Collaborative Initiatives in the Great Lakes basin

In the United States, a comprehensive Great Lakes Regional Collaboration is being carried out pursuant to an Executive Order signed by President George Bush in 2004. The collaboration brings together a broad range of stakeholders representing government and nongovernmental organizations at the local, regional, tribal/First Nations, state and federal levels. Together, they are developing a consensus long-term strategy for Great Lakes restoration while at the same time providing a mechanism to address specific immediate threats, coordinate programs and maximize available resources. This collaboration complements the work of the United States' Great Lakes Interagency Task Force, a cabinet-level group tasked by the U.S. president to coordinate federal work in the Great Lakes, set priorities and target resources across agencies.

In Canada, federal-provincial collaboration on Great Lakes restoration and protection is achieved through the Canada-Ontario Agreement Respecting the Great Lakes Basin Ecosystem (COA). Since 1971, COAs have guided the federal and Ontario governments by outlining how they will cooperate and coordinate their efforts to restore, protect and conserve the Great Lakes Basin Ecosystem. It builds on the actions taken through previous agreements, focuses priorities for future actions, and contributes to meeting Canada's obligations under the Great Lakes Water Quality Agreement. A new COA will be negotiated before the current COA expires in 2007.

The Great Lakes Governors and the Premiers of Ontario and Quebec are developing agreements to implement the Great Lakes Charter Annex of 2001. Once completed, these agreements, which address bulk removals and diversions of Great Lakes water, will update the regional water management system and help ensure the sustainable use of basin waters. Discussions related to Annex implementation over the past several years have provided an extraordinary opportunity for key officials and individuals, both in and out of government, to collectively explore the complexity of the Great Lakes Basin Ecosystem and various options to address challenges.