There are so many ways you can get involved in and around the Bay.
Take a minute to learn about all the organizations working to protect the Bay by exploring our guide to the GB4.
Or see how you and your entire family can contribute by becoming a Guardians of the Bay.
Who Does What on Georgian Bay? Your Guide to the GB5 Organizations Working to Protect the Bay
Read More...The “Guardians of the Bay” (GOTB) is an initiative to permeate a mentality of protection and preservation across all parties that touch Georgian Bay, in any way, big or small.
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The scheduled closure of the EMS paramedic station in MacTier has raised concerns among residents. The Concerned West Muskoka Citizens group believes the proposed Paramedic Response Unit (PRU) is not a suitable replacement as the PRU cannot transport patients or provide two-paramedic care, which is essential in emergencies. MacTier's location within the Township of Georgian Bay is important due to its year-round and seasonal population. The group also claims that moving the service to a station 30 minutes further south will delay care and increase response times potentially endangering lives. Additionally, the group says the decision was made without public input, raising questions about the district's commitment to transparency and safety. Residents are urging the District of Muskok
Wildfire Community Preparedness Day is observed annually on the first Saturday in May. Communities are encouraged to host events and work on projects that raise awareness of wildfire risk and develop strategies to increase resilience to it. Groups can apply for a $500 award to fund a Wildfire Community Preparedness event or project that can take place any time between May and October 2024. FireSmart Canada in collaboration with the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA), the Institute for Catastrophic Loss Reduction (ICLR), Co-operators and the Provincial and Territorial wildfire agencies are supporting this annual event by sponsoring the $500 award. In 2024, 378 neighborhoods and groups received funding in 2024 across 10 provinces and two territories. Neighbourhoods, commun
It happens and it can happen to anyone! These two recent incidents in Ontario's wilderness underscore the importance of taking all the necessary offseason safety precautions: A 66-year-old Mono Township man owes his life to wearing a life jacket! Mid morning on November 7 during a solo boat ride on the Bay, the man went overboard into chilly 10.5°C southern Georgian Bay waters near Sturgeon Bay. He inflated his life jacket, which allowed him to tread water and swim for over an hour before he was able to reach a shoal. Residents nearby noticed the man's yellow life jacket from 400 meters away. They alerted authorities, prompting a swift response from the OPP Marine Unit. Rescued at 2 p.m., the hypothermic man received medical trea
The Georgian Bay Land Trust has announced Andrew Young as its new Executive Director. Young most recently served as Executive Director of Outward Bound Canada and prior to that, as Vice President of Programs and Services for Diabetes Canada. Young is an avid camper and loves the outdoors. His family are cottagers in Tiny Township and have canoed the southern, eastern, and northern waters of Georgian Bay for the past twenty-five years. Andrew Young will take over the Executive Director duties effective January 6, 2025, from Bill Lougheed, who will retire at the end of this year after 11 years leading the Georgian Bay Land Trust. GBA looks forward to working with Andrew and wishes Bill all the best in retirement!
Lake Michigan-Huron is now 8 inches below its level at this time last year. From a month ago the water levels on Lakes Superior, Michigan-Huron, St Clair, Erie & Ontario are down 2, 4, 6, 4 & 6 inches, respectively. Lakes Superior Michigan-Huron, St Clair, Erie & Ontario are lower by 7, 8, 3, 2 & 2 inches, respectively, than they were at this time last year. Lakes St Clair & Erie are 6 and 7 inches, respectively, above their long-term November averages, and Lakes Superior, Lake Michigan-Huron & Ontario are 8, 4 & 5 inches below, respectively. All the lakes remain well below their November record highs. - In a month’s time Lakes Superior, Michigan-Huron, St. Clair, Erie & Ontario are expected to fall by 2,
GBA has an opening for a Project Coordinator to support our Vision 2050 project. We are offering a six-month, part-time contract position that requires a commitment of 15-20 hours per week. This is a vital role that offers the opportunity to actively participate in a major, forward-looking initiative that aims to protect Georgian Bay’s eastern and northern coasts for generations to come. The project coordinator will be working with the Vision 2050 Steering Committee, comprised of a senior team of experts and seasoned GBA volunteers. You will also liaise with other Georgian Bay partner organizations and stakeholders. Responsibilities include supporting the project's management and organization, participating in and organizing project meetings, developing communications material
A retired nurse and her husband have come forward alleging they are out $168,000 after paying LOTB (Live On The Bay), a Port Severn company, for a floating home that was never delivered. The couple claim they entered into a contract with LOTB in 2022 and that despite repeated promises, their float home was never built, and they have yet to receive a refund. LOTB's website showcases various float home models and claims its homes comply with all municipal, provincial, and federal laws. However recent regulatory changes have restricted mooring on public lands, lake beds, and Parks Canada managed waterways. GBA and the Floating Homes not Vessels Coalition have been actively advocating for the need for proper regulation of floating homes to address the safety and e
Lake Michigan-Huron is now 8 inches below its level at this time last year. - From a month ago the water levels on Lakes Superior, Michigan-Huron, St Clair, Erie & Ontario are down 4, 7, 11, 6 & 9 inches, respectively. Lakes Superior Michigan-Huron, St Clair, Erie & Ontario are lower by 7, 8, 7, 4 & 4 inches, respectively, than they were at this time last year. Lakes St Clair & Erie are 5 and 8 inches, respectively, above their long-term November averages, and Lakes Superior, Lake Michigan-Huron & Ontario are 6, 2 & 2 inches below, respectively. All the lakes remain well below their November record highs. - In a month’s time Lakes Superior, Michigan-Huron, St. Clair, Erie & Ontario are expected to fall
