MEDIA RELEASE                                                                                                              May 3, 2021

Future of our Shores report highlights need for more shoreland best-practices and education in Ontario

Watersheds Canada – In partnership with a volunteer project steering committee of the Planning for our Shorelands project, Watersheds Canada is excited to announce the availability of the project’s first report, The Future of our Shores.

The Future of our Shores provides critical insight into complicated questions related to:

• shoreland development and freshwater stewardship;
• science supporting the importance of shorelands and freshwater and its availability;
• adequacy of provincial and municipal policy and laws to protect shorelands and freshwater in Ontario; and
• effectiveness of implementation and enforcement.

The Future of our Shores highlights the most pressing shoreland issues identified by several influential stakeholders, as well as opinions concerning how these issues can and should be approached. Over 150 individuals responded to three stakeholder surveys, including one each for municipal planners, councillors, and lake and river association representatives.

There was considerable agreement amongst the three stakeholder groups, including the need for more serious application of shoreland best-practices, the need for increased education of all three stakeholder groups and the general public, and the creation of a collaborative network between the decision-makers of communities and organizations who rely upon freshwater habitats for the economic and ecological services they provide.

With an exponential increase in demand for shoreland properties and amenities, Ontario is at a critical juncture in relation to freshwater protection through land-use policy and policy implementation. The Future of our Shores represents a resource for those wanting to learn more about the current state of shoreland policy, development practices, and shoreland science in Ontario.

The goal of the Planning for our Shorelands project is to provide municipal stewards and professionals with resources as they wade through the difficult waters of shoreland management and land-use on Ontario lakes and rivers.

Planning for our Shorelands and The Future of our Shores would not be possible without the generous financial support of the Daniel and Susan Gottlieb Foundation, White Lake Preservation Project, ImpAct Internship Program, and LUSH Charity Pot. Planning for our Shorelands is guided by a volunteer steering committee including: Barbara King (Watersheds Canada), Janet Taylor (White Lake Preservation Project), Mark Snider, Glenn Tunnock, Leora Berman (The Land Between), Terry Rees (Federation of Ontario Cottagers’ Associations), Mary Rae, and Katrina Furlanetto (Cataraqui Conservation).

To access the full report and other resources, please visit watersheds.ca/planning-for-our-shorelands

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Media contact:

Robert Pye
Executive Director
Watersheds Canada
pye (at) watersheds.ca