GBA 2021 - Summer Update

8 www.georgianbay.ca GBA UPDATE Summer 2021 D id you know that the GBA represents 18 cottage associations, giving voice to about 3,000 families along the eastern and northern shores of Georgian Bay? By amplifying our collective support, we can advocate for real action that helps preserve the incredible yet fragile wilderness and waterways that make the Bay so enjoyable for you, your family, and countless generations to come. As your voice on the Bay, we speak to government agencies on your behalf to ensure that your questions, comments and concerns are heard. From environmental protection and aquatic ecosystems, to boating and safety issues, the GBA works to preserve the use and enjoyment our cottages provide. Of course, we don’t operate in a vacuum. We take a bottom-up approach to public engagement and advocacy. That means we listen to what you, your fellow cottagers, and your local associations have to say. We then act on that input to help make your hopes and aspirations for the Bay a reality. To make that happen, our 23 volunteer directors and other volunteers are drawn from our 18 member associations. These dedicated individuals serve on a variety of committees created to strengthen your voice at the local, provincial, national, and sometimes at the international level. Leading this team is an experienced, full- time executive director who is devoted to supporting the causes that protect the Bay. Our executive director and volunteers meet regularly with politicians and civil servants to advocate for better legislation and regulation that can preserve – and even improve – our way of life on the Bay. GBA: Strength in Numbers By Dave Sharpe Chair, Membership Committee GEORGIAN BAY ASSOCIATION The mission of GBA is to work with our water-based communities and other stakeholders to ensure the careful stewardship of the greater Georgian Bay environment GBA’s Recent Advocacy Work Over the years, GBA has leveraged our networks to ensure we have a seat at the table during critical meetings related to the interests and concerns of your communities. Below you will find a review of the most important current issues being tackled by your GBA: Planning Issues: Overdevelopment Pressures GBA is highly engaged and active on three fronts: ≥ GBA’s Coastal Protection Committee aims to establish best practices throughout the coastal municipalities for optimizing environmental protections. ≥When appropriate, we work with our member associations to address specific local developments and planning applications to avoid setting dangerous precedents that could damage the environment. ≥ GBA has been actively pushing back against the Ontario government’s use of inappropriate legislation and regulations to reduce or eliminate environmental protections. Extreme Water Levels ≥ The October 2020 Water Levels Symposium put together jointly by GBA and Georgian Bay Forever (GBF), was an outstanding success both in engaging senior scientists and policymakers as presenters, and in attracting the largest event attendance in our 105 years. ≥ The information gathered from the event will provide a strong basis to guide our strategy and action plans for many years to come: bit. ly/3uNLlLC ≥ Look for further joint GBA and GBF events on this issue to advance our understanding and action around this vital matter. Dock Foam Pollution ≥ GBA has been an active participant on the GBF team determined to ban the use of unencapsulated dock foam in new dock construction and repairs. We are committed to providing ongoing research, information, and education to our members, suppliers, and contractors. ≥ MPP Norm Miller’s private member’s bill in this effort, Bill 228, received