Owen Sound’s First Great Lakes Coastal Cleanup a Success!

On World Rivers Day, Sunday, September 28, Owen Sound made environmental history as one of six Ontario communities selected to host the province’s first-ever Great Lakes Coastal Cleanup. 

This groundbreaking initiative was made possible through a grant from the Ontario Ministry of the Environment, Conservation and Parks, provided through Ontario’s Great Lakes Local Action Fund, and coordinated by the Great Lakes and St. Lawrence Cities Initiative. 

25 volunteers worked together to clean nearly 1 kilometre of shoreline, stretching from the Wastewater Treatment Plant to the harbour wall, including a section along Kelso Beach.  

Volunteers contributed a total of 46 hours, filling 17 bags of garbage and recycling and removing approximately 150 lbs (68 kg) of waste from the shoreline. 

An estimated 22 million pounds of plastic enter the Great Lakes every year, threatening ecosystems, wildlife, and drinking water. Owen Sound’s participation in the Coastal Cleanup helps reduce pollution at the source while raising awareness about the importance of keeping our lakes and rivers clean. 

The success of the Owen Sound cleanup was made possible thanks to the support of the Georgian Bay Folks Society’s Summerfolk team, who helped recruit volunteers, and Miller Waste, who generously provided refreshments and a garbage dumpster, along with our provincial partners for making the City’s first Coastal Cleanup a success. 

For more information, please contact Heidi Jennen, Supervisor of Environmental Services at 519-376-4440 ext. 3223 or email hjennen@owensound.ca  

Quote: 

"Owen Sound is proud to be part of Ontario’s first Great Lakes and St. Lawrence Cities Initiative Coastal Cleanup. Together with our volunteers and partners, we showed how small actions on our shoreline can make a big difference for the health of the Great Lakes." 

-Mayor Ian Boddy 

Quick Facts: 

• The Great Lakes and St. Lawrence Cities Initiative is a multinational coalition of municipal and Indigenous government executives representing communities in the Great Lakes and St. Lawrence River Region who are working to promote economic prosperity in our communities and protect our fresh water for the benefit of current and future generations.  

• With more than 350 member communities, the Cities Initiative is leading the way in advancing the environmental, economic, and social health of the region by addressing issues impacting its residents.