The Great Lakes are vulnerable. The worst sites of toxic pollution in the Great Lakes are the Areas of Concern. These are places so heavily polluted by raw sewage, contaminated sediment, invasive species, habitat and wetland destruction that the damage threatens the ecosystem, the economy, water quality, and the health of our communities. By increasing funding and attention to healing these sites we can build a vibrant and encouraging future for our children.

In 1987, Canada and the United States introduced the concept of Areas of Concern (AOC) to the Great Lakes Water Quality Agreement (GLWQA). These toxic ‘hot spots’ face degraded health of fish, birds and animals, drinking water consumption advisories, contaminated sediments, restrictions on dredging and beach use, sewage overflows, and added costs to agriculture and industry because of water quality problems.

The Canadian and U.S. governments have declared 43 AOCs under the GLWQA. Twelve of these are in Ontario and five are in channels shared by Canada and the U.S. In 20 years, cleanup and restoration actions have been completed for only five AOCs.Three of these have been delisted (Collingwood and Severn Sound, both in Ontario, and Oswego in New York State) and two have been declared to be in a “recovery stage” (Spanish Harbour in Ontario and Presque Isle Bay in Pennsylvania).

In order to restore the AOCs, the federal governments and the public committed to develop a remedial action plan (RAP) for each AOC. During the RAP process, they define the environmental problems (Stage 1), develop a plan with remedial and regulatory measures to correct the problems (Stage 2), and implement the plan and monitor progress with the objective of delisting the AOC (Stage 3). For a quick review of the status of Canada’s AOCs, please see the chart on the back of this sheet.

The GLWQA states that the federal government will work with state and provincial governments on the RAP process, yet they have been remiss in providing strategies, clarity about requirements, and funding for clean up and restoration, placing the burden on local communities. The federal and provincial governments must follow through on the commitments made in the Agreement and assume responsibility for completing this job.

The public is supportive of restoring the Great Lakes AOCs. Volunteers have committed thousands of hours in planning, clean up, and restoration efforts. In addition, recent public opinion research shows the environment is the top issue facing Canada, and toxic chemicals and water quality are top concerns. The public is in favour of more government spending for the Great Lakes.

By funding recovery of Canada’s Areas of Concern, our Great Lakes will be a healthier, cleaner and safer place to live, work, and play. Every day we wait, problems will get worse and the solutions will cost us more than just dollars. It will cost us and countless other species a beautiful, irreplaceable, national treasure.