A youth stewardship program led by Walpole Island First Nation is among several local initiatives receiving support through Ontario’s $7.3 million investment to protect and restore the Great Lakes and surrounding waterways.
The Thames River Youth Stewardship and Great Lakes Engagement Program, run by Walpole Island and other First Nations including Oneida Nation of the Thames, Chippewas of the Thames, and Munsee-Delaware Nation, will each receive $35,000.
In total, $175,000 is being directed to projects in Lambton-Kent-Middlesex through the Great Lakes Program and Great Lakes Local Action Fund.
“Our local waterways are at the heart of our communities, supporting everything from clean drinking water to recreation and agriculture,” said Lambton—Kent—Middlesex MPP Steve Pinsonneault. “By investing in these grassroots initiatives, our government is helping to protect the Great Lakes for future generations.”
Also receiving funding is a $35,000 initiative aimed at advancing actions toward delisting the St. Clair River Area of Concern.
“These investments empower local leadership and support long-term environmental stewardship,” said Ontario Environment Minister Todd McCarthy.
The Great Lakes hold 20 per cent of the world’s fresh surface water and are vital to the province’s economy, ecology, and cultural heritage. Since 2018, Ontario has invested more than $80 million in nearly 700 projects to protect the Great Lakes.
