Cruise ships have been visiting Georgian Bay for many years, but with a traffic increase of 40 percent since 2022, GBA had some questions about the potential environmental impacts of these trips.
GBA understands the importance of cruise ships to tourism for local economies on the Bay, so our focus was to look into some questions and concerns raised by our members about blackwater, greywater, and garbage disposal. Below are some of the key highlights from our 2024 report, Information on Increased Cruise Ship Traffic in Georgian Bay.
- Substantial Increase: Cruise ship traffic in Georgian Bay has grown exponentially, with a 1,500% rise in ship visits between 2019 and 2023.
- Economic Benefits: The influx of cruise ships brings significant economic benefits, with estimated annual expenditures of $12 million to $15 million in the region.
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Environmental Concerns: The increased traffic raises concerns about potential environmental impacts, including:
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Water pollution
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Noise pollution
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Disruption of marine life habitats
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Infrastructure Challenges: The surge in cruise ship visits puts pressure on local infrastructure, including:
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Docking facilities
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Waste management
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Emergency services
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- Community Engagement: The report emphasizes the need for ongoing community engagement and collaboration to address the opportunities and challenges arising from increased cruise ship traffic.
CC0 licensed photo by Topher from the WordPress Photo Directory.
Through this information-gathering report, GBA was able to clarify several issues of potential concern:
- There are no designated sewage areas in the Great Lakes
- No cruise ship discharges their blackwater at any of the GB ports
- Four of the six cruise ships were able to confirm on-board treatment systems
- There are several laws and policies to regulate the discharge of treated blackwater
One remaining area of concern is the storage, treatment and discharge of greywater on these cruise ships. This information was not readily available, and the Canada Shipping Act regulations must be clearer for cruise ships with less than 500 passengers. GBA will continue to follow up with Transport Canada and advocate for more precise regulations regarding the discharge of greywater, emphasizing the urgency and necessity of addressing this issue.
Read the report here.