Introduction

Ontario is committed to the ongoing implementation of the Lake Simcoe Protection Plan (LSPP).

This involves continuous collaboration with key partners, including conservation authorities, municipalities, Indigenous communities, non-government organizations and universities to achieve the goals of the Lake Simcoe Protection Act.

Our commitment is demonstrated through an investment of more than $13 million since 2018 to ongoing provincial programs and support for partner-led projects related to priority environmental actions in the watershed that are having positive outcomes for the lake and its watershed.

This report describes actions taken in 2023 to implement the LSPP, including:

  • conducting and supporting research and monitoring
  • reducing phosphorus inputs and improving water quality
  • protecting and enhancing natural heritage and restoring aquatic life
  • developing the Lake Simcoe Phosphorus Reduction Project

Continue reading to learn more about our progress in 2023 towards implementing LSPP priorities, such as improving water quality and restoring aquatic health.

Monitoring and science

One of the objectives of the LSPP is to provide for ongoing scientific research and monitoring related to the ecological health of the Lake Simcoe and its watershed.

For over 40 years, the province has monitored the water quality of Lake Simcoe. In 2023, the province maintained its support for research and monitoring, including data collection on water quality and aquatic life, as well as scientific studies on factors influencing water quality and ecosystem health. Through monitoring programs and research in critical areas, Ontario can better inform our adaptive management approach and drive innovative solutions to improve and protect water quality.

Highlights from 2023 include:

  • Measured and collected information on the physical, chemical and biological conditions in the lake, including temperature, dissolved oxygen, water transparency, phosphorus, nitrogen, pH, alkalinity, conductivity, dissolved organic and inorganic carbon, chloride, silica and other ions, metals, chlorophyll-a, algae and zooplankton (small animals that eat the algae and are food for fish). These data are made available to the public in the Lake Simcoe Monitoring dataset on the Ontario Data Catalogue and are reported on in Lake Simcoe monitoring reports.
  • The end-of-summer deepwater dissolved oxygen level in Lake Simcoe was 6.9 milligrams per litre, which was just below the LSPP target of 7 milligrams per litre. Overall, the end-of-summer deepwater dissolved oxygen level has significantly increased since 1980. However, dissolved oxygen fluctuates from year to year; for example, there were lower concentrations measured in 2021 (4.03 milligrams per litre), and 2022 (5.05 milligrams per litre).
  • Factors affecting deepwater dissolved oxygen in Lake Simcoe are different now than in the 1980s. Historically, dissolved oxygen declined over the summer at the bottom of Lake Simcoe, because the lake received substantial inputs of phosphorus. This led to very low oxygen levels by the end of the summer. In more recent years, invasive species and the effects of a changing climate have altered the delivery and cycling of phosphorus in the lake, which in turn affects dissolved oxygen. We are working with the Lake Simcoe Region Conservation Authority (LSRCA) to better understand these recent changes in the lake.      
  • The amount of phosphorus in the lake in the spring has continued to decline since 1980, with a lake wide springtime average of 6.34 micrograms per litre.
