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 GB5.
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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As the sun rises on this National Truth and Reconciliation Day, GBA encourages everyone to take some time to reflect on the past injustices inflicted on our Indigenous neighbours. How will you mark the day? Start by remembering children and families of our neighbours who were and continue to be impacted by the residential school system Wear orange in honour of the children who did not come home, those who have lived as survivors and their families Read the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada's 94 Calls to Action and look for ways to bring action to reconciliation Commit to learning about the people who's traditional territory we live on. Here are some great resources: Shawanaga First Nation has an interesting history of The First Peoples of Georgian Bay G
The Great Lake Water Quality Agreement (GLWQA) between Canada and the United States has turns 50 this year. In preparation, GBA became a founding member of a new organization Great Lakes Ecoregion Network (GLEN) which coordinated virtual community sessions to gather public comment on the GLWQA, the major 50th anniversary review and the new 2022 GLWQA agreement. Over the spring and summer of 2022, in preparation for the 50th anniversary of GLWQA, GLEN put together a series of public webinars for public comments on the agreement - its past and its future. The findings from these webinars are being presented at an event on September 27 in Niagara Falls Ontario (Zoom details can be found here). GLEN has released a summary of the highlights of the the Great Lake Water Quality Agreement at F
Lake Michigan-Huron continues to be below the level it was at this time last year – see first graph below. - From a month ago the water levels on Michigan-Huron, St Clair, Erie & Ontario are down 2, 4, 4 & 7 inches respectively and Lakes Superior is up 1 inch. Lakes Michigan-Huron, St Clair, Erie & Ontario are lower by 7, 13, 9 & 10 inches respectively, and Lakes Superior is up 6 inches, than they were at this time last year. Lakes Superior, Michigan-Huron, St Clair, Erie & are 5, 7, 10, & 9 inches above, respectively, and Lake Ontario is 9 inches below, their long term September average.All the lakes remain well below their September record highs, except Superior which is only 7 inches below. - In a month’s time Lakes Superior,
Lake Michigan-Huron continues to be below the level it was at this time last year – see first graph below. - From a month ago the water levels on Lakes Superior, Michigan-Huron, St Clair, Erie & Ontario are down 0, 2, 4, 3 & 7 inches respectively. Lakes Michigan-Huron, St Clair, Erie & Ontario are lower by 7, 8, 7 & 9 inches respectively, and Lakes Superior is up 6 inches, than they were at this time last year. Lakes Superior, Michigan-Huron, St Clair, Erie & are 5, 8, 11, & 11 inches above, respectively, and Lake Ontario is 8 inches below, their long term September average. All the lakes remain well below their September record highs. - In a month’s time Lakes Superior, Michigan-Huron, St Clair, Erie & Ontario are expected t
Many Canadian boaters are aware of hypothermia but most are not aware that it is the ‘final stage’ your body reaches after being in cold water. Many people die during the first few minutes of immersion in cold water and they are not hypothermic, they simply drown due to the immediate, involuntary and often deadly effects of cold water. The cold water season on Georgian Bay is quickly approaching, beginning in October and lasting through June. If you plan to be out on the water during this time, prepare yourself for the season by taking a virtual Cold Water Awareness workshop featuring Dr. Gordon Giesbrecht (aka Professor Popsicle), a world-renowned expert in hypothermia. Workshops take place over 2 evenings from 8:00 p.m. – 10:30 p.m. The Canadian Safe Boating Council (CSBC) have
The Great Lakes Basin has been dry so far this month, with most of the basin reporting rainfall that is below average for this time of year. Lake Michigan-Huron continues to be below the level it was at this time last year – see first graph below. - From a month ago the water levels on Lakes Superior, Michigan-Huron, St Clair, Erie & Ontario are down 2, 4, 2, 3 & 8 inches respectively. Lakes Michigan-Huron, St Clair, Erie & Ontario are lower by 9, 6, 7 & 9 inches respectively, and Lakes Superior is up 4 inches, than they were at this time last year. Lakes Superior, Michigan-Huron, St Clair, Erie & are 3, 8, 13, & 12 inches above, respectively, and Lake Ontario is 6 inches below, their long term September average. All the lakes remain
