Great Lakes and St. Lawrence Cities Initiative to Host Coastal Cleanup

Aug 28, 2025

The Great Lakes and St. Lawrence Cities Initiative is pleased to announce that it has secured a grant from the Ontario Ministry of the Environment, Conservation and Parks to host Ontario’s first-ever Great Lakes Coastal Cleanup. The Cities Initiative will receive $85,000 through Ontario’s Great Lakes Local Action Fund to host six shoreline cleanups for this inaugural event.

This World Rivers Day, September 28, the Great Lakes Coastal Cleanup will bring together more than 250 volunteers to collect up to 200 kilograms of litter at beaches, parks, and other shoreline areas along Lakes Superior, Huron, Erie, and Ontario, along with the St. Lawrence River. The Cities Initiative is partnering with six communities for this first multi-site cleanup: Thunder Bay, Chatham-Kent, Owen Sound, Collingwood, Cobourg, and Kingston. These municipalities will partner with local organizations to set up cleanup sites, provide supplies, and train volunteers along each of Ontario’s Great Lakes.

About the Great Lakes and St. Lawrence Cities Initiative

The Great Lakes and St. Lawrence Cities Initiative is a multinational coalition of municipal and Indigenous government executives representing communities in the Great Lakes and St. Lawrence River Region who are working to promote economic prosperity in our communities and protect our fresh water for the benefit of current and future generations. With more than 350 member communities, the Cities Initiative is leading the way in advancing the environmental, economic, and social health of the region by addressing issues impacting its residents.