Collingwood Mayor Chris Carrier attended the Great Lakes St. Lawrence Cities Initiative fourth annual meeting, held July 11th to 13th in the new downtown Grand Rapids, Michigan Conference Centre. The purpose of the conference was to bring municipal leaders together to discuss and advance key strategies and actions to protect and restore the Great Lakes and St. Lawrence River. Water conservation, ballast water controls, climate change and St. Lawrence River issues were prominent topics at this year's conference.

"We are pleased to host this important conference in Grand Rapids this year on the banks of the Grand River," said George Heartwell, Mayor of Grand Rapids. "We are working to make Grand Rapids the most sustainable mid-size city in the U.S., and by bringing together mayors from around the Great Lakes and St. Lawrence, we are all working toward a common goal: to maintain and improve the quality of our water." Heartwell added.

Collingwood Mayor Chris Carrier says that he thinks Collingwood can continue to be an environmental leader. "As a surface water taker it behooves us to act sooner rather than later." Carrier added.

Mayor Carrier said Collingwood is in a situation to show meaningful leadership in the area of water conservation in light of the construction of so many new homes and housing developments. "We can lend our voice to ensure that along with new construction which requires 6 litre toilets, that home renovations/additions that include bathrooms also be required under Ontarios builidng code to utilize low flush toilets. All municipal properties can be retrofitted to have dual flush toilets, 3 litre and 6 litres. We could ban the use of 1 litre platic water filled bottles on municipal property and require employees to use tap water instead thus protecting regional aquifers from commercial depletion." Carrier said, adding that Collingwood can continue its program to prevent stormwater infiltration into the town's waste water distribuition system. "We could go to alternate watering days for lawn care maintenance, use timers, and assist homeowners with rebates for water conservation" Carrier stated, saying that doing so would be more cost effective than expanding infrastructure.

Mayor Carrier pointed out that the City of Toronto has clearly demonstrated that the cost benefit in infrastructure renewal programmes and water conservation is more cost effective than expanding existing water and waste water facilities.

Work already completed to clean up Collingwood's harbour has already resulted in the town receiving international recognition. "It was with immense pride to hear that Collingwood is one of three communities to be delisted on the International Joint Commission and Federal Governments of both countries who had determined forty-three sites within both countries that were areas of concern with respect to water quality ie. our harbour." Carrier said. "That being said we were told more sites could be added and little progress on the remaining sites are occuring" Carrier added.

As the world's largest source of fresh water, the Great Lakes and St. Lawrence River are essential to the continued vitality of cities, townships, villages and counties along their shores. The Great Lakes and St. Lawrence River represent nearly 20 percent of the world's surface freshwater supply and provide drinking water for more than 40 million United States and Canadian citizens. According to the Great Lakes Environmental Research Laboratory, over the past ten years water levels on Lake Superior have dropped more than two feet, and by more than three feet on Lake Michigan and Lake Huron. Lake water levels are projected to go down again this year.

Collingwood residents only have to visit Sunset Point to see first hand, how water levels have dropped. Again this year, swimming is prohibited along the eastern portion of Sunset Point Park due to low water levels.

"We need to do more to conserve water and use it efficiently," said Toronto Mayor David Miller. Miller is the chairman and director of the Great Lakes St. Lawrence Cities Initiative. "As mayors we need to encourage cities and towns to develop initiatives such as those in Chicago and Toronto that promote water conservation" Miller added. Ontario Environmental Commissioner Gord Miller focused on recent developments in Canada and the role of cities in resource protection and restoration.

Founded by Chicago Mayor Richard Daley in 2003 and headquartered in Chicago, the Great Lakes and St. Lawrence Cities Initiative is a binational coalition of mayors and other local officials that works actively with federal, state, tribal and provincial governments to advance the protection and restoration of the Great Lakes and St. Lawrence River. Toronto Mayor David Miller is chairman and director of the coalition. Grand Rapids' Mayor George Heartwell is the Secretary and Director. David Ullrich, who has visited Collingwood in the past, is the executive director. Ullrich is a former deputy regional administrator for the Great Lakes region of the U.S. EPA. The Great Lakes and St. Lawrence Cities Initiative has nearly 100 participating cities.