QUEBEC – The premiers of Quebec and Ontario are meeting with the governors of eight U.S. states today as part of a three-day conference on the future of the Great Lakes and St. Lawrence region.
The goal of the conference is for the leaders to work together on environmental protection and encouraging economic growth.
Speaking this morning, Ontario Premier Kathleen Wynne highlighted the need for regional co-operation on environmental issues.
Wynne announced she would sign two new agreements with Ohio and Michigan to combat invasive species and the threat of algae blooms
in the Great Lakes.
She also suggested a regional partnership to fight climate change, and invited the U.S. states to join Ontario, Quebec and California in a so-called cap-and-trade system aimed at cutting
greenhouse gases.
Quebec’s Philippe Couillard says the lakes and the St. Lawrence region are threatened by invasive aquatic species, algae, and variable water levels induced by climate change.
For his part, Michigan Governor Rick Snydor called for more aggressive action on combating invasive species such as the Asian carp.
READ MORE: 8 options to keep Asian carp out of Great Lakes: Army Corps report
He also thanked Canada for its partnership in building the future Windsor-Detroit bridge that he says will increase cross-border trade.
Comments