Still time to show your support for Lake Ontario and the St. Lawrence!

WWF Canada

By Kate Reilly, WWF-Canada Freshwater Intern
Over the past few weeks, we have blogged a number of times about the new plan (called Plan BV7) that the International Joint Commission (IJC)  has proposed to change how water levels and flows in Lake Ontario and the St. Lawrence are managed , and alerted readers to the public information sessions the IJC is hosting around the watershed in May and June.

Three Beluga whales (Delphinapterus leucas), St. Lawrence River, QC. © Robert Michaud / WWF-Canada

The public information sessions so far have included stops in Montreal, Sorel Tracy, Cornwall and Hamilton. WWF staff have attended a number of the sessions and it is great to see so many people from diverse walks of life taking the opportunity to learn more about the plan.
If you haven’t been able to make it to an information session, don’t worry! There are still many ways that you can make your voice heard. Our friends at Save the River have created an online petition to help individuals express their support for the plan – we encourage you to take a moment to add your name here.
You can also use and adapt the letter below and send it directly to the IJC online by June 15. This is an important moment in defining a better future for the health of Lake Ontario and the St. Lawrence River, so we encourage you to add your voice to the growing group of supporters that includes citizens, NGOs, businesses and industry. As always, keep an eye on our blog for future updates!
I write to express my strong support for Plan Bv7 and call for the full and speedy adoption of this new approach to water level regulation in Lake Ontario and the St. Lawrence River.
I support this plan because Lake Ontario and the St. Lawrence River enhance the quality of life for all citizens who live, work and recreate in and around the lake and river.  The more natural rhythms of water levels and flows proposed in Plan BV7 will benefit migrating and nesting waterfowl, key wetland habitats, beaches and dunes, and valued fish species like the northern pike.
What is most encouraging is that the benefits of Plan Bv7 are not limited to the environment – recreational boating, hunting, fishing, hydroelectric production, and commercial shipping are also strengthened under this new approach to regulation. I support this plan because it demonstrates that environmental improvements and economic development can go hand in hand.
I write to you today as a citizen of the Lake Ontario – St. Lawrence River community to voice my support for this new approach to water level regulation, which will restore the health of an ecosystem that is a global and local treasure.