Ministers Dabrusin and Hajdu announce successful restoration of Nipigon Bay

After nearly four decades of restoration efforts, Nipigon Bay is no longer designated as a Great Lakes Area of Concern.

After nearly four decades of restoration efforts, the Honourable Julie Dabrusin, Minister of Environment, Climate Change and Nature and Minister responsible for the Canada Water Agency, alongside the Honourable Patty Hajdu, Minister of Jobs and Families and Minister responsible for the Federal Economic Development Agency for Northern Ontario, announced that Nipigon Bay is no longer designated as a Great Lakes Area of Concern.

Nipigon Bay was designated as an Area of Concern in 1987. Pollution from industrial and municipal wastewater, development in Lake Nipigon and the Nipigon River, and debris from past logging activities contributed to degraded water quality and ecosystem health.

The delisting confirms that all beneficial uses which were previously impaired have since been restored. This has led to: 

This milestone was made possible through the joint efforts of the governments of Canada and Ontario under the Canada-Ontario Agreement on Great Lakes Water Quality and Ecosystem Health. Restorations efforts included improvements to nearby wastewater treatment, industry compliance with federal and provincial regulations, enhancements to aquatic habitats through the rehabilitation and re-naturalization of nearby river flows and creeks, restoration of former wetland and spawning grounds, and the creation of new habitat. This reflects the success of sustained collaboration with Indigenous partners and local communities to restore the bay’s aquatic ecosystem and protect the Great Lakes for future generations.