Swim Drink Fish Blog
Read the latest updates and news releases about community science, water monitoring, Artists for Water, and more.
Did you know this is a monumental week for your swimmable drinkable fishable water?
Today, I am sharing something I have never shared outside our office before. Why? Because events are unfolding this week that will affect millions of Canadians for years to come. And I thought you’d want to know.
Environmental Commissioner reports: It’s time for Toronto to notify the public of sewage discharges
Earlier this week, the Environmental Commissioner of Ontario released her annual report and agreed with Waterkeeper and the MOECC: The City of Toronto should give the public immediate notifications when sewage is released into waterways. But it's been over a year since the MOECC made this decision. What is it going to take? Mark weighs in.
What happened after we launched our first crowdfunding campaign: “Swimmable Lake Ontario”
Waterkeeper launched our first ever crowdfunding campaign: Swimmable Lake Ontario earlier this summer. But this was about more than raising money. It was about connecting Torontonians to the lake – making sure they can enjoy Toronto’s water without the threat of getting sick. Having never crowdfunded before, we didn’t know what to expect. Here's what happened.
Lake Ontario Waterkeeper and Swim Guide sign on to Public Notification for CSOs in the Great Lakes
On September 23, 2016, Waterkeepers of the Great Lakes Region, including Lake Ontario Waterkeeper and Swim Guide, signed onto comments for the “Public Notification for Combined Sewer Overflows in the Great Lakes."
$1.1 billion towards Ontario’s infrastructure and a stronger Swim Drink Fish community
Last week, the Ontario and Canadian governments announced that $1.1 billion will be invested into infrastructure upgrades across the province. Since a lot of Waterkeeper's focus has been on wastewater and water quality, it's no surprise that Mark wanted to share his thoughts on this big announcement.
Why I can’t encourage you to jump in
Tomorrow, Lake Ontario Waterkeeper is involved in two big events on Toronto’s waterfront. And unfortunately, I can’t encourage people to enter the water.
Microfibres: The microplastic causing macro-problems in global waters
There’s a lot of concern over plastics these days. Plastic pollution now accounts for 80% of all the waste in the Great Lakes. But one particular type of microplastic has long gone under the radar for years –microfibres.
Breaking barriers with one simple message: “I am Lake Ontario”
If you live in Lake Ontario’s watershed, and your drinking water comes from Lake Ontario, our new tote was made just for you! Find out why the message it carries has the ability to start a ripple across the watershed.
Muskoka Brewery and Evergreen: Two Canadian organizations teaming up to create a swimmable drinkable fishable future
We are always excited when we encounter emerging water leaders – those who choose to take action to protect their watershed. We're also excited when we find out people and organizations want to support our efforts. This summer, two organizations took interest in our recent work to monitor Toronto's inner harbour, and we couldn't be more thrilled.
Canadians heading into Rio’s polluted waters – what’s all the fuss?
With the Rio Olympics starting tonight, there's been a lot of talk about Rio's polluted waters. We've seen all of the articles – and there are a few. But one of the most perplexing and shocking things we've noticed are the comments from Canadian athletes saying it isn’t as bad as the pollution in Canada’s waters. Is this really as surprising as it sounds? Mark weighed in on this topic and shared his thoughts here.