Toronto

 Welcome to the Sierra Club Toronto Group for Action H2O!

Torontonians are among a group of Canadians lucky to live near the shores of Lake Ontario - part of the Great Lakes ecosystem. Although there is water all around us - Lake Ontario and six major watersheds that include the Don and Humber rivers - most city dwellers remain unaware of the major issues afflicting our watersheds, and are among the highest group of residential water users per capita in the world. 
 

What are the issues affecting the Great Lakes and Toronto Waters?

Water quantity:

Although Toronto's drinking water supply is in no immediate threat, with Lake Ontario supplying our residential and commercial needs, only 1% of Great Lakes water is recharged annually by precipitation.  With growing population, high water use per capita and climate change's anticipated affects of decreased precipitation, lake levels are at risk of decreasing. 
 
Water quality:

It is likely less of a surprise for residents of Toronto that their waterways and source of drinking water is polluted - enough to warrant beach closures each summer. The Don River has been so heavily polluted with road salts it no longer freezes in winters. The problem of water pollution can be attributed mainly to urbanization: high phosphorus is attributed to combined sewer overflow during storm events that discharges raw sewage into the lake, regular discharge from sewage treatment plants and fertilizers. There are also problems of heavy metals from industrial discharge, chlorides from road salts and the list goes on.
It is also important to note that with reduced precipitation, and warmer weather lake waters are likely to also rise in temperature reducing overall quality and harming its aquaculture. 
 
Invasive Species:

The Zebra mussels, being the most famous example of an invasive species introduced into the Great Lakes, is unfortunately one of many. With no natural predator, an invasive species thrives to the detriment of native flora and fauna. Asian Carp is the latest threat to Lake Ontario's fish and wildlife; it is a ravenous and rapid-spawning fish that is abundant throughout the Mississippi River basin and is now threatening to enter the Great Lakes through a shipping canal in Chicago.
Healthy waters depend on healthy habitats as each fish and wildlife contributes to the overall balance and quality of a watershed.

Are the problems too many and too big?

The problem is never too big when the stakes are this high. An hour a week can make a difference! Click on the Get Involved tab to learn more, join this group if you're in Toronto, or send an email!

TAKE ACTION! Be part of your community and take charge in its future.
 

It's Worth Saving...

The Great Lakes hold one fifth of the world's fresh surface water supply; it is home to over 130 rare species and ecosystems and is the drinking water supply to over 42 million people.
 
Learn more by visiting Sierra Club's Great Lakes website (the Canadian website will be up and running this summer).