Making Waves Newsletter April 2022

The Cities Initiative releases its newsletter, “Making Waves,” once per month. Stay up to date on current initiatives, important government programs, webinars, etc.

2022 Annual General Meeting

The Great Lakes and St. Lawrence Cities Initiative’s Annual General Meeting (AGM) is back again! The in-person meeting will be held in St. Catharines, Ontario on June 22-24. This will be the first time we will be able to gather in person since 2019 and we have an exciting agenda of speakers and topics to cover. We are also planning a number of activities that will give you ample opportunity to collaborate and get reacquainted with your fellow mayors. Get a sneak peek at some our speakers. Members, register by May 15 to receive the early-bird rate.  Register online | View brochure

Keynote Speaker Fabien Cousteau, Aquanaut and Ocean Conservationist

Speakers

Marcy Kaptur Member of Congress  (D-OH) David Miller Managing Director C40 Centre for Urban Climate Policy and Economy Richard Spinrad, Ph.D. Under Secretary of Commerce for Oceans and Atmosphere and the 11th NOAA Administrator Roy Brouwer Executive Director Water Institute and Professor Department of Economics University of Waterloo Stewart Colovin EVP, Global Brand Strategy, MMGY

Larissa Fenn Director, Public Affairs and Corporate Secretary Hamilton-Oshawa Port Authority Michael Fenn* Senior Advisor Strategy Corp and Board Director, OMERS; former Ontario Deputy Minister and City Manager Mark Fisher President and CEO Council of the Great Lakes Region David Gutheil Chief Commercial Officer Port of Cleveland Lauren Hodges Co-Founder Performance on Purpose

Hotel Accommodations: White Oaks Resort & Spa - The Great Lakes and St. Lawrence Cities Initiative has secured a discounted rate of $199 (CAD) per night based on single or double occupancy plus all applicable taxes and a $15 (CAD) daily facility fee. Click here to book your room and enter Group Code: GLSLCI22 to receive the discounted rate. Conference rate expires May 20.

Welcome New Members We are proud to report that the following 22 communities have now joined the Cities Initiative. We now have 160 members in our ranks and we are still growing. We look forward to working with all of you. Mayor Bill Steele - Port Colborne, Ontario Mayor Ken Tutaj, St. Francis, WI Mayor Gail McLeod, Allen Park, MI Supervisor Andre Linko, Brownstown Township, MI Mayor Abdullah Hammoud, Dearborn, MI Mayor Bill Bazzi, Dearborn Heights, MI Mayor Lamar Tidwell, Escorse, MI Mayor Mark Hammond, Flat Rock, MI Mayor Scott Denison, Gibraltar, MI Supervisor James C. Budny, Grosse Ile Township, MI Supervisor David A. Blaab, Huron Township, MI Mayor Tom Karnes, Lincoln Park, MI Mayor Wheeler Marsee, Melvindale, MI Mayor Michael Bowdler, River Rouge, MI Mayor Andy Swift, Riverview MI Mayor Daniel Guzzi, Rockwood, MI Mayor Robert McCraight, Romulus, MI Mayor Joseph Kuspa, Southgate, MI Mayor Tim Woolley, Taylor, MI Mayor Steven Rzeppa, Trenton, MI Councilwoman Jan Sikes, Woodhaven, MI Mayor Rob DeSana, Wyandotte, MI

Cities Initiative in the News How Climate Change Is Affecting The Great Lakes.  View the video. Jonathan Altenberg discusses saving the Great Lakes.  View the video. Great Lakes and St. Lawrence Cities Initiative director on the impact of climate change.  Listen to interview. Great Lakes and St. Lawrence Cities Initiative announces new coastal protection programs for Michigan.  Read the article. Holland’s Mayor Hopes to be Involved in Lake Michigan Coastline Preservation Effort. Read the article.

50th Anniversary of the Great Lakes Water Quality Agreement: We Need a Long-Term Vision for the Great Lakes and St. Lawrence River Mayor Walter Sendzik, St. Catharines, Ont. and Chair of the Great Lakes and St. Lawrence Cities Initiative What would Canada be without the Great Lakes and St. Lawrence? The importance of Lakes Superior, Erie, Huron, Michigan and Ontario, along with the St. Lawrence River, to our economy and to millions of Canadians cannot be overstated. They are intrinsically tied to our history, contain nearly 20 percent of the world’s surface freshwater and provide drinking water for one in four Canadians. The Great Lakes and St. Lawrence River basin is also home to nearly half of Canada’s population and sustains a regional economy worth $6 trillion USD. Read more.

Canada Policy Update - 2022 Federal Budget On April 7, Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland unveiled her second budget. Entitled “ A Plan to Grow Our Economy and Make Life More Affordable,” this year’s Budget focused largely on housing, boosting innovation and productivity, as well as supporting Canada’s transition to the green economy. Read more.

U.S. Policy Update Congress and the White House were busy in March finalizing federal appropriations for the current fiscal year (FY 2022, which began Oct. 1) and outlining a proposed budget for FY 2023. The following is a brief overview of how Great Lakes and water-related programs fared. Read more.

Update on Implementation of the Bipartisan Infrastructure Bill The U.S. EPA continues to implement the bipartisan infrastructure bill, formally known as the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA). In early March the agency released guidance for implementing the $43 billion in water infrastructure funding in the IIJA. The memo outlines requirements and recommendations for the Drinking Water and Clean Water State Revolving Funds (SRFs). It is expected to be applicable to all five years of appropriations. Read more.

Plastics and microplastics and our waters - Get to know about unencapsulated dock foam With cottaging season right around the corner, did you know that despite being a common and cheap product used for dock floatation, unencapsulated (or uncovered) polystyrene foam (“dock foam”) deteriorates through exposure to water, sunlight and chemicals (e.g., gasoline and oil)? Read more.

Wege Small Cities Sustainability Best Practice Award While large cities often have more resources to act, small cities – with populations under 100,000 – often do not. The Wege Award provides $7,500 to one Cities Initiative member city, with a population smaller than 100,000, to facilitate the protection of the Great Lakes and St. Lawrence River and to further improve the quality of the water resource for future generations. Read more.

2022 Webinars

The Cities Initiative will continue its monthly webinar series in 2022. Mark your calendars for the upcoming webinars. May 26: Water Equity Calls to Action – Next Steps (U.S.) July 28: Preparing your Grant Applications for Infrastructure August 25: Innovations in Addressing Algal Blooms  September 2: Back to the Future – 50 Years of the Great Lakes Water Quality Agreement  October 27: The Blue Economy Series – Sustainable Waterfront Development November 17: The Blue Economy Series – Building Up Your Blue Tourism Brand December 8: The Cities Initiative Year In Review

*title correction to 4.28.22 AGM promotional email