InnisfilToday welcomes letters to the editor at [email protected]a or via the website. Please include your full name, daytime phone number and address (for verification of authorship, not publication). The following letter is from Minister of the Environment, Conservation and Parks Andrea Khanjin, who is also the MPP for Barrie-Innisfil, about provincial government funding to protect Lake Simcoe.
As a proud Barrie resident, Lake Simcoe is part of my identity just as it is for the many people who call this region home.
It provides us with our drinking water, our ability to grow local food, supports tourism year-round, including holding the title of the ice capital of Ontario.
It touches 20 municipal boundaries and is the largest lake in southern Ontario outside of the Great Lakes, contributing an estimated $922.7 million annual to Ontario’s economy.
The importance of Lake Simcoe cannot be understated. That is why I am committed to protecting it and ensuring that it remains a jewel of our community.
For example, through the Lake Simcoe Protection Plan a 10-year report on the lake, indicates that the health of the lake is improving as a result of the actions that collectively we have taken to safeguard it.
Our government has partnered with local organizations and research institutes to support key priority actions that are working towards the best possible outcomes for the Lake Simcoe watershed. This includes funding for research and monitoring to track change over time, working with the Lake Simcoe Conservation Authority, and sharing information to support evidence-based decision making for the health of the lake.
Recently, in one of my first acts as minister, I announced an investment of $1.3 million to protect Lake Simcoe working in partnership with conservation leaders like the Lake Simcoe Region Conservation Authority. This builds on the over $40 million our government has invested to protect Lake Simcoe since we came to office in 2018.
This includes $24 million earmarked for a phosphorus reduction facility, which our government is committed to building with help of municipal partners.
Our government in the 2023 fall economic statement has also announced $200 million into upgrades to critical storm-water infrastructure. This will help reduce the flow of phosphorus into Lake Simcoe and other lakes in the province. This is just one of many ways our government is building Ontario’s resiliency and protecting our natural heritage.
The people of Barrie-Innisfil have given me the great honour and privilege to be your voice at Queen’s Park. Premier Ford appointing me to cabinet has allowed me to continue to work on your behalf and the people of Ontario to protect our environment. As your MPP and minister, I will ensure Lake Simcoe is protected now and for future generations to come.
Andrea Khanjin, Barrie-Innisfil MPP
Minister of the Environment, Conservation and Parks