Manitoulin Streams
What We Do
Manitoulin Streams Improvement Association is grass roots, a not-for -profit organization that is focused on large-scale, community based efforts to rehabilitate aquatic ecosystems on Manitoulin Island, in central Ontario. We bring the entire community together to do this via joint private and public driven initiatives. Our efforts rehabilitate and enhance water quality and the fisheries resource on Manitoulin Island and Lake Huron which is fed by the streams.
Manitoulin Island is the largest freshwater island in the world and is widely referred to as “the heart” of the Great Lakes. It contains 108 freshwater inland lakes, many of which in conjunction with its cold water springs, feed into Lake Huron, making it an extremely important spawning and rearing area for many species of salmon and trout. Manitoulin Streams has become an important model of rehabilitation in Canada and beyond. Manitoulin Streams won the bi-national State of the Lakes Ecosystem Conference or SOLEC “2008 Success Story of the Year” award. 
This prestigious award was presented by the Canadian and American Consul Generals for our rehabilitation efforts. We were also awarded the most prestigious accolade given by the Ontario Federation of Anglers and Hunters (OFAH): the Mary Pickford Trophy. Manitoulin Streams placed as the top conservation club (out of 650 other member clubs) for work performed in 2009. The trophy was named after the late Canadian actress and avid angler, Mary Pickford, in order to commemorate `the spirit, determination, and the deep, caring nature of OFAH conservationists in Ontario”.
Manitoulin Streams has leveraged over $3 million in funding and completed 34 major projects on the Manitou River, Blue Jay Creek, Norton’s Creek, Grimesthorpe Creek Mindemoya River, Mill Creek and Bass Lake Creek. We have conducted a Class Environmental Assessment covering 184 waterways on Manitoulin Island. This means that we have provincial and federal approval to rehabilitate these waterways. We have also created enhancement strategy documents for 5 of the top 10 streams in need of rehabilitation as outlined in our Island Wide Class Environmental Assessment of 184 streams. Enhancement strategies identify areas of concern with a high, medium or low priority and delineate the problems, size, solutions and estimated costs for rehabilitation.
What can I do to improve water quality?
Most proprietary household chemicals are safe to use and are environmentally friendly, when used according to the directions on the package. However, some have a harmful cumulative effect on the environment when they are over-used or incorrectly disposed of. Check the label for hazard warnings. The warning symbols are based on shape: the more corners a symbol has, the greater the risk. Read the label to find out how to use the product safely and what precautions to take. Buy only those environmentally hazardous products you really need, and buy them in quantities you will be able to completely use up, so that you will not have to worry about disposing of the leftovers later.
Use “environmentally friendly” products now available in your supermarket and drugstore. The federal government endorses products that are environmentally friendly.
Look for the Environmental Choice Eco Logo.
Visit the Environmental Choice website for information on environmentally friendly products.
Visit Manitoulin Streams for more information.