Queen Elizabeth II, the longest-reigning British monarch, has died at the age of 96. In her more than 70 years on the throne she was selflessly dedicated to the service of the commonwealth. - A steward of the natural world and an avid lover of the outdoors, Queen Elizabeth spent most of her free time in natural settings. Committed to preserving woodland and wildlife, earlier this year to mark her 70-year reign, the queen invited people to "plant a tree for the Jubilee". With this Green Canopy initiative she hoped to create a legacy to benefit future generations. Her commitment to the Commonwealth was a constant. The Queen made 22 official visits to Canada throughout her life. Her first official visit to Ontario included stops in Parry Sound, Midland and Penetanguishene. This visit inc
Lake Michigan-Huron continues to be below the level it was at this time last year – see first graph below. - From a month ago the water levels on Lakes Superior is unchanged, and Lakes Michigan-Huron, St Clair, Erie & Ontario are down 2, 2, 3 & 7 inches respectively. Lakes Michigan-Huron, St Clair, Erie & Ontario are lower by 9, 10, 9 & 6 inches respectively, and Lakes Superior is up 5 inches, than they were at this time last year. Lakes Superior, Michigan-Huron, St Clair, Erie & are 4, 9, 13, & 12 inches above, respectively, and Lake Ontario is 6 inches below, their long term September average. All the lakes remain well below their September record highs. - In a month’s time Lakes Superior, Michigan-Huron, St Clair, Erie &
As the summer season nears to a close, the wild food sources bears rely on become more scarce. Improper food disposal, untidy garbage cans, poorly cleaned BBQ's, and bird feeders may provide just the feast hungry bears are looking for. It takes all cottagers working together to eliminate these attractants and to stop bear problems. Whether you are closing the cottage for the season or just between stays, here are some precautions you can take: Before leaving your cottage make sure to: remove your garbage take it home or drop it off at an approved waste disposal site on your way use a strong disinfectant to eliminate all odours from garbage and recycling containers and lids never discard cooking grease outside: place it in a container with a lid, transfer it to a pla
OPP would like to remind drivers to vigilantly watch for wildlife while driving noting approximately 40 bears have been struck and killed by vehicles on Highway 400 between Honey Harbour Road in Georgian Bay Township and the Town of Parry Sound during the month of August alone. Motorists need to be mindful that wildlife collisions do happen, but that there are some simple things that can be done to mitigate the risk. OPP advise driving within the posted speed limits, scanning well ahead for possible wildlife (on the roadway, shoulder or ditch), using proper headlights and giving room to other motorists nearby. Wildlife never wear reflective suits and are unlikely to give way to a vehicle if encountered on a roadway. The Ministry of Transportation (MTO) has compiled some great informa
Lake Michigan-Huron continues to be below the level it was at this time last year – see first graph below. - From a month ago the water levels on Lakes Superior is up 1 inch, and Lakes Michigan-Huron, St Clair, Erie & Ontario are down 2, 2, 3 & 8 inches respectively. Lakes Michigan-Huron, St Clair, Erie & Ontario are lower by 9, 8, 9 & 6 inches respectively, and Lakes Superior is up 6 inches, than they were at this time last year. Lakes Superior, Michigan-Huron, St Clair, Erie & are 5, 7, 12, & 10 inches above, respectively, and Lake Ontario is 8 inches below, their long term August average. All the lakes remain well below their August record highs. - In a month’s time Lakes Superior, Michigan-Huron, St Clair, Erie & On
Congratulations to Georgian Bay Mnidoo Gamii Biosphere (GBB)! GBB successfully released over 300 on the shores of the Shebeshekong River on August 24. As part of the Biosphere's Maamwi Anjiakiziwin species at risk conservation project, the turtle eggs were collected during the repaving of Dillon Road. After watching and rearing the eggs almost 20 northern map turtles and close to 300 snapping turtles were in released as close as possible to where their nests were located. At the turtle release, the federal government announced that the Georgian Bay Biosphere Reserve will receive more than $585,000 in new funding to support the reserve's biodiversity conservation. The funds will be distributed over three years from Canada’s Enhanced Nature Legacy as part of Canada’s goal to conserve
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
