Swim Drink Fish Blog
Read the latest updates and news releases about community science, water monitoring, Artists for Water, and more.
30 Reasons Why Torontonians Need Wet Weather Advisories Now
This summer, the Ontario government decided that the City of Toronto must alert the public when there are wet weather water quality concerns. But three months have passed and Toronto residents still don’t receive wet weather advisories. To highlight the importance of these alerts, we’re bringing you a new reason for every day in November – so check back often!
Your Great Lakes Climate Change Primer
Headed to Paris or watching from home, here are some great primer reports to help explain why climate change is a Great Lakes concern.
Plastic pollution
Plastics are plaguing rivers, lakes, and oceans around the world. And it doesn't appear to be slowing down. This is the first of Waterkeeper's six-part series on protecting waters, originally featured in Canadian Yachting's October 2015 issue.
It’s 2015: Why is raw sewage floating through Montreal?
Sewage is a major focus of Waterkeeper's work. With sewage bypasses happening regularly in Toronto, Waterkeeper has been watching the news surrounding Montreal's 8 billion litre sewage dump into the St. Lawrence River very closely. To comment on the issue, the organization's President and Vice-President, Mark Mattson and Krystyn Tully, wrote an op-ed for the Globe and Mail. Here is an excerpt from the article.
Waterkeeper's presentation to Toronto's PWI Committee on the Pollution Prevention Program
On November 12, 2015, Lake Ontario Waterkeeper's Public Interest Articling Fellow, Tristan Willis and Legal Practicum Student, Hannah Gladstone presented to the Public Works and Infrastructure Committee at City Hall in Toronto on the proposed change to the Pollution Prevention Program (“P2” Program). This is what we presented.
Waterkeeper Mark Mattson discusses sewage with Global TV
There's a lot of talk about sewage, especially with today's news on Montreal's massive sewage dump. And we love talking about sewage, so Global TV stopped by our office to talk with Waterkeeper Mark Mattson about sewage dumps in Montreal and Toronto.
Inside #DarlingtonNuclear, Part 4: Where do we go from here?
After 4 days and 79 interventions, the Darlington nuclear relicensing hearing came to a close last Thursday. Now able to take a step back from the marathon presentations, Hannah assesses what she witnessed. As an independent governing body, does the CNSC have the expertise and independence to make the necessary decisions?
MEDIA ADVISORY: Supreme Court of Canada asked to weigh in on future of environmental assessment law in Canada
Represented by Ecojustice and Canadian Environmental Law Association (“CELA”) – Greenpeace Canada, Lake Ontario Waterkeeper, CELA, and Northwatch are asking the Supreme Court of Canada to overturn a Federal Court of Appeal ruling that they say sets a damaging precedent for the future of environmental assessment law in Canada.
Waterkeeper's presentation at the Day 2 Darlington Nuclear Relicensing Hearing
On November 2, 2015, represented by Pippa Feinstein, Lake Ontario Waterkeeper presented to the Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission (CNSC) at the Darlington Relicensing Day 2 Hearing in Courtice, Ontario. This is what we presented.
Inside #DarlingtonNuclear, Part 3: Disclosure of Information – Too Late, and Maybe Too Little?
More than half way through the Day 2 Darlington Relicensing hearing, the focus shifts to emergency planning. When it's made clear that important information is not distributed to the public in a timely manner, Tristan questions the accuracy of the claims made by OPG or the CNSC staff and the safety of the project.