Protecting and restoring critically important Great Lakes coastal areas is a priority under the Government of Canada’s Great Lakes Freshwater Ecosystem Initiative.
This initiative aims to support and promote local action to enhance water quality, ecosystem health, and the climate resilience of coastal areas.
Discover how communities and partners across the Great Lakes are driving real, on-the-ground change through the Great Lakes Freshwater Ecosystem Initiative (GLFEI).
This StoryMap brings their work to life by showcasing the places, people, and projects that are making a difference across the Great Lakes.
Explore how GLFEI partners are monitoring change, restoring habitat, empowering communities, and strengthening the health of coastal ecosystems throughout the Great Lakes.
Select the image below to open up the story map in a new tab.
2025 Annual Coastal Symposium and Webinar
Since its launch in 2024, the Canada Water Agency (CWA) has been working to share and mobilize knowledge across the Great Lakes region with support from Toronto and Region Conservation Authority (TRCA).
The second annual Great Lakes coastal symposium was held in Burlington in December 2025, bringing together nearly 80 researchers and practitioners for a day of learning, collaboration, and networking.
It featured presentations and panel discussions focused on coastal resilience, restoration and adaptation approaches, science and modelling, and collaboration and engagement.
View Symposium Slides
Select the thumbnail below to download the slides.
In October 2025, a webinar was held to showcase 10 new projects that were awarded funding through the Great Lakes Freshwater Ecosystem Initiative to restore and protect critically important coastal areas in 2025-2026.
More than 100 people attended from across the Great Lakes.
View the Webinar Recording
View the Webinar Slides
Select the thumbnail below to download the slides.
2024 Annual Coastal Symposium
Held in November 2024, this inaugural symposium brought together more than 80 people from across the Canadian Great Lakes for a day of learning and collaboration.
It featured 13 presentations, including presentations on each of the nine projects that were awarded multi-year funding to restore and protect critically important coastal areas in 2024-2025.
View Symposium Slides, Summary Report
& Highlights Summary
Select the thumbnails below to download the documents.
Symposium slides
Summary report
Highlights summary
Contact
- For questions about this webpage, please contact TRCA Watershed Planning and Ecosystem Science: wpes@trca.ca.
- For questions about the Government of Canada’s Great Lakes Freshwater Ecosystem Initiative, please contact: GreatLakes-GrandsLacs@cwa-aec.gc.ca.