The Niagara Peninsula Conservancy Authority announced the launch of the Lake Ontario Coastal Resilience Pilot Project to assess and model shoreline conditions and help understand risks including erosion and flooding, map shoreline hazards, and identify mitigation options along with a coastal resilience plan.
The project is expected to cost $2 million and take four years, continuing into 2028, reports Niagara This Week. The Canadian federal government is providing $1.5 million for the project, with other contributions coming from municipalities and conservation authorities.
“The project will provide a plan with actions for our partners to support,” said Niagara Peninsula Conservation Authority chief administrative officer Lee-Yates, reports Niagara This Week. “It will have a clear road map for actions. It’s important as we collaborate collectively through the plan to develop the road map that we also collaborate through the implementation of the actions.”
Studies from Environment Ontario show Lake Ontario waters levels have risen to their highest levels since records have been kept 100 years back, and projects that as rising temperatures and climate change continue, the lake will be ice-free by the next century. This new pilot program aims to help better understand current conditions and future risks, while mapping out a strategy for mitigation and coastal resilience moving forward.
PHOTO: NIAGARA PENINSULA CONSERVATION AUTHORITY FACEBOOK
