Ontario Pledges $24 Million for Holland Marsh Pollution Reduction Project
Minister of Environment, Conservation and Parks David Piccini was in Bradford Wednesday morning to announce the government’s commitment of $24M over the next three years to the recycling facility project |
On April 20th Transportation Minister Caroline Mulroney and Environment Minister David Piccini announced that the Province will provide $24 million for the Holland Marsh phosphorous pollution reduction project!
This project represents the single largest action we can take to reduce Lake Simcoe’s phosphorous pollution. In 2020, the Government of Canada pledged $16 million for this project. With the combined support of our federal and provincial governments, this $40 million project is now fully funded.
A big thank you to Councillors Dave Neeson and Jonathan Scott who led the campaign to persuade all of Lake Simcoe’s municipalities to pass resolutions requesting the Government of Ontario to fund this project. And a special thank you to all our supporters who asked our municipal and provincial leaders to support this vital initiative to help clean-up Lake Simcoe.
Many thanks to Ministers Mulroney and Piccini for supporting the funding of the Holland Marsh Pollution Reduction Project.
NEXT STEPS
In 2009, the Government of Ontario released its Lake Simcoe Protection Plan (LSPP) which calls for Lake Simcoe’s phosphorous pollution to be reduced by 55% to 44 tonnes per year to reduce weeds and algae blooms, and to protect our cold-water fishery (e.g., lake trout, white fish).
Despite the fact that the LSPP was released 13 years ago, the provincial government has still not developed a plan or a budget to reduce Lake Simcoe’s phosphorous pollution to 44 tonnes per year. And sadly, in the absence of any plan, Lake Simcoe’s phosphorous pollution has risen by 30% since 2009.
Lake Simcoe Watch is asking the Government of Ontario to develop a plan and a budget to achieve the 44 tonne target by 2030. Our call has been endorsed by Andrea Horwath (NDP), Steven Del Duca (Liberal) and Mike Schreiner (Green).
WHAT YOU CAN DO
Please contact Caroline Mulroney and David Piccini and thank them for persuading the Government of Ontario to provide funding for the Holland Marsh phosphorous reduction project.
Please also ask them to persuade the Government of Ontario to develop a plan and a budget to reduce Lake Simcoe’s phosphorous pollution to 44 tonnes per year by 2030. Thank you!
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