Good news on the horizon for Canada’s largest working river!

By Elizabeth Hendriks, Policy Advisor
In our 2009 report, “Canada’s Rivers at Risk” we featured the poor and declining health of the St. Lawrence River, where river otters, beluga whales, and more than 100 species of fish live among internationally recognized wetlands designated as UNESCO World Heritage and Ramsar sites.
The St. Lawrence system has been dammed to generate hydropower, and diverted and dredged to form the St. Lawrence Seaway, which is one of the world’s busiest shipping corridors.  Water flows and levels have been highly modified and restoration of environmental flows is a top priority to help save the 20 or more animal and plant species that are listed as vulnerable, threatened, or endangered by federal, state, or provincial governments.

In the coming months the public will get a look at a proposed new plan that is focused on restoring wetlands and ecosystem health in this Canadian aquatic icon by changing how water flows and levels are managed.  The International Joint Commission, released a fact sheet last week on the proposed new plan showing a commitment to an open and transparent public consultation process  as they work toward ensuring water for nature and water for people!  This approach, based on sound-science and collaboration between the governments of Ontario, Quebec, American States, and the Federal Governments is living proof that solutions can be found to benefit the environment and human needs.
Up next, the WWF will be keenly watching the process and waiting to review the plan when it is released.  We hope to be working with partners to build support for a plan that engages the public, improves wetlands, and returns natural flows to our national treasures – Lake Ontario and St. Lawrence River.