The Detroit River Canadian Cleanup hosted two free screenings of WHAT LIES BELOW at Lakeshore Cinemas on World Water Day, March 22 2017. In the morning students from St. Anne Catholic High School and the Essex District High School viewed the film, and the evening screening was open to the public. This documentary examines the future of Canada’s wild fish stocks and the habitats they occupy that are at risk from overharvesting, habitat loss and destruction. What Lies Below explores what local people are doing to ensure the future sustainability of Canada’s water and traditional fisheries.

Following the film, audience members had the opportunity to speak with a panel of experts, including Lawrence Gunther, the film writer and star. As a person who was registered blind as a child, Lawrence has made it his life’s mission to consider what’s taking place in the underwater environments that made us all “blind”. Lawrence’s passion has led to his earning a Masters in Environmental Studies, which included researching environmental issues impacting Canada from sea to sea to sea. He has lived among the Inuit in Canada’s Arctic, hand-lined commercially for Cod off Cape Breton Island, competed professionally in fishing tournaments throughout North America, and invented the world’s first fishing boat capable of being piloted independently by someone without sight. Lawrence’s work has been well recognized including his receipt of the Meritorious Service Medal from the Governor General.

In 2012, he founded “Blue Fish Canada”, a charity dedicated to fish health and sustainable fishing. His “Blue Fish Radio” podcasts and “Feel the Bite” videos are enjoyed by thousands, and his “Blind Fishing Boat” blog has entertained and inspired people for over ten years.

Ken Drouillard, one of the expert panelists, is a professor from the University of Windsor who also grew up in locally here and caught his very first fish at the age of six from the Detroit River in LaSalle. After receiving his PhD from Trent University, Ken returned to Windsor in 2000 as a Post Doctoral Fellow and is now a Professor at the Great Lakes Institute for Environmental Research (GLIER) at the University of Windsor. His research involves to the development of pollutant bioaccumulation models for a variety of Great Lakes species including invertebrates, fish, amphibians and birds. These models can be used to assess the water and sediment quality and perform ecological hazard and risk assessments. Not only is Ken a passionate local angler, he also contributes to the Detroit River Remedial Action Plan by sitting on the Monitoring and Research Work Group, providing expertise on a number of environmental issues.

Karina Richters also sat on the expert panel, and is the Supervisor of Environmental Sustainability and Climate Change for the City of Windsor. In addition to the implementation of the Environmental Master Plan, Karina has been involved in numerous projects to build a more resilient Windsor through Climate Change Adaptation Strategies. She is currently leading the development of the Corporate and Community Climate Change Mitigation Plan. Karina has also been a municipal representative for the Detroit River Canadian Cleanup partnership.

The DRCC sincerely thanks all of the panel members, volunteers and Lawrence for coming down from Ottawa to celebrate World Water Day and share his film with us! Special thank you to Tactile Vision Graphics who generously provided a special thank you card in Braille on behalf of the DRCC for Lawrence.

What Lies Below Screening Gallery

March 14^th 2017

Media Release

For Immediate Release

The Detroit River Canadian Cleanup and the Friends of the Detroit River Recognize International Day of Action for Rivers

Windsor, ON and Taylor, MI – Each year on March 14, International Day of Action for Rivers recognizes and celebrates efforts made around the world to protect and restore rivers. Globally, rivers often share boundaries with numerous jurisdictions, and this day highlights the shared goal of strengthening regional and international networks who steward these resources.

The Detroit River has served an important role in the history of the Windsor-Detroit area and is one of the busiest waterways in the world. It connects Lakes Superior, Michigan, and Huron to Lakes Erie, Ontario and the St. Lawrence Seaway. It is also designated as an American Heritage River and a Canadian Heritage River, the only river in North America to have this dual designation.

When the Windsor-Detroit area underwent rapid industrialization at the turn of the 20th century, the Detroit River became notoriously polluted. Years of extensive industrial, urban, and agricultural development along the Detroit River resulted in the historical release of harmful legacy pollutants from industry, bacteria from wastewater treatment plants, and nutrients from agricultural runoff. These environmental issues have caused the impairment of several beneficial uses. As part of the international cleanup effort, the Great Lakes Water Quality Agreement (GLWQA) was signed between Canada and the United States in 1972, committing both countries to protect and restore the Great Lakes Ecosystem. The Detroit River was designated as an Area of Concern (AOC), which are regarded as the most environmentally degraded sites within the Great Lakes. The 1970s and 1980s saw the development of a massive conservation effort aimed at cleaning up the Detroit River.

Both the Detroit River Canadian Cleanup (DRCC) and the Friends of the Detroit River (FDR) implement separate Remedial Action Plans (RAP) for Canada and the United States. Through community-based partnership between the government (federal, provincial/state, municipal), local industries, researchers, environmental organizations, and citizens working together, the goal is to protect, restore, and enhance the Detroit River ecosystem.

Remediation efforts from both Canada and the United States in the Detroit River include sediment cleanup and remediation, habitat restoration, municipal and industrial wastewater treatment, infrastructure upgrades, non-point source pollution management, as well as a suite of ongoing studies, investigations, monitoring, research, education and outreach.

To learn more about the DRCC, FDR, and associated RAPs, please visit their websites: www.detroitriver.ca and www.detroitriver.org respectively.

Upcoming Detroit River Events

There are many opportunities available for individuals who would like to get involved in restoring the Detroit River in both countries. A summary of upcoming events is below. Please contact both the DRCC and FDR for any RAP or event related questions. *Please visit the DRCC and FDR websites for more event information. For those who would like to take a direct role in the RAP process and sit on the Public Advisory Council please contact both the DRCC and FDR to express interest in joining.

March 21^st 2017: International Joint Commission public meeting held at the Outdoor Adventure Centre, 1801 Atwater, Detroit, Michigan from 6pm to 9pm. The draft Triennial Assessment of Progress (TAP) report under the 2012 Great Lakes Water Quality Agreement, the International Joint Commission commends Canada and the United States was released January 2017 to obtain public input until April 15th 2017. All comments regarding the draft TAP report as well as the two countries’ progress report can be sent to ParticipateIJC@ottawa.ijc.org and online at www.participateIJC.org.

March 22nd 2017: World Water Day and the DRCC Film Screening of ‘What Lies Below’ documentary (www.detroitriver.ca/movie).  

April 1^st 2017: Riverkeeper Dinner, Wyandotte Boat Club. Come celebrate the achievements of FDR and the Riverkeeper Program. (brochure)

April 4^th 2017: Little River Enhancement Group, Code Green (Caesars Windsor) and DRCC cleanup. This is a closed event.

April 22^nd 2017: Celebrate Earth Day and participate in the Lower Detroit River Cleanup, Rotary Park in Trenton, MI with the FDR.

April 23^rd 2017: Celebrate Earth Day by tree planting with the DRCC and the Essex Region Conservation Authority. Also, stop on by Malden Park to visit the City of Windsor’s event! (http://detroitriver.ca/celebrate-earth-day-in-the-windsor-essex-community/).

June 2^nd to 4^th 2017: Celebrate Island Fest with the FDR (Details TBD).

June 4^th 2017: Eau Canada: celebrate the Detroit River as a Canadian Heritage River, as part of Canada150 Celebrations. Multiple locations along the Detroit River and sub watersheds, from 10am to 4pm (more details to come).

Detroit River Canadian Cleanup

The Detroit River Canadian Cleanup implements the Remedial Action Plan on behalf of a community-based partnership working together to protect, restore and enhance the Detroit River ecosystem. The federal, provincial and municipal government, local industries, scientific researchers, local environmental organizations and many dedicated citizens are key partners and play an important role in the cleanup process. The DRCC’s member organizations provide leadership in identifying partnerships and funding opportunities to support and implement clean up goals.

Friends of the Detroit River

The mission of Friends of the Detroit River is to enhance the environmental, educational, economic, cultural and recreational opportunities associated with the Detroit River watershed through citizen involvement and community action.

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News Release

From Environment and Climate Change Canada