Wednesday, May 13, 2026
The province of Ontario is investing $1.5 million in the Great Lakes and St. Lawrence River Basin to protect water and strengthen climate resilience.
The money will go into the Great Lakes and St. Lawrence River Cities Initiative’s new Local Blue Economy Growth Fund Program, a Government of Ontario release said.
“Ontario is proud to support the Cities Initiative to implement local, high-impact projects that will protect vital resources and improve community resilience to extreme weather,” said Minister McCarthy. “This investment empowers municipalities and First Nations to put innovative water solutions in place, safeguarding their communities against major flooding events and ensuring these vital waterways remain healthy for generations to come,” provincial minister of the environment, conservation and parks Todd McCarthy said.
By making it easier for municipalities and First Nations communities to adopt emerging stormwater and wastewater solutions, this fund demonstrates how economic growth and environmental protection can go hand in hand, delivering real benefits for residents while helping us build a strong Fresh Coast Economic Corridor,” St. Catherines mayor and Great Lakes and St. Lawrence Cities Initiative co-chair Mat Siscoe added.
The Growth Fund program assists Ontario municipalities and First Nations to invest in projects such as small-scale stormwater management technologies that capture plastics and other harmful pollutants before they enter storm drains, and green infrastructure such as buffer strips and rain gardens to help improve water quality, the release said.
