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Delivering Results for Lake Simcoe
Budget 2007
Allocates Unprecedented $12 million for Lake
Simcoe’s Environment
Innisfil Scope
March 20, 2007
By Peter Van Loan, MP, York-Simcoe
You have told me that the health and
well-being of Lake Simcoe is one of your
greatest concerns. As your Member of
Parliament, I have listened to your concerns
and worked hard to see Lake Simcoe's
environment protected for generations to
come. I am happy to report that Budget 2007
allocates an unprecedented $12 million in
Federal funds over two years to restore and
protect Lake Simcoe’s environment.
Lake Simcoe is important in the lives of
York-Simcoe residents. It provides drinking
water for many of us. It is our playground –
in summer and in winter. It defines our
landscape and our lives in York-Simcoe. We
want Lake Simcoe’s environment to be
protected and preserved. This funding will
help us to do that.
Through the hard work of volunteer groups
and the Lake Simcoe Conservation Authority,
many lake remediation initiatives have been
delivered. But far more have been identified
as needing to be done. The resources
required simply have not been available. At
least not until now.
Canada’s New Government has delivered
results where the Liberals failed to act for
13 years. We are doing what we said we would
do - and Lake Simcoe's environment will be
better protected as a result. The funding
specifically earmarked for Lake Simcoe is a
first. While federal politicians have
previously said they cared about Lake
Simcoe, the funding never flowed. They never
got the job done. Currently, annual funding
for Lake Simcoe is only just over $1
million, mostly from municipalities and the
Conservation Authority. The federal funding
represents a 533% increase in the available
funds for Lake Simcoe’s environment. If the
Province then steps up to match these funds,
we will be able to do even more.
These results would not have been possible
without the help of numerous volunteer
organizations who have committed their time
and efforts to protecting and enhancing the
health of Lake Simcoe’s environment. These
organizations include; Rescue Lake Simcoe
Coalition, the Wave, the Ladies of the Lake,
Lake Simcoe Region Conservation Authority
and Foundation and the South Simcoe and
York-Simcoe Naturalists.
I’m pleased that my work on this issue has
met with success. We are delivering results
for Lake Simcoe’s environment. It is a
change for the better!
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