  • Continued supporting LSRCA’s monitoring of water quality and aquatic communities in tributary streams, as well as monitoring across the watershed to determine phosphorus loads. Phosphorus loads are an estimate of all phosphorus entering the lake each year. The most recent phosphorus loads report is available at Phosphorus Loads Update 2018-2020 — Lake Simcoe Region Conservation Authority.
  • Continued, along with the LSRCA, to study the recent changes in the lake that have disrupted the relationships connecting the amount of phosphorus entering the lake and conditions in the lake, such as phosphorus concentrations and deep water dissolved oxygen levels.
  • Provided $69,114 to the LSRCA to conduct scientific research on the levels of chemical contaminants in water and sediments in Lake Simcoe and its tributaries, including heavy metals and organic chemicals. This study can contribute to activities to identify and address the causes of water quality impairment. You can find the results of the study in Chemical Contaminants in Lake Simcoe and its Tributaries (PDF)  .
  • Provided $63,599 to the LSRCA to study the amount of phosphorus in the water draining from the Holland Marsh. The goal of the study was to improve the accuracy of phosphorus loading estimates and inform management actions, such as encouraging adjusting operations at the Art Janse Pumping Station.
  • • Provided $115,000 to Toronto Metropolitan University to study the influence of stormwater management ponds on the movement of chloride into urban headwater streams. During the winter and spring, chloride is carried from paved surfaces to stormwater management facilities and there can be a delayed release of the chloride into streams. The study looked at how often water with chloride levels high enough to harm aquatic life was released from 5 stormwater management ponds into streams in the Greater Toronto Area over 2 years. It identified the importance of exploring ways to design stormwater management ponds to reduce the amount of chloride released into streams.
  • Continued to support the University of Western Ontario’s project to improve estimates of the contribution of septic systems to phosphorus loads to tributaries of Lake Simcoe. The university’s findings can inform septic system training and outreach in the Lake Simcoe Basin. Three publications are being prepared.
  • Provincial scientists authored a peer-reviewed study in the Canadian Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences on changes in the zooplankton community in Lake Simcoe between 1986 and 2012. Zooplankton are small aquatic animals that are essential in a lake food web, providing a link between algae and fish. Zooplankton are also vulnerable to changes in the ecosystem, which makes them excellent indicators of lake health. This study is based on long-term monitoring data and showed that many types of zooplankton became less abundant or disappeared in the mid-1990s after the Eurasian spiny water flea invaded the lake. The spiny water flea is a large zooplankton that eats smaller zooplankton. When the spiny water flea declined in the 2000s, the zooplankton community did not fully recover, possibly because of climate change related increases in water temperature in the deep-water of the lake.
  • Co-chaired with the LSRCA the integrated biannual science event for Lake Simcoe on May 11, 2023. This was a special session during the International Association for Great Lakes Research’s 66th annual Conference on Great Lakes Research. During the event, watershed partners and stakeholders shared the latest scientific information and knowledge. Researchers and watershed managers delivered 10 presentations on topics ranging from updates on progress toward lake management goals, trends in environmental variables, to possible future trends and challenges including climate change mitigation and adaptation.   

