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Peter Van Loan Delivers Additional and Long
Term Funding for Lake Simcoe's Environment
Conservative Government Announces Additional
$18 Million
For Immediate Release
February 16, 2008
(Barrie, Ontario) –
The Honourable John Baird, Minister of the
Environment, and the Honourable Peter Van
Loan, Member of Parliament for York-Simcoe,
announced that the Government of Canada is
providing new funding to restore and protect
Lake Simcoe’s environment. The
announcement of the additional $18 million
builds on the unprecedented $12 million that
was announced in Budget 2007. This
brings the Government’s total investment to
$30 million over five years.
“I am very pleased that the Government has
delivered on a commitment I made to work to
protect Lake Simcoe’s environment,” said Van
Loan. “After years of inadequate funding,
the Conservative Government is taking action
to improve the water we drink, clean
polluted waters, protect our ecosystems and
ensure the sustainability of our fish
resources,” he continued.
Today’s announcement is part of Canada’s $93
million action plan to improve water quality
and to protect our precious lakes, rivers
and oceans. By investing another $18 million
over five years to support the preservation,
protection, and clean up of Lake Simcoe, the
Government is taking real action to improve
the health of the lake.
Peter Van Loan has long been a champion of
Lake Simcoe’s environment. In 2006, as one
of the New Conservative Government’s first
actions, Peter Van Loan successfully
delivered on mandatory rules to protect the
Lake Simcoe ecosystem from the threat of
invasive species.
Other new clean water initiatives from Peter
Van Loan and the Conservative Government
have included banning the dumping of sewage
and other waste from water craft, and new
rules virtually banning phosphates (a major
cause of harm to lake water quality) from
dishwasher detergent.
Lake Simcoe provides drinking water to eight
municipalities and is known for its
recreation industry, which generates more
than $200 million in annual revenues. The
region supports farming and recreational
fishing and has recently undergone
significant increased urban development. Mr.
Van Loan credited the support of numerous
citizens’ organizations and groups within
York-Simcoe in making this funding a
reality.
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For further information contact:
Darlene Stone
Member's Assistant
(613) 996-7752
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