by Darlene Coyle, Environmental Policy and Planning Lead

In September, local candidates and voters in Ontario showed up at the polls to drive local change for their freshwater and shoreland health. Many people participated in Watersheds Canada’s “Engaging Municipal Elected Officials to Protect our Freshwater” webinar.  A year later, we want to look back at the priorities voters saw going into municipal election time and how we can help you bring important resources and programs to your elected officials.

During the webinar, we provided participants with important environmental perspectives and questions to bring to prospective decision-makers. Following the election, we are continuing this momentum by sharing the great insight we received from our virtual audience when specifically asked: 

“What waterfront issues are on your mind?”

• Lack of participation/involvement by municipal governments.
• Funding for restoration projects.
• Extreme weather events (flooding and erosion).
• Invasive species management (goldfish, carp species, goldfish-carp hybrids, Eurasian water milfoil).
• Plastic pollution, threatened species, algae blooms.
• By-law enforcement (inadequate shoreline setbacks).
• Educating all waterfront owners on shoreline restoration and participating in programs to enhance & restore them.
• Pushback from waterfront landowners against environmental protection legislation.
• Development impacts from short term rentals.
• Protecting environmental protection zones and wetlands from new development.
• Monitoring changing pollution levels from new subdivisions.
• Well water protection.

Watersheds Canada needs your involvement to keep municipal engagement going strong for the future protection of our lakes, rivers and shorelands. Download our resources and share them with your elected officials and neighbours or contact us to discuss a collaboration.  

Our Planning for our Shorelands (PFOS) program delivers webinars, workshops, and best practices resources that address very common and complex problems facing waterfront communities today. Please encourage your municipal planners and elected officials to join our mailing list for upcoming events or email info@watersheds.ca to request a presentation to your municipality or organization! 

 

Missed the “Engaging Municipal Elected Officials to Protect our Freshwater” recording? Check it out here: