An ad hoc committee is making the rounds in support of a conservation area in western Lake Erie and the Essex Region Conservation Authority has pledged its support.
The group of environmental activists has been working on the Western National Lake Erie National Marine Conservation Area for more than 10-years - they hope to designate the shoreline of Lake Erie from the tip of Point Pelee to the eight Pelee Islands, the Pelee Passage, and the Leamington, Kingsville and Colchester Shorelines.
Federal money was recently earmarked for environmental projects and member Andrea Shaughnessy is hoping Parks Canada will buck up for a feasibility study to protect many of the regions unique resources.
"In terms of migration patterns for monarchs and the birds of course, which is a very big part of our tourism," says Shaughnessy. "Also for the spawning for the fishing industry, the archeological value of the shipwrecks here. There's a multitude of things."
Shaughnessy says not much would change for boaters, fishermen, and the general public, but the designation will give organizations like ERCA more power to intervene if there are environmental concerns. "What it will do is give more people like ERCA and other organizations, Parks Canada, policing of agricultural runoff, phosphorus and such things that are causing problems with the quality of our water," she added.
The Minister of Environment and Climate Change, the town of Kingsville, Chatham Kent MPP Rick Nicholls and Chatham-Kent--Leamington MP Dave Van Kesteren have already penned letters of support for the group.
Documentarians Alex and Tyler Miffin of The Water Brothers have also stepped up in support of the initiative.
Shaughnessy says no timeline has been set, but they intend on approaching Parks Canada with their proposal in the coming months.