Large wake can cause dangerous conditions for swimmers and can even swamp smaller vessels. Shoreline erosion Wake combined with higher water levels can cause plants and trees to lose their root support and g

As Ontario prepared to move into Phase 3 of reopening, the government introduced Bill 197, the COVID-19 Economic Recovery Act, 2020. This omnibus bill, which passed on July 21, proposes to stimulate economic growth by amending 20 existing pieces of legislation, including the environmental assessment (EA) process, in an attempt to expedite development. Criticism is mounting on the Ford government’s cavalier action in fast-tracking the COVID-19 Recovery Act, and the provisions that compromise the EA process. The potential for a legal challenge to this bill is being widely explored by many, who have grave concerns that by treating environmental protections as “so much red tape”, this government is clearing the path for rampant development with no environmental oversight and using the

Despite the Saugeen Ojibway Nation's overwhelming rejection of a previous plan for a low and intermediate nuclear waste repository on their territory, a site in the same area is now under consideration to store high-level radioactive waste. The Nuclear Waste Management Organization (NWMO), a non-profit group responsible for the safe, long-term management of Canada's used nuclear fuel, is looking to establish a permanent, deep geological repository site  in the municipality of South Bruce or near Ignace in northwestern Ontario. This new dump site would accept spent fuel rods from the 18 nuclear reactors in Ontario and a single reactor in New Brunswick. - GBA will monitor and report on this proposal as it develops. Read more here. -

Over the last week, the Great Lakes region received above average precipitation, particularly Lake Michigan. Over the next week more rain and above average temperatures are expected. Water levels continue to be well above average and near or above record high levels. - From a month ago the water level on Lakes Superior is up 2 inches, Michigan-Huron & St Clair are unchanged, and Lakes Erie & Ontario are down 1 & 4 inches, respectively. Lakes Superior, St. Clair, Ontario, & Erie are lower by 4, 0, 2 & 24 inches, respectively, and Lake Michigan-Huron is 3 inches higher than it was at this time last year. Lakes Superior, Michigan-Huron, St Clair, Erie & Ontario are 9, 33, 32, 28 & 7 inches, respectively, above their long term July average. L

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

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