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| Ontario’s Great Lakes support a valuable commercial fishing industry. |
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| The Great Lakes are used extensively for shipping. |
In Ontario, our economy and way of life are tied to the Great Lakes.
More than 98 per cent of Ontario residents — 11 million people — live within the Great Lakes Basin. Most live near the shores, in eight of Canada’s 20 largest cities, which include Toronto, Hamilton, Windsor and Sarnia.
The people of Ontario depend on the Great Lakes for their drinking water. Over 70 per cent, or three out of four residents, get their drinking water from the Lakes.
The Great Lakes power Ontario’s industries. They provide water for factories, farming, pulp and paper production, and power generation. Lake winds power turbines to create electricity, while deep beneath the bottoms of some lakes lie stores of oil and natural gas. The Lakes are used extensively for shipping iron ore, coal, and even grain for overseas markets. Some of the world’s largest shipping ports, including Thunder Bay, are located on the Great Lakes. The Lakes also support many related jobs and businesses, and a thriving tourism and recreation industry.
Ontario’s Great Lakes support many valuable fisheries. The commercial fisheries for yellow perch and walleye on Lake Erie are among the largest and most valuable in North America. The Great Lakes and the rivers that flow into them are also visited each year by more than two million anglers who come from around the world to enjoy fishing for walleye, bass, trout and salmon. Some Great Lakes, like Lake Huron, support freshwater aquaculture or fish farming (rainbow trout).
There are more than 60 Aboriginal communities situated around the Great Lakes Basin. Many of these communities are involved in fishing for food and several participate in Ontario's commercial fishery.
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| Family fishing for walleye. |
For many of us, the Great Lakes are important to our enjoyment and well-being. Every year, more than 1.5 million recreational boaters travel the waters of the Great Lakes. The Lakes also provide beautiful beaches and natural getaways for vacationers, tourists and cottagers.
Our use and enjoyment of the Great Lakes is also the source of their greatest pressure. Pollution, loss of habitat for plant and animal species, and aquatic invasive species are all threats to the balance of life in Great Lakes ecosystems. Climate change also has the potential to change the Great Lakes, possibly forever.
Fortunately, this international resource is protected and managed by several international and federal-provincial agreements.
Photography:
Great Lakes freighter: Ontario Tourism Marketing Partnership Corporation
Commercial fishermen: John M. Johnson, Ministry of Natural Resources
Family fishing for walleye: Upper Great Lakes Management Unit, MNR