Protecting and improving water quality

Other objectives in the LSPP relate to protecting and improving water quality in Lake Simcoe by reducing the amount of phosphorus entering the lake, as well as addressing other contaminants affecting water quality, such as:

  • road salt
  • pharmaceuticals
  • microplastics
  • personal care products
  • bacteria like E. coli

In 2023, the province continued to support watershed partners in their work to reduce pollution and improve water quality. Highlights of these activities include:

  • Provided $165,250 to the Holland Marsh Growers Association to support development of 4R fertilizer standards for horticultural crops grown in organic muck soils. This included working with the University of Guelph to complete a comprehensive literature review to document existing scientific information on phosphorus management in these soils. Holland Marsh Growers Association interviewed growers to gather information on current vegetable growing practices.
  • Holland Marsh Growers Association received $51,560 to conduct plastics use and waste audits at vegetable production and processing facilities to improve knowledge on the amount and types of plastics used to improve collection and recycling. 
  • Provided the Holland Marsh Growers Association with $25,850 to conduct field demonstrations of self-propelled robotic machines, as well as airborne drones, using water to demonstrate herbicide applications to improve application efficiency.
  • Kawartha Conservation received $68,927 to support demonstration projects that improve riparian zones and to reduce risks of manure entering surface water. Water was sampled at each location to gather additional information on water quality to improve landowner awareness. The practices included fencing, solar livestock watering systems, manure containment and planting climate resilient shrubs and trees.
  • Under a project called Drains Done Differently, Ontario provided $60,500 to Nottawasaga Valley Conservation Authority and, with the technical assistance of R.J. Burnside & Associates Limited, produced 2 technical documents and videos that described how to implement natural features into municipal drain designs and construction. These were presented at several drainage inspector and contractor conferences. There is growing interest across the province to improve environmental features within municipal drains and these technical documents provide detailed designs and case studies.
  • Ontario Soil Network continued their innovative Ontario Soil Leaders program with $110,955.00 in funding in the Lake Simcoe region and other regions of Ontario. This supported farmer networks to improve soil quality through peer-to-peer learning. Participants are trained in conducting demonstration events and social media promotion to share how their soil management practices are put into action. Farmers attending the field demonstration events frequently remarked how beneficial it was to speak directly with a fellow farmer to learn how they are implementing soil health management practices.
  • University of Guelph is developing measurement techniques of microplastics in soils that may come from organic amendments such as compost and biosolids. Guelph received $68,000 this year for sample collection and analysis.
  • Supported projects to examine best management practices for optimizing sewage treatment plant performance, infrastructure decisions through the environmental and planning approval processes, and ensure sewage treatment plants are complying with annual phosphorus concentration and loading limits. Sewage treatment plant owners and operators continued to improve or upgrade treatment processes to get the best possible reductions in phosphorus loads.  
  • Provided $25,000 to Toronto Metropolitan University to study nutrient offsetting programs as a driver for urban and agricultural adoption of best management practice to reduce nutrient loadings. Researchers compared 4 well-documented nutrient offsetting programs from across the province and found that sharing more information and expertise could strengthen these nutrient offsetting programs further.
  • Continued to support the LSRCA’s study of the efficiency of a watershed scale Receiver Monitoring Program to provide information about the impacts of stormwater control infrastructure on local tributaries that the stormwater is draining into. This project also encouraged municipalities to adopt Receiver Monitoring Programs and conduct monitoring activities ensuring stormwater management infrastructure are functioning effectively and protecting local tributaries.
  • Provided on-going support to the LSRCA to update sub-watershed evaluation guidelines. This funding allowed the LSRCA to gather feedback from guideline users about their experience with sub watershed evaluations and how other organizations share watershed information. The project aimed to improve the experience of the guidelines’ users, and encourage information sharing about sub-watershed evaluations and specific actions, targets and detailed guidance about local hydrological and natural heritage resource planning and management.
  • Continued to support LSRCA’s project to encourage the commercial sector to adopt the use of green infrastructure and support targeted improvements to stormwater management where investments can have significant impacts on reducing downstream impacts on the lake. The LSRCA worked with landowners to design the restoration work necessary to better manage rainfall and snowmelt, and capture phosphorus at sites that have uncontrolled stormwater causing flooding and soil erosion, in Town of Innisfil and Township of Bradford West Gwillimbury.
  • Provided funds to the LSRCA to support municipalities and individual property owners to look for opportunities to improve stormwater management for existing urban areas. This funding was also used to raise public awareness of the benefits of urban restoration projects on the health of Lake Simcoe and streams in the watershed. The LSRCA’s projects advance actions to reduce the amount of stormwater, sediment and pollution entering Lake Simcoe from urban areas across the watershed. In addition to projects underway, in 2023 the province committed an additional $389,647 for 3 new stormwater restoration projects in Innisfil, Newmarket and Oro-Medonte.
  • Continued funding the LSRCA’s project related to increasing awareness of ways to reduce salt use, including publishing a series of case studies documenting the benefits of implementing winter maintenance best practices. Chloride concentrations are increasing in Lake Simcoe, as they are in many lakes and rivers throughout Ontario, largely because of the amount of salt used on roads, parking lots and sidewalks for winter maintenance. Sodium chloride is the most common de-icing agent used on roads and parking lots in North America. The province also supported the adoption of these winter maintenance practices, which will lead to a reduction of chloride levels in Lake Simcoe over the long term.
  • Continued supporting the Smart About Salt Council’s training and certification program to encourage the adoption of leading winter maintenance practices. The program promotes improved safe snow and ice control practices on parking lots and sidewalks to reduce the amount of road salt entering the environment.

Protecting and enhancing natural heritage and restoring aquatic life

The LSPP recognizes the importance of protecting and rehabilitating shorelines and natural heritage areas, such as woodlands, wetlands, parks and green spaces to improve the overall health of the watershed.

Restoring the health of aquatic life within the watershed is also a priority. Healthy ecosystems, including healthy aquatic communities, provide essential ecological functions, cultural, social, and economic benefits, and are closely linked to water quality and quantity.

