WHEREAS Lake Simcoe is one of Ontario's largest watersheds, home to First Nations since time immemorial, and situated in the growing Greater Toronto Area communities of Simcoe County, York Region, Durham Region, and the cities of Barrie and Orillia;
WHEREAS the watershed faces threats due to eutrophication, largely from phosphorus runoff and other contaminants into the lake and its tributaries;
WHEREAS the lake is a significant source of drinking water, as well as being integral for local recreation, tourism, agriculture and other key economic drivers;
WHEREAS the previous Conservative federal government funded a "Lake Simcoe Clean-Up Fund" of $65 million over 10 years between 2007-2017, but that fund has not been renewed by the current government;
WHEREAS during the 2019 federal election, the Hon. Chrystia Freeland MP committed $40 million over 5 years towards Lake Simcoe;
WHEREAS during the 2021 federal election, the Liberal Party of Canada committed to "Implement a strengthened Freshwater Action Plan, including an historic investment of $1 billion over 10 years. This plan will provide essential funding to protect and restore large lakes and river systems, starting with the Great Lakes-St. Lawrence River System, Lake Simcoe...";
WHEREAS the Conservative Party of Canada also committed to re-funding the Lake Simcoe Clean-Up Fund in the 2019 and 2021 general elections with an investment of $30 million over five years;
WHEREAS further to the Minister of the Environment and Climate Change's mandate letter, which directs the Minister to "...establish a Canada Water Agency and implement a strengthened Freshwater Action Plan, including a historic investment to provide funding to protect and restore large lakes and river systems, starting with the Great Lakes-St. Lawrence River System, Lake Simcoe...";
WHEREAS the 2022 federal budget included a new "Freshwater Action Fund" with a one-year commitment of $19.6 million to help watersheds across the country, including Lake Simcoe, but any details and next steps are still to be announced;
NOW THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that the Council of the Town of Georgina:
1. Supports federal funding for Lake Simcoe that represents a significant percentage of the overall Freshwater Action Plan Fund, with funding and details beginning in the 2023 that would honour Minister Freeland's commitment to Lake Simcoe of $40 million over 5 years;
2. Asks that such federal funding be used to undertake:
a. Shoreline mitigation and restoration, including in the tributaries of the Holland River, Maskinonge River, Black River, Pefferlaw River and the Holland Marsh;
b. The assistance of the federal government to achieve up to or more than 40 percent high quality natural cover;
c. Projects to ameliorate contaminated sites in the watershed such as the Thane Smelter Site in the Town of Georgina;
d. Upgrades to help retrofit and improve the environmental efficiency of municipal infrastructure such as wastewater and stormwater facilities;
e. Purchasing and conservation of more natural heritage sites such as forests and wetlands under the auspices of the Lake Simcoe Region Conservation Authority (LSRCA); and
3. That a copy of this resolution, along with a letter from the Mayor, be sent to the federal Minister of Finance; the Minister of the Environment and Climate Change; the President of the Treasury Board; the Members of Parliament for York-Simcoe, Newmarket-Aurora, Barrie-Springwater-
Oro-Medonte, Barrie-Innisfil, Simcoe North, Haliburton-Kawartha Lakes-
Brock, and Durham; and to all Lake Simcoe-region municipalities and the LSRCA, with a request for their endorsement."