The Niagara Peninsula Conservation Authority (NPCA) is pleased to announce the receipt of federal funding through Environment and Climate Change Canada’s Great Lakes Protection Initiative. The NPCA will receive $140,000 throughout the next two years to support collaboration, coordination, and involvement toward improving the Niagara River’s water quality and ecosystem health.

“The Government of Canada is pleased to support projects like these that lead to innovation and action on the ground, and positive, measurable results in our Great Lakes. We value these efforts to ensure Canadians have safe and secure fresh water, which is critical for human health, the environment, and the economy,” said The Honourable Jonathan Wilkinson, Minister of Environment and Climate Change.

Since the late 1980s, the Niagara River has been identified as one of 43 severely degraded locations in the Great Lakes, called Areas of Concern. The Canada-U.S. Great Lakes Water Quality Agreement and the Canada-Ontario Agreement on Great Lakes Water Quality and Ecosystem Health called for the development of locally driven Remedial Action Plans (RAPs) to guide the efforts toward restoring water quality and ecosystem health at these locations.

The NPCA has been an active participant in the Niagara River RAP since its inception and became the host organization for coordinating activities in 1999. “This funding is critical for the NPCA to continue leading the efforts to improve the Niagara River alongside our local partners,” explained Chandra Sharma, CAO and Secretary-Treasurer at NPCA. “We’re proud to be fostering collaboration and information exchange between partners and the public through this important initiative.”

The Niagara River RAP partners continue to work together on remaining actions necessary to address five remaining ecosystem challenges related to fish consumption advisories, the degradation of fish and wildlife populations, water quality related to swimming, contaminated sediment, and habitat loss. The goal is to remove the Niagara River from the list of Great Lakes’ Areas of Concern.

To learn more about the Niagara River Remedial Action Plan, visit www.ourniagarariver.ca. For information about the Great Lakes Protection Initiative, visit Canada.ca/great-lakes-protection.

For more information about the Niagara Peninsula Conservation Authority, please visit www.npca.ca.

About Niagara River Remedial Action Plan (RAP):

The Niagara River RAP is a community-based initiative that involves various organizations (federal, provincial, municipal government, First Nations, Métis Nation of Ontario, the NPCA, non-government organizations, scientists, and interested citizens) working together to restore and protect water quality and ecosystem health in the Niagara River. For more information, visit www.ourniagarariver.ca

This project is being undertaken, in part, with the financial support of Environment and Climate Change Canada.

About NPCA:

The Niagara Peninsula Conservation Authority (NPCA) is a community-based natural resource management agency that works to protect, enhance, and sustain healthy watersheds. With 60 years of experience, the NPCA offers watershed programs and services that focus on flood and hazard management, source water protection, species protection, ecosystem restoration, community stewardship, and land management.

The NPCA is one of 36 Conservation Authorities in the Province of Ontario and manages 41 Conservation Areas within the Niagara Peninsula watershed held in public trust for recreation, heritage preservation, conservation, and education. These natural and shared greenspaces marry nature, culture, and adventure to create limitless opportunities for discovery.

Questions related to the above release should be directed to:
Erika Navarro, Communications Specialist
905.788.3135 ext.262
Mobile: 905-650-4027
enavarro@npca.ca

Questions specific to the Niagara River Remedial Action Plan should be directed to:
Natalie Green, Project Manager
905.788.3135 ext.243
ngreen@npca.ca