Improving the health of coastal areas

Through the Freshwater Action Plan, we are working with the United States, the Province of Ontario and other partners to restore, protect and conserve coastal areas of the Great Lakes including wetlands and nearshore waters.

Wetlands

There are over 202,342 hectares of coastal wetlands in the Great Lakes basin. Coastal wetlands provide important ecological and economic benefits. They purify water, offer flood and shoreline protection and serve as habitat for fish, birds and other wildlife including many species at risk.

These wetlands face several threats, including residential and commercial development, invasive species, poor upstream water quality, extreme changes in water levels and climate change.

To date, we have worked with partners to assess the status of Canadian coastal wetlands, identify areas that are most at risk to degradation or loss, and explore approaches to enhance their resilience to projected future changes. Efforts under the Freshwater Action Plan are now shifting to supporting partner-led action to restore and protect coastal wetlands under greatest threat from climate change.     

Nearshore waters

The nearshore waters of the Great Lakes are the most used by Canadians, serving as a source of drinking water and recreation for millions and a critical ecological link between watersheds and the open waters of the Great Lakes.

The quality of these waters is affected by factors such as pollution from municipal wastewater treatment plants, industrial discharges, runoff from agricultural land, aquatic invasive species and climate change.

Through the Freshwater Action Plan, we have met Canada’s Great Lakes Water Quality Agreement commitment to complete the first cumulative assessment of Canadian Great Lakes nearshore waters. The assessment helps identify threats and areas that would benefit from protection, restoration or prevention efforts. Through the Freshwater Action Plan, efforts will focus on supporting partner-led action to restore and protect nearshore areas experiencing high cumulative stress.

You can access the assessments and methodology below.

• Lake Huron Canadian Nearshore Assessment, 2021
• Lake Superior Canadian Nearshore Assessment, 2020
• Lake Ontario Canadian Nearshore Assessment, 2019
• Lake Erie Canadian Nearshore Assessment, 2018
• Canadian Great Lakes Nearshore Assessment, Detailed Methodology

Related links

• Great Lakes Water Quality Agreement
• Canada-Ontario Agreement on Great Lakes Water Quality and Ecosystem Health
• Assessment of the Resilience of Great Lakes Coastal Wetlands to a Changing Climate
• Nearshore Framework
• Science at the lakeshore: measuring cumulative stress in the Canadian Great Lakes nearshore waters
• Funding for Great Lakes Protection