The provincial and federal governments are investing more than $2.5 million to improve water quality and environmental sustainability within southwestern Ontario.
The funding announcement made on Thursday is specific to improving the Lake Erie and Lake St. Clair watersheds and productivity for farm operations through the Lake Erie Agriculture Demonstrating Sustainability (LEADS) initiative.
LEADS, which is funded through the Canadian Agricultural Partnership, will support 235 projects this year, according to a release from the federal government. The farmer-led projects are geared toward improving soil health and reducing the risk of nutrient losses in Lake Erie and Lake St. Clair watersheds.
“We know the importance of environmental and water stewardship to farmers and all Canadians and we are committed to supporting on-farm projects, such as LEADS activities, to further improve environmental sustainability and the health of our Great Lakes,” said federal Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada Marie-Claude Bibeau.
Through the Canadian Agricultural Partnership, both the provincial and federal governments have committed cost-sharing support to more than 2,500 projects since 2018.
“LEADS projects demonstrate our agricultural sector’s commitment to environmental stewardship and keeping our waterways clean for future generations,” said Ontario Minister of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs Ernie Hardeman. “It’s another great example of what we can do when we work with the other levels of government and our agriculture partners to improve the environment and protect our natural resources.”
The LEADS initiative also supports the Canada-Ontario Lake Erie Action Plan and aligns with the Made-in-Ontario Environment Plan, which has committed to a 40 per cent reduction of phosphorus runoff into Lake Erie and its watershed.