為了守護保育北美五大湖盆地的生態系統，加拿大的安大略省政府聯合五大湖周圍的美、加城市，展開了跨越邊境的全新合作關係。
部會首長與「五大湖及聖羅倫斯城市倡議會」（Great Lakes and St. Lawrence Cities Initiative）的安大略省代表在17日簽署了合作備忘錄，承諾將在五大湖市政資源與責任相關議題上，彼此交流合作。
「五大湖及聖羅倫斯城市倡議會」是美加50多位市長與其他官員所成立的雙邊聯合組織，以關注五大湖及聖羅倫斯河區域的公共衛生與福祉。
負責主辦本次會議的多倫多市長米勒（David Miller）是加國在城市倡議會的主席兼創立人。他表示，「這項合作備忘錄開啟了重要的策略結盟，參與者有五大湖及聖羅倫斯城市倡議會、安大略省五大湖區城市與省政府。」
米勒也指出，「從北邊的尼皮貢（Nipigon）到南邊的多倫多，安大略省各城市為了保護五大湖，每年投入超過20億美元的資金。」
在美國這一側， 密西根州長葛蘭荷姆（Jennifer Granholm）也批准了五大湖暨聖羅倫斯河流域水資源協定的相關立法。
毗鄰五大湖的美國八州與加國安大略、魁北克兩省都認可本次的協定，內容不但確切保障區域內的五大湖水資源使用權，也致力提昇用水節約與效能。
五大湖州長協會會長，威斯康辛州長道爾（Jim Doyle）表示，「能看見整個區域為了保護五大湖，進行史無前例的合作，令人感到欣慰。我們現在必須以此協定作為基礎，與美國國會共同努力將保護協定化為法令。」
根據協定，必須得到所有簽署的州方、省方同意，才能將五大湖的水導引至區域以外使用。此外，協定也提供了清晰的管理方針，以達成水資源永續利用及保護等目標。
五大湖區的美國八州與加國二省在2005年就已經成立類似的互信協議，並依此各自修正既有的水資源計畫，讓區域內的規定能協調、一致。
密西根的摩斯奇更（Muskegon）原本是五大湖毒熱廢水排放點之一，美國聯邦與州政府於七月初展開合作，希望將此地改造成頂級渡假區。
以五大湖委員會會長的身份，密西根副州長徹瑞（John Cherry）宣佈委員會將聯合美國海洋與大氣總署（NOAA），開始復育五大湖重點區域的魚類與動物生態。在美加五大湖水質協議中，共指出43個毒熱廢水排放點。
摩斯奇更湖是首要改善的目標，泥沙淤積、工業廢水與湖岸開發在此造成嚴重的水質污染，破壞了原本豐富的魚類及動物生態。湖岸有將近3/4被堅硬的水泥或建築物覆蓋；湖底則有1/4的深度積滿了鋸木廠及工廠產生的廢棄物。
「摩斯奇更湖棲地復育計畫」將在三年內投入340萬美金，挽救73英畝（29.5公頃）的濕地，復原1萬8千英呎（5.5公里）的湖岸，並清除約9英畝（3.6公頃）的湖底淤積。
The Ontario Government and municipal officials from around the Great Lakes on both sides of the border have begun a new era of working together to restore, protect and conserve the Great Lakes Basin ecosystem.
A memo of cooperation signed Thursday by provincial ministers and Ontario representatives of the Great Lakes and St. Lawrence Cities Initiative commits them to consulting and cooperating on issues of municipal interest and responsibility around the Great Lakes. The signing took place at the annual conference of the Cities Initiative, in Toronto.
The Great Lakes and St. Lawrence Cities Initiative is a binational coalition of over 50 mayors and other municipal officials from Canada and the U.S. interested in the health and well-being of the Great Lakes and St. Lawrence River system.
Toronto Mayor David Miller, founding Canadian chair of the Cities Initiative and conference host, said, "This memorandum of cooperation represents the beginning of an important strategic partnership between the Great Lakes and St. Lawrence Cities Initiative, Ontario Great Lakes municipalities and the Ontario government. From Nipigon in the North to Toronto in the South, Ontario municipalities are investing over $2 billion to protect the Great Lakes every year."
On the U.S. side of the Great Lakes, Michigan Governor Jennifer Granholm has signed legislation ratifying the Great Lakes-St. Lawrence River Basin Water Resources Compact.
All eight Great Lakes states and the Canadian provinces of Ontario and Quebec now have approved the agreement, which ensures that authority over Great Lakes water usage is retained in the region, and promotes efforts toward water conservation and efficiency.
Wisconsin Governor Jim Doyle, chair of the Council of Great Lakes Governors, said, "It is gratifying to see our region uniting as never before to protect the Great Lakes. We must now build on this momentum, working with our congressional partners to turn these protections into law."
In addition to safeguarding Great Lakes water from diversion from the basin without consent of the signatory states and provinces, the Compact provides a comprehensive management framework for achieving sustainable water use and resource protection.
The eight Great Lakes States reached a similar good faith agreement with Ontario and Quebec in 2005, which the provinces are using to amend their existing water programs for greater regional consistency.
In Muskegon, Michigan earlier this month, U.S. federal and state officials met to launch a new partnership to transform a Great Lakes toxic hot spot into a Great Lakes prime vacation spot.
Serving in his capacity as chair of the Great Lakes Commission, Michigan Lt. Governor John Cherry announced a partnership between the Commission and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, NOAA, to begin restoring fish and wildlife in Great Lakes Areas of Concern. These 43 toxic hot spots were designated under the U.S.-Canada Great Lakes Water Quality Agreement.
The partnership's initial focus is Muskegon Lake, where contaminated sediments, industrial discharges and shoreline development have degraded water quality and damaged the lake's once abundant fish and wildlife.
Over the years nearly three-quarters of the lake's shoreline has been hardened with concrete and other structures, and more than one-quarter of the lake filled with residue from sawmills and industrial operations.
The three-year, $3.4 million Muskegon Lake Habitat Restoration Project will restore 73 acres of wetlands, soften 18,000 feet of hardened shoreline, and remove nearly nine acres of fill.
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