Government of Canada Takes Action to Clean Up the St. Clair River

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News Release / Government of Canada Takes Action to Clean Up the St. Clair River

Davidson and Baird Deliver for Sarnia-Lambton

 

 

 

SARNIA, Ontario, February 23, 2008 - Canada's Environment Minister, John Baird, and Pat Davidson, Member of Parliament for Sarnia-Lambton, announced today that the Government of Canada is investing up to $3.3 million to clean up the St. Clair River.

 

"Our Government recognizes the need for action to protect and improve the health of Canada's freshwater," said Minister Baird. "Cleaning up contaminated sediment from waterways such as the St. Clair River is good for our communities, our families, and our environment. "

 

Together with the Province of Ontario and in consultation with local stakeholders, the Government of Canada will develop a sediment management strategy for the site. Remedial options could include capping and/or dredging, disposal of contaminated sediment and long-term monitoring. The clean-up project will begin in 2010 and be completed by 2012.

 

"Cleaning up the St. Clair River will benefit not only ecosystem health but also the economies of local communities, including Sarnia and Walpole Island," said Mrs. Davidson. "Together with our local stakeholders, we are working to ensure a healthy and sustainable future for the nearly 170,000 citizens in this area, most of whom rely on the river for drinking water."

 

This major investment to clean up the St. Clair River is part of the Government of Canada's Action Plan for Clean Water. Recently, the Government has also taken action to protect water quality, including tough new regulations against the dumping of raw sewage and improving raw sewage treatment in municipalities and First Nation communities across Canada. These measures will help filter out substances like phosphates, which can lead to excessive blue-green algae production.

 

Backgrounder on the St. Clair River clean-up project.