The Great Lakes-St. Lawrence River Basin

Protecting Great Lakes-St. Lawrence River Basin Waters

The waters of the Great Lakes-St. Lawrence River Basin are vital to Ontario’s communities and must be protected.

The Ontario government has strengthened protection of these waters by signing on December 13, 2005, a historic agreement with Quebec and the eight Great Lakes states (Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Minnesota, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin) that share the basin with Ontario.

The Great Lakes-St. Lawrence River Basin Sustainable Water Resources Agreement establishes:

• a virtual ban on diversions
• a basin-wide environmental standard for water uses
• better conservation measures and
• an increased role for science in decision-making.

The basin-wide environmental standard will significantly increase the control of water uses in the Great Lakes states. There was previously no such standard.