The Land to Lake (WLO-L2L) Initiative vision is a future in which governments and resource managers along Western Lake Ontario actively collaborate and take strategic, coordinated actions towards improving water quality and ecosystem health.
Background
The watersheds along Western Lake Ontario, stretching between the Niagara River and Cobourg, are covered by the Upper Canada and Williams Treaties, and include the Traditional Territories of the Mississaugas of the Credit, Six Nations of the Grand, and the Williams Treaties First Nations. They are also the Traditional Territories of the Huron-Wendat, the Haudenosaunee, and the Anishinaabe, and are now home to many diverse First Nations, Inuit, and Métis peoples.
These lands are also some of the most densely populated areas in Canada.
Select the image below to view the full-sized map.
The WLO-L2L Initiative currently represents an area that includes:
Seven Conservation Authorities,
Eight upper or single-tier municipalities,
Twenty-seven lower-tier municipalities, and
Federal and provincial governments.
The L2L Advisory Committee is seeking to build partnerships with First Nations and Indigenous communities to incorporate their knowledge and insights.
Activities within these watersheds can negatively impact water quality and ecosystem health in the lake.
Land-based stressors such as nutrient and bacterial inputs, reduced natural cover, shoreline alterations, invasive species, and stormwater runoff are some of the key factors affecting the health of Lake Ontario, which continue to be worsened by climate change.
To address these challenges, coordinated and strategic planning and action from all levels of government and resource managers are essential.
In 2022, the Land to Lake Initiative for Western Lake Ontario was established to address these challenges collectively.
Land to Lake aims to foster stronger, more coordinated collaborations to enhance capacity for actions that improve water quality and ecosystem health in Western Lake Ontario.
The Partnership
As of 2024, the WLO-L2L Initiative Advisory Committee is made up of representatives from eight local and regional municipalities, five conservation authorities, as well as provincial and federal partners:
The L2L Advisory Committee is seeking to build partnerships with First Nations and Indigenous communities to incorporate their knowledge and insights.
Objectives
By working together, we aim to improve water quality and ecosystem health in Western Lake Ontario for current and future generations through the following objectives:
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- Improve watershed planning and ecosystem management.
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- Reduce harmful nutrient and bacterial levels in the water.
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- Enhance stormwater management.
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- Increase community education and engagement.
- Share information better to support coordinated decision-making.
Progress and Next Steps
Since 2022, the WLO L2L Initiative has:
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- Hosted a webinar to kick off the initiative.
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- Worked collaboratively to generate a workplan defining the first phase.
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- Generated outreach materials to inform public and stakeholders on the initiative.
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- Established an Advisory Committee to help direct the initiative and inform decision-making.
- Identified and provided support for three projects that strongly align with WLO-L2L objectives and mitigate priority issues related to land-based activities and pollution sources.
The WLO-L2L will host a Summit on December 3, 2024, to recap the first phase of the initiative and help with planning/direction for the next phase.
Resources
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- Summary Engagement Report: Information Webinar on the Land to Lake Initiative for Western Lake Ontario – Coming soon
Contact Information
For more information, please contact land2lake@trca.ca