NEWS RELEASE
LAKE SIMCOE WATCH
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Today, we are releasing our new report: Cleaning-Up Lake Simcoe: A Discussion Paper. The report outlines actions that the Government of Ontario can take to reduce Lake Simcoe’s phosphorus pollution to 44 tonnes per year by 2026.
In 2009, the Government of Ontario released its Lake Simcoe Protection Plan which called for our Lake’s phosphorus pollution to be reduced to 44 tonnes per year to protect our coldwater fishery (e.g., lake trout, whitefish) and to prevent algae blooms and excessive growth of weeds.
Unfortunately, the Province of Ontario has failed to develop a plan and a budget to achieve the 44 tonne per year target.
Even worse, Lake Simcoe’s phosphorus pollution has risen by more than 30% since the Lake Simcoe Protection Plan was released in 2009.
We are seeking feedback about our analysis and proposals from the public, local municipalities, the Lake Simcoe Region Conservation Authority, developers, farmers and our federal and provincial governments. Please let us know what you think about our report and how we can work together to clean-up Lake Simcoe.
Everyone’s feedback will be posted on our website. The deadline for submissions is April 30.
Working together we can develop the best possible plan to clean-up Lake Simcoe.
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