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Environment Minister, David Anderson, Responds to International Joint Commission Report on the Great Lakes Basin Ecosystem

TORONTO (Ontario) - July 26, 2000 -- The Government of Canada welcomes the release of the International Joint Commission's 10th Biennial Report on Great Lakes water quality.

The Canada-U.S. Great Lakes Water Quality Agreement, provides direction to governments on actions needed to restore and maintain the chemical, physical and biological integrity of the Great Lakes Basin ecosystem. The Agreement also assigned the International Joint Commission (IJC) an evaluative role in monitoring progress toward the achievement of the Agreement's objectives.

"The Government of Canada remains strongly committed to the Great Lakes Water Quality Agreement and appreciates the on-going work of the International Joint Commission," said Environment Minister David Anderson. "We support the IJC's call for continued progress on the clean-up of the Great Lakes."

"Last week we announced the $30 million Great Lakes Sustainability Fund. The current program focuses on 16 areas of concern, including Hamilton Harbour, Bay of Quinte, Detroit River (Canadian side), Niagara River (Canadian side), and Severn Sound. Progress has been made," said Environment Minister David Anderson. "The fund will accelerate the cleanup and restoration of environmental quality in the Great Lakes Basin. The Great Lakes are cleaner now than they have been in 50 years."

"I am also pleased to note that the Government of Ontario has recently responded positively to my invitation to open negotiations on a new Canada-Ontario Agreement Respecting the Great Lakes Basin Ecosystem," stated Minister Anderson. "A new agreement will enable us to better coordinate the activities of the federal and provincial governments as well as with our many partners at the community level."

Every two years, the IJC prepares a report which reviews the effectiveness of programs and progress. In its Tenth Biennial Report on Great Lakes Water Quality, the IJC makes direct recommendations regarding consumption of contaminated sport fish, contaminated sediment, airborne toxic substances, urbanization, alien invasive species and monitoring and information management.

Further information is available:

• a copy of the IJC report
• Great Lakes contaminated fish information
• Environment Canada information on the Great Lakes

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