We took the following actions in 2023 to protect and rehabilitate natural heritage areas and aquatic life:

  • Invested $31 million in capital funding over 5 years through the Wetlands Conservation Partner Program for wetland restoration and enhancement across Ontario, starting in 2020-21. Eight projects have been or are currently underway in the Lake Simcoe watershed, led by Ducks Unlimited Canada, Ontario Federation of Anglers and Hunters and Couchiching Conservancy. The largest of these projects, at 434.9 acres (176 hectares), is the Holland Marsh South Restoration by Ducks Unlimited Canada.
  • Supported the Orillia Museum of Art and History with $89,920 for their Youth Stewardship project, as well as support for their on-going efforts to engage youth in the environment though art and science. This youth-focused public awareness campaign in the Lake Simcoe watershed aimed to instill environmental stewardship among Grade 7 and 8 students at Regent Park School Orillia by guiding them to design an urban space that integrated art and science to manage stormwater effectively. With support from Parklane Landscapes, the museum educated local youth and residents on the benefits of growing native plant species and the value of natural shorelines.
  • Provided ongoing support for the Ontario Federation of Anglers and Hunters education and awareness initiatives across the watershed to prevent and manage the impacts of invasive species in the Lake Simcoe watershed. This included:
    • promoting the Lake Simcoe Invasive Species explainer video (currently with 22,550 views) to raise awareness about the impacts of invasive species from an ecological, economic, and recreational perspective
    • continuing Don’t Dump Your Bait and Invading Species Awareness Program ads on a variety of web and social media forums
    • producing and maintaining several signs and billboards around Lake Simcoe with Clean, Drain, Dry or ice angling messaging
    • attending a variety of events to share information about best management practices to prevent and manage invasive species in the watershed
  • Continued implementing management actions related to the Lake Simcoe Fish Community Objectives and LSPP, including the maintenance of the cold-water fish community.
  • Coordinated the Lake Simcoe Fisheries Stakeholder Committee (LSFSC) and Lake Simcoe Fisheries Management Committee (LSFMC) to provide advice and inform fish community management.
  • Along with the LSFSC and LSFMC, continued to review the Coldwater Stocking Program to ensure alignment with fisheries objectives and the LSPP. New stocking locations for lake trout were used in 2023. The province sought out new locations that were close to deep water and known spawning habitat.
  • Used recent data to update the mapping of lake trout, lake whitefish and lake herring spawning shoals on Lake Simcoe. This information was uploaded to Land Information Ontario to provide better protection for these features from future site alteration and in-water works.
  • Supported partners with the implementation of their monitoring activities (such as LSRCA’s watershed monitoring) through the provision of technical advice and authorizations related to their studies.
  • Conducted research and monitoring to improve understanding of aquatic health and the status of fish populations, including:
  • Continued to evaluate the recovery status of the cold-water fish community of Lake Simcoe using hydroacoustics and studying the diet and growth of larval fish. A hydroacoustic survey and data analysis were conducted to assess pelagic fish populations. The analysis of larval fish data included comparison to results from Lake Huron. Research plans and results on acoustic telemetry were shared with the LSFMC.
  • Assessed the survival rates of stocked lake trout and lake-wide movement patterns of stocked and wild lake trout and lake whitefish through ongoing telemetry research. Additional, adult lake whitefish and lake trout were tagged. A study of the fine-scale movement of fish in their summer habitat was conducted and the data were analyzed. Analyses of lake-wide fish movement data were conducted and the results were presented at the International Association for Great Lakes Research conference.
  • Conducted monitoring of fish and fisheries to support management actions, including Small Fish Biodiversity sampling, Summer Recreational Angler Survey, Winter Recreational Angler Survey, Broad-scale Monitoring Survey, and Lake Whitefish Egg Collections.

Lake Simcoe Phosphorus Reduction Project

In 2022, the government announced a $24 million investment over 3 years to establish an innovative Lake Simcoe Phosphorus Reduction Project.

In 2023, the Ontario Clean Water Agency began conducting a research study to update the design options and cost estimates associated with constructing this new Phosphorus Reduction Project. Once implemented, the project will reduce phosphorus discharges into Lake Simcoe, benefiting communities across the watershed, including:

  • York Region
  • Simcoe County
  • municipalities
  • Indigenous communities

Conclusion

The ongoing efforts to restore and protect Lake Simcoe and its watershed show the collaborative spirit and long-term dedication of the province and its partners.

The province recognizes the importance of working with watershed partners to implement LSPP policies. Together, we have implemented these policies and, for those policies that involve ongoing work, we continue to monitor and support activities on the ground.