Minister of Environment, Conservation, Parks David Piccini announced the Ford government is investing $2.5 Million to 19 new projects to protect the Great Lakes.
This part of the Canada-Ontario Agreement on Great Lakes Water Quality and Ecosystem Health.
Piccini was joined by Minister of Agriculture and Rural Affairs and Huron Bruce MPP Lisa Thompson, and Pine River Watershed Project Supervisor Don Farrell outside the Point Clark Lighthouse Monday morning.
Piccini says it is important to work with local community groups to help clean up the Great Lakes.
Thompson says the program will involve farmers utilizing methods like soil management to avoid potential runoffs into waterways.
The funding announcement includes:
- $60,000 to the Pine River Watershed Initiative to provide outreach, guidance to local farmers and landowners to implement agricultural best practices in keeping manure out of the water.
- Five conservation authorities (Saugeen Valley, Grey Sauble, Ausable Bayfield, St. Clair Region, and Maitland Valley) will share $300,000 to provide soil management and crop production support for farmers.
- $199,800 will go to Ryerson University to assess how farming practices can reduce the amount of nutrients that enter the great lakes.
- The Ontario Soil and Crop Improvement Association is getting $265,000 to develop a Soil health Mobile Technology Suite which allows soil health experts to demonstrate the impacts of soil compaction on soil health.