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Environmental group says politicians have no plan for Lake Simcoe

The Lake Simcoe Protection Plan was released 10 years ago, but political leaders still don't have a plan to achieve its phosphorus pollution reduction, natural cover restoration targets
2019-02-05 Ice huts RB
Ice huts on Kempenfelt Bay where some melting was taking place on Feb. 5, 2019. Raymond Bowe/BarrieToday

NEWS RELEASE
LAKE SIMCOE WATCH
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According to the Lake Simcoe Protection Plan, to improve the water quality of Lake Simcoe (e.g., reduction of weeds and algae blooms) and to protect our cold water fishery (e.g., lake trout and whitefish) Lake Simcoe’s annual phosphorus loadings must be reduced by 50 per cent to 44 tonnes per year.

The plan also calls for at least 40 per cent of Lake Simcoe’s watershed area to consist of high quality forests, wetlands and meadows.

Unfortunately, despite the fact that the Lake Simcoe Protection Plan was released 10 years ago, our political leaders still do not have a plan to achieve its phosphorus pollution reduction and natural cover restoration targets. 

This is simply not acceptable. 

We need real action now to save the lake we love. We need a plan that will achieve these critical targets by 2026 at the latest – the health of our lake cannot wait any longer.

It is time for federal Environment Minister Catherine McKenna, York-Simcoe MPP Caroline Mulroney and York Region Chair Wayne Emmerson to work together to develop and implement a plan to save Lake Simcoe.

What you can do:

Please sign our online petition requesting that Catherine McKenna, Caroline Mulroney and Wayne Emmerson work together to reduce Lake Simcoe’s phosphorus pollution to 44 tonnes per year by 2026; and ensure that by 2026 at least 40 per cent of Lake Simcoe’s watershed consists of high-quality connected forests, wetlands and meadows.

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