What is the Remedial Action Plan (RAP)?
The Great Lakes Remedial Action Plan Program was created in 1987, when it was formalized in Annex 2 of the Great Lakes Water Quality Agreement between Canada and the United States. Annex 2 outlines the commitment of both countries to an "ecosystem approach" for restoring and protecting environmentally degraded areas of the Great Lakes. An ecosystem approach considers humans, fish, wildlife and plants in environmental management.
In 1987, the Canada-Ontario Agreement Respecting the Great Lakes Water Quality was signed to provide a more specific framework for restoring Areas of Concern (AOC) in Ontario.
Each AOC has a Remedial Action Plan to help guide environmental improvements for a sustainable ecosystem. Remedial Action Plans are completed in three stages:
Stage One: Determine the severity and underlying causes of environmental degradation.
Stage Two: Identify goals and recommend actions that will lead to the restoration and protection of ecosystem health.
Stage Three: Implement recommended actions and measure progress of restoration and protection efforts in the AOC to ensure that local goals have been met.
Once Stage Three is completed the AOC is considered “delisted”. The decision to delist is made by the federal, provincial and local RAP participants, with advice from the International Joint Commission. The decision to delist the St. Lawrence River (Cornwall) AOC is currently pending. In early 2015 as we await a decision on our status, this area is considered to be in a time of transition.
In 1987, the Canada-Ontario Agreement Respecting the Great Lakes Water Quality was signed to provide a more specific framework for restoring Areas of Concern (AOC) in Ontario.
Each AOC has a Remedial Action Plan to help guide environmental improvements for a sustainable ecosystem. Remedial Action Plans are completed in three stages:
Stage One: Determine the severity and underlying causes of environmental degradation.
Stage Two: Identify goals and recommend actions that will lead to the restoration and protection of ecosystem health.
Stage Three: Implement recommended actions and measure progress of restoration and protection efforts in the AOC to ensure that local goals have been met.
Once Stage Three is completed the AOC is considered “delisted”. The decision to delist is made by the federal, provincial and local RAP participants, with advice from the International Joint Commission. The decision to delist the St. Lawrence River (Cornwall) AOC is currently pending. In early 2015 as we await a decision on our status, this area is considered to be in a time of transition.