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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Recently the Great Lakes basin has been drier than normal and this is expected to continue in the coming weeks. - 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 are up 4, 2, & 2 inches respectively, and Lakes Erie & Ontario are down 1 & 2 inches respectively. Lakes Michigan-Huron, St Clair & Erie are lower by 4, 2 & 2 inches respectively, and Lakes Superior and Ontario are up 1 & 15 inches respectively, than they were at this time last year. Lakes Superior, Michigan-Huron, St Clair, Erie & Ontario are 6, 9, 14, 12 & 2 inches, respectively, above their long term June average. All th
Questions, questions, questions…and you should find out the answers! The beginning of the cottage season brings a big to do list: fix everything that’s not working, a ton of spring cleaning, check your boating equipment, and change the batteries in your smoke detectors to name just a few. One other job you should add to your list is to do a comprehensive review of your insurance coverages. Fewer companies are offering cottage and boat insurance. Property values and building and repair costs have surged and prices for insurance are going up, but we strongly suggest this is something not to be skimped on. A lack of insurance can make a bad situation so much worse. Remember that Rice Insurance offers a 15% discount to all GBA members on all your insurance needs. You can also ask yo
When was the last time you checked your first aid kit? West Parry Sound Health Centre Foundation wants to remind you that a well-stocked first-aid kit can help you respond effectively to common injuries and emergencies. They have compiled some great tips on what to keep on hand so you are prepared for a summer at the cottage. Scroll down to read the article or view the PDF here.
Here we grow again! Increased demand for phone numbers in the 705 region means a new 683 area code is being phased in. Starting June 18, 2022, the new 683 area code will be added to the 249 and 705 area codes for the region and new phone subscribers could be assigned the 683 area code. Important to note: Existing numbers keep the same area code Local calling areas remain the same All local calls will require 10 digits (area code plus local number) Special numbers such as 211, 311, 411, 611 and 911 will still be dialed using only three digits Read more here.
The OPP has expanded its online reporting tool to allow the reporting of minor occurrences such as theft, mischief, lost property and driving complaints. This system allows you to submit a report from your computer or mobile device without going to an OPP detachment. Submissions will be sent directly to the OPP and reviewed by an officer. You may be contacted to provide more information. A valid e-mail address is necessary to submit a report. You can use this system to report, regardless of value: Lost/missing property Stolen license plates or validation stickers Theft from a vehicle Mischief to a vehicle Mischief (damage to property other than a vehicle, including graffiti) Theft Gas Theft Driving Complaints DO NOT use this system: If the occurrence
Lake - Outflows from Lake Superior into the St. Mary’s River, Lake Michigan-Huron’s outflow into the St. Clair River, Lake St. Clair’s outflow through the Detroit River, Lake Erie’s outflow through the Niagara River and Lake Ontario’s outflow through the St. Lawrence River are all projected to be above average for this month. - This report below shows the most recent month of precipitation and outflows published by Level News: - With regard to the forecast graph below, and the more recently updated first graph in this report, the USACE is predicting that the most likely outcome is that the Lake Michigan-Huron level will continue its seasonal rise through June, level off in July, and commence its seasonal decline in August, through September a
What the heck are VORRs? VORRS are Vessel Operation Restriction Regulations. A Bit of Background... The federal government has exclusive legislative authority over navigation in all Canadian waters. The Canada Shipping Act (CSA) 2001 governs shipping and navigation in Canadian waters. Part 10 of the Act is specific to pleasure craft. The Minister of Transport is responsible for the administration of this Act. More details... One of the regulations under the CSA 2001 that affect pleasure craft is the Vessel Operation Restriction Regulations (VORR’s). VORR’s allow any level of government (federal, provincial, municipal or territorial etc.) to ask the federal government to restrict the use of commercial or recreational vessels on any Canadian waters to promote safety, pro
Georgian Bay Biosphere's road monitoring program has rescued 4,939 at-risk turtle eggs over the past two years. Every day during turtle nesting season, Georgian Bay Biosphere (GBB) biologists cycle along roads so they can spot turtle nests and collect eggs that are at risk due to construction and road improvement. GBB staff place the eggs in incubators and track them daily to ensure proper temperatures and development. Once hatched, GBB staff release the turtles within two days into their original wetland. - In two years of road monitoring, more than 20,000 kilometres have been biked and 4,939 turtle eggs have been rescued. GBB will be back on the road this summer to save even more turtle eggs and release the hatchlings. - Read more here. -
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 are up 6, 2, 2, & 0 inches respectively, and Lake Ontario is down 2 inches. Lakes Superior, Michigan-Huron, St Clair & Erie are lower by 0, 5, 2 & 1 inches, respectively, and Lakes Ontario is 17 inches higher, than they were at this time last year. Lakes Superior, Michigan-Huron, St Clair, Erie & Ontario are 4, 9, 14, 13 & 4 inches, respectively, above their long term June average. All the lakes remain well below their June record highs. - In a month’s time Lakes Superior & Michigan-Huron are forecast to be up 1 & 2 inches
Coastal wetlands can be found throughout the Great Lakes Basin along mainland, island and major channel shorelines. These wetlands are important ecological features that protect and improve water quality, provide habitats for fish and wildlife, protect us from flooding & drought, and help mitigate the effects of climate change. Georgian Bay has by far the most extensive and (globally) significant wetlands of all the Great Lakes. Despite their importance, coastal wetlands continue to be lost due to disturbances from agriculture, shoreline development, pollution, invasive species, and the compounding impacts of climate change. Environment and Climate Change Canada (ECCC) recently wrapped up a 5-year coastal resiliency study and, through a recent webinar series, shared the finding
GBA submitted objections to the developers Species at Risk (SAR) plans in 2019 (see the GBA submission here), and is pleased to see this well-crafted follow up by the Township of Georgian Bay attaching the updated report from North South Environmental, see: - Letter to MECP on SAR with North South Environmental Report - May 2 2022 - The SAR plan was completed in conjunction with an approval to develop a trailer park on a 165-acre property at Macey Bay just off Honey Harbour that contains environmentally sensitive wetlands. Read more here: https://georgianbay.ca/georgian-bay-planning-issues/
For the first time in three years, the Pearl Mist pulled to port at the Parry Sound Town Dock. This cruise ship that tours the Great Lakes and St. Lawrence Seaway holds 210 passengers and 70 crew members will be returning to Parry Sound nine times through June, July and August. See the schedule here. - In July, the HMCS Oriole will also be visiting Parry Sound. Her Majesty’s Canadian Ship (HMCS) Oriole is a tall ship commissioned in 1954, and is the oldest ship in the Royal Canadian Navy. -
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
