GBA 2021 - Summer Update

17 www.georgianbay.ca GBA UPDATE Summer 2021 announced funding for Canada’s 25 per cent land protection target in the recent budget; see here for details of GBA’s contribution on this issue: bit.ly/3vYzsCA . Closer to home, it remains an uphill battle to protect our environment from inappropriate developments in the south end of the Bay. The two prime examples of projects of concern that have now been approved by the Local Planning Appeal Tribunal on appeal are: ≥ The trailer park at Macey Bay , where 180 trailers have been approved with what we believe is an inadequate sewage system. ≥ A sewage system at Brandy’s Cove for onsite processing of marine septage that could negatively affect water quality and the fish, flora, and fauna in the area. For details of how this happened, please visit: bit.ly/33yHXIr Aquaculture Your revitalized Aquaculture Committee team has continued advocacy work on fish farms in Georgian Bay and the North Channel, including: ≥ Moving the designation of existing open-water cage fish farms from a Category A level (no risk) activity under the class environmental assessment (EA) into a higher category that corresponds to the environmental threats arising from these operations. ≥ Ensuring that the new Aquaculture Act will require the industry to comply with Canadian and international guidelines and regulations. ≥ Monitoring the unfolding situation at Lake Wolsey, where Blue Goose Foods closed the operation, cancelled the licence, and sold the nets. It appears that the older nets were not removed and are now full of fingerlings. The Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry advises us that this unlicensed operation is under investigation. Boating, Safety & Emergencies GBA is a founding member of the Decibel Coalition led by Safe Quiet Lakes (SQL), which aims to introduce new legislation in Canada, like existing laws in the US and Europe, to provide the tools needed for the police to control boat noise. Currently there is little police can do to rein in loud boat noise. GBA is hopeful that all your costal municipalities will get behind this initiative – some already have – and is asking all your GBA associations to sign on. See: bit.ly/2QeaekE GBA is partnering with SQL to ask all GBA associations and their members to please complete a Lake Activity Survey when it launches in early June. The survey gives you the opportunity to express your views and concerns on activities near your cottage. The responses will help to inform GBA’s and SQL’s advocacy work going forward. Please participate in this survey when you receive the details from your association. It is very important. For more updates from the Boating, Safety & Emergencies Committee, please see the “2020: A Boating Season Like No Other” article in this issue of UPDATE . We will continue to actively advocate on a broad range of issues throughout the rest of 2021. As you can see, the pandemic has had no material effect on GBA advocacy work on your behalf. We continue to receive great ideas and thoughts from many of you, which really helps us hone in on what is important. Please keep them coming! Source: Safe Quiet Lakes