Michael Fraker

A congressional perspective on the robust year-over-year funding for the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative, highlighting its critical role in science-based restoration and community revitalization.

A review of the Global Commission on the Economics of Water's report "Turning the Tide," which outlines a seven-step call to action to revalue water as a global commons and address the global water crisis.

Jordanna Bergman investigates the ecological connectivity of the Rideau Canal Waterway, studying how anthropogenic barriers affect native and invasive fish movements to support conservation strategies.

The "Rights of Nature" movement is critiqued from an Indigenous perspective, arguing that the St. Lawrence River (Kaniatarowanénhne) is already a relative with agency, requiring responsibility rather than bestowed rights.

Canada announces a historic C$420 million investment in the Great Lakes and a new Canada Water Agency to strengthen freshwater management, restore Areas of Concern, and modernize the Canada Water Act.

The Supreme Court's Sackett v. EPA decision removes federal protection from many wetlands, posing a significant threat to Great Lakes water quality, though some states like Michigan and Wisconsin have stronger laws.

Ontario's Bill 23 (More Homes Built Faster Act) dismantles environmental protections and the Greenbelt, threatening watersheds and water quality in the Great Lakes basin despite public opposition.

Integrating watershed science with the public trust doctrine offers a legal and scientific framework to protect Great Lakes water quality and prevent impairment from upstream activities.