GBA 2025 Annual Report

The GBA has been as busy as ever advocating for you and the Georgian Bay environment over the last year. At a fall meeting of all of GBA’s member association presidents, we identified 3 key areas that our members want us to focus our efforts on: 

1. Water quality
   • This year, with the support of Georgian Bay Forever, the Water Committee developed a brochure designed to help property owners better understand their options when it comes to building environmentally responsible docks. For more information, see here: https://georgianbay.ca/dockdisposal/
   • The committee also continues to investigate potential water pollution related to cruise ships in Georgian Bay. It will also support the International Joint Commission (IJC) Science Advisory Board’s recommendations to monitor and regulate microplastics as a key indicator of Great Lakes water quality.
2. Development pressures
   • The Vision 2050 project is an ambitious initiative to develop a long-term conservation and sustainability approach that recognizes that planning and development should take into account the unique nature of the Georgian Bay ecosystem. The project took a major step this spring when it established the Advisory Council, made up of expert representation from local NGOs and municipalities.
   • We also released a report outlining 16 conservation models from Canada and abroad. It assesses governance approaches, conservation outcomes, and potential applications for the region. 
   • You can read more about the Vision 2050 project here: https://georgianbay.ca/georgian-bay-vision-2050-project/
3. Indigenous relations
   • Recognizing that one of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission’s main calls to action is education, this committee has been working on creating clear information about Indigenous affairs that will be available on the GBA website. The content will help members understand Indigenous history, culture, governance, and land use. This resource—drawing from GBB and other partners—will guide associations seeking to incorporate Indigenous perspectives into their work.

• We also launched our Champion of the Bay Award—a way to honour the incredible work of the many volunteer environmental stewards in the Bay. Our very own Celesta Bjornson and Sheila Williams were the inaugural winners for BICA—and this year’s nominations are open already here! https://georgianbay.ca/champion-of-the-bay-award/ Nominating only takes a few minutes, so please submit names for the 2025 award ASAP.
• For more detailed information about the GBA’s activities over the last year, you can read our annual report, attached here: