Background

The Waterkeeper Alliance is the fastest growing environmental movement in North America and in the Great Lakes region in particular. In addition to the numerous official programs emerging, informal volunteer groups work with us to support citizen-based environmental protection in our watershed. Lake Ontario Waterkeeper trains other individuals and volunteer groups to be local water guardians and to report pollution concerns.

As one of the most exciting young environmental groups in the country, Lake Ontario Waterkeeper has drawn local, regional, and national attention for our clean water initiatives. Lake Ontario Waterkeeper was launched in February 2001. We are a licensed member of the New York-based Waterkeeper Alliance, led by Robert F. Kennedy Jr.

Each Waterkeeper program is akin to an environmental neighbourhood watch program. Waterkeepers patrol their local water bodies in a boat, address community concerns, identify threats to clean water, and make use of the legal and democratic processes designed to protect water quality. Lake Ontario Waterkeeper is headed by President & Waterkeeper, Mark Mattson.

Our mission

• Restore water quality in Lake Ontario so that public rights to swim, drink, and eat are returned;
  
• Entrench these rights in communities around Lake Ontario through a legacy of education, empowerment, and an expert network.
  
• Be a model for watershed protection in Canada and on the Great Lakes.

The Clean Water Workshop

We create excellence by pioneering and disseminating powerful tools for environmental protection. The Clean Water Workshop, developed by Lake Ontario Waterkeeper, is an innovative, powerful tool for protecting water quality in Canada and on the Great Lakes. The Workshop emphasizes education by helping individuals and groups understand issues, conduct the necessary research, and launch any number of protection strategies.

The Workshop operates during the school year (September ? April). Law students are assigned to cases to help communities affected by pollution ? students are supported through a series of bi-weekly discussion and training sessions in law, policy, politics, science, and media.

The Workshop is unique:

Different from a legal clinic ? group workshop sessions shift information, tools and power back to communities which need them most.

Fostering democracy ? by discussing ideas and strategies openly, Lake Ontario Waterkeeper facilitates democratic empowerment in environmental law.

The Workshop is powerful:

Creating models ? because of our unique combination of legal action and education, every action addresses problems while fostering strong communities for the future.

Raising standards ? we develop awareness for legal rights and options, while challenging individuals to expect more and better protection.

Fostering long-term success ? trained, empowered, and inspired communities and lawyers will protect their communities better than any lone ?service-group? ever could.

The Clean Water Workshop allows Lake Ontario Waterkeeper to serve our primary community, while at the same time creating infrastructure by which we can provide support to Waterkeeper programs.