The end of the calendar year is often a time to reflect on the past and look forward. Make sure you take time during this busy season to provide the IJC with reflections on past progress toward improving Great Lakes water quality and your hopes for the future of our shared waters.
December 23, 2022, is the deadline for you to provide the IJC with input on the Canadian and United States governments’ progress toward achieving the goals of the Great Lakes Water Quality Agreement.
Last chance to complete the online survey
As part of its responsibilities under the Agreement, the IJC gathers public input on the Canadian and US governments’ 2022 Progress Report of the Parties (PROP). The IJC developed an online survey with questions to gather your general and specific comments on the PROP and government programs under the Agreement. You have until December 23 to complete the survey.
Fall public input webinar series ends December 13
Tuesday, December 13, 2022, is the last session of the IJC’s series of webinars to receive public comment. This final webinar will focus on the health of the St. Lawrence River.
The IJC’s public input webinar series started November 9 with a meeting focused on Lake Superior, followed by meetings about Lake Michigan, Lake Huron, Lake Erie and Lake Ontario.
Webinar participants were prompted to reflect on the current reality they see on their lake, identify ways to gather additional knowledge and build capacity to address key issues, and identify opportunities to improve future Great Lakes water quality protection.
Overall, public comments focused on better understanding watershed impacts (such as upstream activities on lake tributaries and potential downstream consequences to newly cleaned-up and protected coastal areas); implications of climate change; impacts of industry, contaminants and nutrient runoff; the critical need for stewardship, education and communication; and general interest in expanding governments programs under the Agreement to ensure lake trends are all improving.
Participants were provided virtual worksheets to share their written feedback in addition to (or in lieu of) verbal remarks; the deadline for submitting virtual worksheets is December 23, 2022.
IJC public input webinar meeting facilitator Mathieu Courchene (of Hunter-Courchene Group) reviews discussion questions during the IJC’s Lake Huron public input webinar on November 22. Credit: IJC
Don’t hold back: Share your input with the IJC
Through the December 23 deadline, interested individuals also can provide written input by emailing commission@ijc.org or via the online submission form.
Your input is very valuable to the IJC. Following the conclusion of this public engagement period, the IJC will write its Triennial Assessment of Progress report, assessing progress made by the governments toward achieving objectives of the Great Lakes Water Quality Agreement. Your feedback will be considered by the IJC to inform its 2023 report. Make sure you have your opportunity to reflect on Great Lakes water quality progress and submit your input before the December 23 deadline.
Allison Voglesong Zejnati is public affairs specialist at the IJC’s Great Lakes Regional Office in Windsor, Ontario.
