Backgrounder OTTAWA, April 11, 2005 -- The Honourable Stéphane Dion, Minister of the Environment, today announced that $3.8 million from the Great Lakes Sustainability Fund, has been provided this past year to support 64 restoration projects in the Great Lakes Basin. The fund provides financial support to projects that improve the ecosystem health of 17 Canadian Areas of Concern identified as being environmentally degraded. "The Great Lakes are a priority and of particular importance to the Government of Canada," said Minister Dion. "As reflected in the 2005 Budget, we renewed our commitment to the Great Lakes through the Great Lakes Action Plan and will provide a further $40 million over the next five years. This funding will support projects like those announced today that work towards protecting the health of Canadians, restoring the quality of the environment and ensuring the long-term competitiveness of our country," added Dion. Funding for the 64 projects has been provided from the Government of Canada's Great Lakes Sustainability Fund (GLSF), which was announced in July 2000. Through the Fund, the Government of Canada has invested $24 million over the last five years to assist with the restoration of the remaining Canadian Areas of Concern. GLSF is a vital component of the Government of Canada's Great Lakes Basin 2020 Action Plan. Great Lakes Sustainability Fund projects reflect diverse and dedicated partnerships with local and provincial governments, community groups, academia and industry, and focus on an extensive range of restoration activities. These include the development and implementation of innovative strategies for improving wastewater treatment, remediation of contaminated sites, restoration of fish and wildlife habitat, and public outreach activities such as eliminating the discharge of mercury into the environment. - 30 - For more information: John Shaw Environment Canada Ph: (905) 336-6273 E-mail: John.Shaw@ec.gc.ca
