U.S. President Joe Biden and Canada's Prime Minister Justin Trudeau embrace after a joint news conference in Ottawa, Ontario on March 24, 2023. After the discussion Friday in Ottawa, Trudeau said his government would spend $420 million — about $306 million in US dollars — over the next decade on the lakes, which are still suffering from 20th century industrial pollution and newer challenges such as climate change, PFAS chemicals and microplastics.
The announcement came after U.S. Congress members prodded Biden to seek more support for the lakes from Canada, which critics have accused of doing too little.
Trudeau said that the Great Lakes are a source of drinking water for 40 million people, and this shared resource needs to be protected. Canada will make a major investment to protect the Great Lakes for generations to come. The Great Lakes and St. Lawrence River are the world's largest surface freshwater system, providing drinking water for some 40 million people and supporting a regional economy in eight U.S. states and two Canadian provinces.
Trudeau's father, then-Prime Minister Pierre Trudeau, signed an agreement with President Richard M. Nixon in 1972 to restore and protect the lakes. It has been updated several times since.
In addition to toxic residues in harbors and river mouths, the lakes are ravaged by invasive species such as quagga mussels, loss of nearshore fish and wildlife habitat, and farm and urban runoff that fuels harmful algae blooms.
The U.S. Great Lakes Restoration Initiative, started by President Barack Obama in 2010, has pumped $4 billion into projects aimed at fixing those problems, with annual spending between $300 million and 400 million.
Congress has authorized $425 million for fiscal year 2024. An additional $1 billion will be allocated from Biden's bipartisan infrastructure law to work on longstanding industrial site cleanups.
Between 2017 and 2022, Canada had committed just $33 million in U.S. dollars to cleanup efforts.
In a March 8 letter, nine U.S. House members urged Biden to emphasize the importance of our binational institutions and investments for the Great Lakes from the Canadian government during his visit.
Trudeau's pledge on Friday drew praise from those who pushed for a bigger Canadian contribution.
The increased funding commitment to preserve and strengthen the Great Lakes is welcomed by our neighbors in Canada, said Rep. Bill Huizenga, a Michigan Republican.
A University of Michigan analysis found that each $1 spent under the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative generated $3.35 across the region and more in some areas.
Gino Moretti, Mayor of Saint-Anicet in Quebec and Vice-Chair of the Great Lakes and St. Lawrence Cities Initiative, said Canada's promised increase is a significant step towards ensuring the long-term health and sustainability of our freshwater resources.