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Gail Krantzberg, a McMaster engineering professor, has co-edited a study that illustrates the economic and community benefits of cleaning up the Great Lakes. Her case study examined the transformation of Collingwood's harbour from an industrial brownfield, to a vibrant waterfront with beautiful homes and re-naturalized wetlands. The project, which cost about $3 million, is now bringing in $1 million per year in property taxes and non-tax revenue. Read more about the project and the case study on rehabilitation here.

Georgian Bay has lost a great artist and a great friend. Ed Bartram, 81, died Sunday August 25, 2019.  One of Canada’s foremost painters and print makers, Ed used the diverse rock formations of Georgian Bay as his primary subject matter. His work showcases the natural geological beauty of Georgian Bay landscapes and can be found in public and private art collections around the world. Ed fell in love with the landscape of Georgian Bay as a camper at Camp Hurontario, and later purchased an island in Manitou, Bartram Island, where he built a cottage and studio. A local legend in the area, Ed was always generous with his art, often donating his work to help raise money for causes close to his heart. Ed’s obituary can be found here and you can read more about his life and his legacy her

High water levels are expected to continue on the Great Lakes despite the fact that all of the lakes are forecast to continue their seasonal declines over the next month. Lakes Superior, St. Clair and Erie are currently at their highest monthly average August water levels, whereas Lake Michigan-Huron is 4 inches below and Lake Ontario is 7 inches below their highest monthly average August levels. All of the Great Lakes are forecast to have a net decline in water level over the next month, with Lakes Superior and Michigan-Huron falling 2 and 3 inches, respectively and Lakes St. Clair, Erie, and Ontario falling 4, 6, and 10 inches, respectively. Lake Superior’s outflow through the St. Mary’s River and the Lake Michigan-Huron’s outflow through the St. Clair River are predicted to be

GBA continues to closely monitor the impacts on water quality from the fish farm operation at Lake Wolsey, an embayment of the North Channel on the north coast of Manitoulin island. We received photographs taken on the August Civic Holiday weekend by a local resident of the nasty blankets of algae in this bay, which prohibited normal enjoyment and impacted the safety of the waters. View the photos here: Algae on Lake Wolsey The same embayment has had annual toxic blue-green algae (cyanobacteria) outbreaks as seen in the photo. These outbreaks pose a threat to humans, wildlife and pets. Public Health warnings are issued when this occurs. There appears to be a rise in dog deaths in North America from ingesting water containing cyanobacteria. Read more about it here.  

High water levels are expected to continue on the Great Lakes despite the fact that all of the lake are expected to decline over the next month. Lakes St. Clair and Erie are 2 and 3 inches, respectively, above their highest monthly average August levels. Lake Ontario is 4 inches below its highest monthly average August level. All of the Great Lakes are forecasted to decline over the next month as follows: Lakes Superior, Michigan-Huron, St. Clair, Erie, and Ontario by 2, 3, 5, 6, and 12 inches, respectively. Lake Superior’s outflow through the St. Marys River and the Lake Michigan-Huron’s outflow through the St. Clair River are predicted to be above average for August. Outflows from Lake St. Clair through the Detroit River, and outflows from Lake Erie into the Niagara River, are als

The Ontario Energy Board (OEB) has directed Hydro One to eliminate the seasonal rate class affecting secondary and seasonal use properties, but Hydro One is recommending an alternative approach - read about it here. Eliminating the seasonal rate class means that the majority of current seasonal rate customers would be reclassified into one of two other rate categories depending on their location: R1 class for properties located in medium density areas, or R2 class for properties in low density areas. Customers moving to the R1 class would see a slight decrease in their monthly distribution charges because R1 designates an area of higher population and concentration and is therefore easier to service. These customers would see a decrease in their annual hydro bills estimated at $7 - $9 p

A $2.2 million investment from the federal government is ensuring that rural communities in the Parry Sound area will receive new or improved high-speed internet connectivity.  Read more about the program and which communities will benefit here.

The Nature Conservancy of Canada (NCC) has just announced 26,514 acres, or approximately 60 percent of Cockburn Island, just west of Manitoulin Island, have been protected. The island contains hardwood forest, wetlands and inland lakes that provide habitats and migratory stops for a wide variety of plants and animals.  Read more about the acquisition and the island’s ecological significance here.