IISD Experimental Lakes Area’s Response to Ontario’s Commitments to Freshwater Protection in Preserving and Protecting our Environment for Future Generations: A Made-in-Ontario Environment Plan

The IISD Experimental Lakes Area (IISD-ELA) responds to Ontario's Environment Plan by urging the government to integrate more rigorous scientific evidence, expanded monitoring, and new technologies into its freshwater protection strategies. Key recommendations include extending air pollutant monitoring to water bodies, researching the impacts of salinity and plastics, setting a specific 18.4 per cent phosphorus reduction target for Lake of the Woods, and utilizing the Internet of Things for real-time sewage flow monitoring.

• The IISD-ELA recommends that Ontario expand its air pollution monitoring to include freshwater bodies, as pollutants like airborne mercury can settle in water and harm flora, fauna, and humans. It also suggests the systematic tracking of new and emerging contaminants.
• Regarding salinity, the IISD-ELA advises the government to look beyond road salts to include agricultural, municipal, and industrial sources, and to use scientific research to establish province-wide thresholds for salts leaching into fresh water.
• To protect the Lake of the Woods from toxic blue-green algae, the IISD-ELA recommends setting a phosphorus reduction target of 18.4 per cent, aligning with Minnesota's targets and International Joint Commission recommendations.
• The IISD-ELA suggests that Ontario invest in research to determine the provenance, prevalence, and impacts of plastics in freshwater bodies, including the Great Lakes, to inform strategies and thresholds for reducing plastic leaching.
• The document advocates for the use of the Internet of Things and big data to create a comprehensive, accessible picture of sewage flows and recommends that wastewater treatment facilities set thresholds for emerging contaminants such as pharmaceuticals, nutrients, salts, and plastics.

APA

International Institute for Sustainable Development (n.d.). IISD Experimental Lakes Area’s Response to Ontario’s Commitments to Freshwater Protection in Preserving and Protecting our Environment for Future Generations: A Made-in-Ontario Environment Plan. https://www.iisd.org/system/files/publications/iisd-ela-response-ontario-freshwater-protection.pdf

Chicago

International Institute for Sustainable Development. IISD Experimental Lakes Area’s Response to Ontario’s Commitments to Freshwater Protection in Preserving and Protecting our Environment for Future Generations: A Made-in-Ontario Environment Plan. n.d. https://www.iisd.org/system/files/publications/iisd-ela-response-ontario-freshwater-protection.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite press release |author=International Institute for Sustainable Development |title=IISD Experimental Lakes Area’s Response to Ontario’s Commitments to Freshwater Protection in Preserving and Protecting our Environment for Future Generations: A Made-in-Ontario Environment Plan |url=https://www.iisd.org/system/files/publications/iisd-ela-response-ontario-freshwater-protection.pdf |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@misc{internationalinstituteforsustainabledevelopmentndiisd, author = {{International Institute for Sustainable Development}}, title = {{IISD Experimental Lakes Area’s Response to Ontario’s Commitments to Freshwater Protection in Preserving and Protecting our Environment for Future Generations: A Made-in-Ontario Environment Plan}}, publisher = {International Institute for Sustainable Development}, url = {https://www.iisd.org/system/files/publications/iisd-ela-response-ontario-freshwater-protection.pdf}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }