Canada to spend $800,000 to improve Saint Lawrence River water quality

Canadian Environment Minister Steven Guilbeault was in Repentigny, Que. on World Water Day to announce $800,000 in funding to improve water in the Saint Lawrence River.

World Water Day was created by the United Nations in 1993, and the theme for 2024 is "Water for Peace."

The day is meant as a celebration of water and awareness about the global crisis.

The money from the Environment Ministry is being used for initiatives under the Community Interaction Program, which is part of the Saint Lawrence Action Plan that began in 2011 and runs until 2026.

"The Saint Lawrence is at the heart of the social, economic and cultural life of Quebecers, and it is their main source of drinking water," said Guilbeault. "Its unique ecosystem and habitats remind us of the importance of supporting community projects to preserve biodiversity and protect fresh water in Canada."

The money will be split between the following projects:

• The Comité ZIP (priority intervention zone) des Seineuries ($200,000) to plant shrubs and remove invasive common water reeds, which thrive on Île-Lebel in Repentigny.
• The Comité ZIP du Haut-Saint-Laurent ($97,000) to carry out invasive alien plant control and restore vegetation to improve marsh water quality and protect biodiversity on Île-Perrot, southwest of Montreal.
• The Abenaki Council of Odanak ($75,000) to begin the second phase of a project to build a stream to raise water levels, improve the circulation of the Yellow Perch and increase the fish's habitat size.

"The wildlife developments at the Odanak marshes improve the breeding and nursery habitats for Yellow Perch and make them more accessible, contributing to efforts to restore the Yellow Perch population in Lake Saint-Pierre," said Odanak Environment and Land Office project manager Theo Allart. "This work, while essential, must be carried out as part of a collective effort to ensure the healthy use of the natural habitats of Lake Saint-Pierre and its floodplain."

There are currently 12 ZIP committees along the Saint Lawrence River.

The Community Interaction Program is a joint project between Canada and Quebec's environment ministries.