Health of Lake Erie and Detroit River to be improved via federal funding

February 15, 2023. (Chris Campbell/CTV News Windsor)

Money from the federal government will assist the Essex Region Conservation Authority (ERCA) in improving the health of Lake Erie and the Detroit River.

The funding was announced by Member of Parliament Terry Duguid, who is the parliamentary secretary to Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and special advisor for water, and Member of Parliament for Windsor-Tecumseh, Irek Kusmierczyk.

“This generous funding from the Ministry of Environment and Climate Changes’ Great Lakes Fresh Water Ecosystem Initiative will have a profound impact on the well-being of our local watershed region,” said Jim Morrison, ERCA chair.

Two habitat projects will be carried out in the Detroit River area of concern. A former wetland south of Fighting Island will be restored with the construction of offshore rock berms, according to a news release. This will improve nesting wetland for birds and fish, while slowing erosion of the land.

The dyke that protects the River Canard wetlands will be rehabilitated to protect habitats for fish and wildlife.

“These two important projects will enable the habitat Beneficial Use Impairment of the Detroit River to be removed, bringing it one step closer to being delisted as an area of concern,” Morrison said.

Over in Leamington, the degraded protective barrier beach at the Hillman Marsh will be restored. The barrier will be built to withstand future prolonged lake level extremes and storm events. This will help get rid of excess waves and protect the marsh, allowing for vegetation planting.

$15 million will be going into the projects over the next four years.

“Without this significant investment from the Government of Canada, these major projects would not be able to proceed,” Morrison added.

“With increasingly violent storm events, erosion and other issues related to our rapidly changing climate, the importance of expediently implementing these protective and restorative measures cannot be overstated.”