The City of Owen Sound has been selected to be one of the six host communities for the province’s new Great Lakes Coastal Cleanup.
On World Rivers Day on Sept. 28, Owen Sound will join other Ontario communities including Thunder Bay, Chatham-Kent, Collingwood, Cobourg, and Kingston in the cleanup event. Over 250 volunteers are expected to collect around 200 kilograms of litter from beaches, parks, and shoreline areas along the Great Lakes and St. Lawrence River.
Owen Sound plans to work with Summerfolk to provide supplies and train volunteers for the project, which aims to reduce pollution and raise awareness about the impact of waste and litter in lakes and rivers.
Owen Sound is partnering with the Great Lakes and St. Lawrence Cities Initiative for the event.
The city says an estimated 22 million pounds of plastic enter the great lakes each year, threatening a source of drinking water for millions of Canadians and Americans.
Mayor Ian Boddy says, “Owen Sound is proud to join this first-ever Great Lakes Coastal Cleanup. As a Georgian Bay community, we know how vital these waters are to our environment and economy. This collaborative effort with five other municipalities shows what we can achieve when we work together to protect our shared Great Lakes heritage. Our volunteers are ready to make a real difference on World Rivers Day, fostering a culture of stewardship that will benefit future generations.”