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NVCA receives provincial grant to improve water quality of Nottawasaga River

October 23, 2025   ·   0 Comments

By Brian Lockhart

The Nottawasaga Valley Conservation Authority (NVCA) has received a $100,000 grant from the Great Lakes Local Action Fund.

Funding will help protect, restore, and conserve the Nottawasaga River, Georgian Bay, and the Great Lakes.

The Nottasawaga River is the largest river flowing into Georgian Bay. It originates near Orangeville and flows north for 140 kilometres to Georgian Bay at Wasaga Beach. The river collects water from many rivers, streams, and connecting wetlands.

The NVCA, along with its partners and volunteers, will complete restoration work within critical cold-water streams, the main Nottawasaga River, and sensitive coastal wetlands in Georgian Bay to bring back ecological function to those areas. 

“Our government is proud to support the Nottawasaga Valley Conservation Authority’s efforts to protect and restore the Nottawasaga River and Georgian Bay through the Great Lakes Local Action Fund,” said Todd McCarthy, Minister of the Environment, Conservation and Parks. “This initiative empowers communities to take meaningful action to improve water quality and restore vital aquatic habitats, which will have a lasting impact on the health of waterways, ecosystems, and communities across the Great Lakes Basin.”

Habitats in the Nottawasaga River and its tributaries support naturally reproducing trout and salmon populations, which are vital for recreational sport fisheries throughout Lake Huron and the Great Lakes. These waterways are also home to many native fish species and aquatic wildlife that need healthy water to survive.

Human activities such as urban development and agriculture release sediment and excess nutrients into the Nottawasaga River. This degrades water quality and is harmful to aquatic habitats.

Additionally, climate change exacerbates these issues by increasing water temperatures. Without intervention, the degradation of water quality and loss of cold water habitats will continue, negatively impacting the region’s biodiversity, recreational opportunities, and economic activities.

“We are very grateful for this funding from the Province of Ontario,” said Sarah Campbell, aquatic biologist at NVCA. “Restoring the Nottawasaga Watershed has always been community-driven. Thanks to this grant, we will be able to engage local volunteers and work with partner groups, including Nottawasaga Futures-South Simcoe Streams Network, Friends of the Mad River, and Saugeen Ojibway Nation to continue essential restoration efforts.”

The Great Lakes Local Action Fund will help create vegetation buffers along watercourses, control invasive species, and restore aquatic habitats, which will collectively enhance the ecological health and resilience of the watershed in the face of climate change.

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