A Public Advisory Group (PAG) initiated during Phase 1 was re-established for the Phase 2 of the Expedited Review to continue robust engagement with the public over the course of the review.
The Phase 2 PAG includes most of the original PAG members returning and some new members.
The central premise for the PAG is to achieve trust and transparency between the technical experts and those impacted by water level and flow conditions in the Lake Ontario – St. Lawrence River system. For Phase 2, the PAG provides a strategic component for the IJC, ILOSLRB and GLAM Committee to increase transparency, involvement, and engagement to support the evaluation of the regulation plan and provide local perspectives on the impacts of outflow regulations.
Public Advisory Group Members – Phase 2
 Canadian Members |  American Members |
|---|---|
| Jean-François Belzile Montreal Port Authority | John Boyce St. Lawrence Seaway Pilots Association |
| Ghalia Chahine Union des producteurs agricoles | Robert Cantwell Jefferson County Legislator |
| Ross Stewart Thousand Islands Association | Corey Fram Thousand Islands International Tourism Council |
| Brent Edwards Communauté métropolitaine de Montréal | Jim Howe The Nature Conservancy |
| David Speak Beaconsfield Yacht Club | John Peach Save the River/Upper St. Lawrence River Keeper |
| Cliff Steinberg Ault Island Community Association | Jonathan Shultz Niagara County |
| Abraham Francis Mohawk Council of Akwesasne | David Scudder Save Our Sodus |
| Mike French Toronto Island Community Association | Bernie Gigas Lake Ontario South Shore Engineer |
| Alain Goyette Mayor, La-Visitation-de-l’Île-Dupas | Shannon Hurlbut St. Lawrence County Environmental Management Council |
Phase 2 Public Advisory Group Terms of Reference
The Terms of Reference for the GLAM Committee's Public Advisory Group in support of Phase 2 of the Expedited Review of Plan 2014 can be read here.
PAG Workshop – October 2023
A workshop was held on October 4-5, 2023 at the Saunders Hydro Dam Visitor Centre in Cornwall, Ontario to unite the Great Lakes – St. Lawrence Adaptive Management (GLAM) Committee and its Public Advisory Group (PAG) together with representatives of the International Lake Ontario-St. Lawrence River Board (ILOSLRB) and the International Joint Commission (IJC). With an aim to achieve trust and transparency between technical experts and communities within the Great Lakes – St. Lawrence River system, the workshop discussions focused on PAG issues, stories, and concerns related to high and low water levels, as well as related communications needs and evaluation metrics associated with Phase 2 of the expedited review of Plan 2014. As the first in-person meeting of the PAG, the workshop provided opportunities for members to connect with each other and find common ground and understanding of the complexities of water level fluctuations, climate change, and outflow regulation.
To learn more about the workshop, read the newsletter article.