There's nothing is cozier than a crackling fire on a chilly night. Wood stoves are a great source of supplemental heat and are generally more efficient at producing heat than a fireplace. But warm and cozy can turn dangerous if your wood-burning unit is not properly installed or regularly maintained. Do Keep children and pets away when you are burning and keep anything combustible at least 3 feet away from the stove. Test to be sure your carbon monoxide and smoke alarms are in working condition. Both types of alarm should be located outside each sleeping area and on every level. Also keep a working fire extinguisher in an accessible location. Before lighting, open the damper to allow for good airflow and keep the damper open until the fire is out and the ashes are cool
Lake Michigan-Huron is now 7 inches below its level at this time last year. - From a month ago the water levels on Lakes Superior, Michigan-Huron, St Clair, Erie & Ontario & are down 4, 7, 7, 5 & 9 inches, respectively. Lakes Superior Michigan-Huron, St Clair, Erie & Ontario are lower by 8, 7, 4, 3 & 3 inches, respectively, than they were at this time last year. Lakes St Clair & Erie are 4 and 7 inches, respectively, above their long-term October averages, and Lakes Superior, Lake Michigan-Huron and Ontario are 8, 4 & 4 inches below, respectively. All the lakes remain well below their October record highs. - In a month’s time Lakes Superior, Michigan-Huron, St. Clair, Erie & Ontario are expected to fall
With winter coming we all want to protect our properties as best we can. If you use or are considering installing a bubbler to prevent ice damage, there are some important issues to consider. Bubblers are a type of de-icing system that prevents ice from forming around waterfront structures by creating zones of agitated and warmer water. Without careful planning, management, and consideration of the nature of your waterfront area, your bubbler can de-ice a significantly larger portion of the water than is necessary to protect your property creating large areas of open water. Legal Implications There is no law against using a bubbler, but Section 263 (1) of the Criminal Code of Canada (Duty to safeguard opening in ice) is very clear that those who make or cause to be made an o
The Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) Central Region reported a staggering 6,066 wildlife-related collisions between 2021 and 2023, most of which occurred from October to December. Deer account for 85.5% of these incidents, primarily due to mating season and food searches. To mitigate risks, drivers are urged to: Reduce speed, especially at dawn and dusk Watch for signs indicating high animal populations Use high beams wisely on empty roads Look for reflections from headlights Brake firmly, avoiding swerving Stay sober, alert, undistracted, and seat-belted If you spot wildlife near the road, slow down, honk your horn to alert the animal and other drivers. OPP Statistics: 2021: 1,820 in
What’s your name and what’s your connection to Georgian Bay? Sheila Williams and I (Celesta Bjornson) are the co-presidents of the Bay of Islands Association (BICA) and have been enjoying our summers in the Bay of Islands since we were toddlers. My family is from Pittsburgh and we originally found the Bay of Islands in the 1950s by vacationing at a fishing lodge called Moredolpton Lodge. Sheila's family is one of the founding families of the Bay of Islands. Her grandfather discovered the Bay of Islands in early 1900s while working on the lakers, travelling from southern Georgian Bay to the North Channel, transporting lumber back south. He fell in love with the area and purchased an island around 1924 and began building a cottage. Why is being a Guardian of the Bay important to yo
Luc Voorn is a cottager in the South Channel and a passionate advocate for Georgian Bay. He currently serves as the Membership Chairperson for the South Channel Association (SCA), Editor of the SCA “On the Waterfront” newsletter, and as Director, Friends of the Massasauga Park. This past summer (2019), he was nominated as a Guardian of Georgian Bay for his ongoing enthusiasm and efforts to protect and preserve the Bay. Note from Jamie Drayton, GBA Chair of Guardians of Georgian Bay Committee My Dad used to take us camping. His lure to get us to bathe was to promise us ice cream if we ran into the water first thing in the morning for a swim. I recall the water being absolutely freezing at 7 o’clock in the morning… I don’t recall ever getting any ice cream. A few years l
As nominated by Heather Sargeant My Phragbuster Hero About 5 or 6 years ago, at an event jointly put on by the Georgian Bay Association, Georgian Bay Forever, and featuring Dr. Gilbert, an ecologist with Phragmites expertise , I first learned about invasive Phragmites and the harm it can have on wetlands. I decided to investigate if Phragmites was a threat in Woods Bay (my favourite area of Georgian Bay), and that’s when my journey tackling this plant began. I wasn’t sure if a plant across from the family cottage was indeed the invasive type, and so I was nervous and queasy about leading people to help me cut it. What if it was the native plant, and I’d taken all these people out to cut down something benign? One of my neighbors told me there was a hero on Georgian
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
Go Wild and Protect the Bay What is your connection to Georgian Bay? I came from a family of campers. We didn’t have a cottage. This was back in the 1960s and early 70s and Killbear Provincial Park was one of my favourite campgrounds. It’s where I saw my first rattlesnake and caught my first smallmouth bass. I was introduced to the South Channel in the early 1980s when my wife, Beth, invited me to her family cottage. We bought our own property in the late 90s and have made the annual trek from Alberta to Georgian Bay every year since. - Why is being a Guardian of the Bay important to you? I believe that an individual’s actions are as important as government regulations for protecting Georgian Bay. We are the guardians of our property’s ecological health. Collectively, Guardi
