Making Waves Newsletter November 2020

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

Update from Chair Vandersteen

The Cities Initiative has been fully engaged in a number of initiatives that will benefit our member cities, including:

The continuation of the Stimulus Water Restoration Initiative
The formation of the Cities Initiative’s Mayors Commission on Water Equity
The formation of the Cities Initiative's Advisory Council on Coastal Resilience
The completion of the Action Plan to Protect the Great Lakes and St. Lawrence 2020-2030
The development of the Cities Initiative's Webinar Series

We look forward to continuing to work with the cities to protect and serve the Great Lakes and St. Lawrence region.

2021 Annual General Meeting - SAVE THE DATE

We are happy to announce that the 2021 Annual General Meeting (AGM) will be held in beautiful St. Catharines, Ontario from Wednesday, May 26 through Friday, May 28. Read more

Great Lakes and St. Lawrence Cities Initiative Convenes Mayors Commission on Water Equity

Nine Mayors from major Great Lakes and St. Lawrence cities are coming together to address water equity challenges as part of a new Mayors Commission on Water Equity. Read more

Mayors Invited to Join Advisory Council on Coastal Resilience

The Cities Initiative is establishing an Advisory Council to provide recommendations to its members on critical issues facing municipal governments along the Great Lakes and St. Lawrence River. The Council will be comprised of private sector, public sector and nonprofit representatives with relevant expertise who will recommend actions, best practices, policy solutions and related activities to be considered by the Cities Initiative’s members. Read more

The U.S. Election and Its Impact on Great Lakes and St. Lawrence River Issues

The conclusion of the U.S. presidential election will have a profound impact on the important issues facing our region and the health and sustainability of our lakes and river. Read more

Coaching Available to Plan Future Applications to FEMA Disaster Mitigation Program

In follow up to its October 2 webinar on FEMA’s new Building Resilient Infrastructure and Communities (BRIC) program, the Cities Initiative encourages its member cities to begin planning for future applications. Funding for the program is expected to increase in coming years, and now is the time to start considering potential mitigation projects to propose in the 2021 funding cycle. Read more

Canadian Government Update

Government of Canada Budget: In preparation for the 2021 budget, the Cities Initiative is developing a “Budget Ask” for our members to share with Ministers, Members of Parliament, and Senators during the expected “Consultation Period” this winter (January-February 2021). Watch for more information in early 2021. Read more

Wege Award - Call for Submission (Deadline Dec. 1)

Due to the cancellation of our annual meeting in May we were unable to offer our annual Wege Award. We are now calling for submissions so it can be awarded at our mid-year meeting in January. The award is given to a small city that demonstrates best practices in the area of sustainability. Read more

Call for Resolutions (Deadline Dec. 1)

Each year our organization releases our resolutions to governing bodies and the general public that notifies them of the important issues and initiatives we will be working on over the next year. These resolutions also guide us as an organization by directing us on a set of issues we will work on. Read more

2020 Webinar Series

Asian Carp Update: Webinar Showcases Actions to Keep Asian Carp out of the Great Lakes

A multi-prong action plan featuring more than 50 monitoring, control and research projects coordinated by a binational partnership of federal, state/provincial and tribal agencies continues to safeguard the Great Lakes from Asian carp. Meanwhile, a gauntlet of new control technologies is being developed for a key “pinch point” near Chicago. Read more

Upcoming Webinar

That Green Stuff on the Lakes

Algae (Cladophora) Bloom

November 19, 2020 @ 11:00am

central/noon eastern

Learn more and register

Why We Joined Great Lakes and St. Lawrence Cities Initiative: Mayor Gino Moretti

Saint-Anicet is located on the south shore of the St. Lawrence River, about one hour west of Montreal, with Ontario and New York State within sight on a clear day.

With a population of under 3,000 people and agriculture a major economic driver, we are a small municipality with limited resources facing a big problem. St. Lawrence has risen by almost three feet (1m) in recent years, and this is changing our 160-year community in ways not seen since the St. Lawrence Seaway was built 60 years ago. Read more