Dear Editor,
I’m writing in regard to the September 29 letter regarding TC Energy’s proposed pumped storage project. Pollution Probe and a number of other organizations are paying close attention and scrutinizing all available information to better understand the potential benefits and risks of the project. We will continue to monitor and evaluate as new information becomes available.
I would note that TC Energy is a strong supporter of the Great Lakes Plastic Cleanup (GLPC) in Meaford, throughout Georgian Bay and the Great Lakes. We determined that TC Energy’s commitment to environmental stewardship through collaboration, aligns with the GLPC, an initiative spearheaded by Pollution Probe and the Council of the Great Lakes Region, and supported by a broad network of partners, to:
- educate and engage communities throughout the region in protecting their waterways from plastic pollution
- encourage industry and government action, and
- keep the Great Lakes clean
The GLPC is already the largest initiative of its kind in the world, but we’re just getting started. Having collaborative sponsorship from companies like TC Energy allows the GLPC to expand in a way that maximizes its positive impact through the collection of more data, that reaches more people, raises more awareness and drives action.
The binational Great Lakes region holds over 20% of the world’s surface fresh water, as well as being home to over 3,500 species of plants and animals and over 107 million people who rely on the ecosystem services the lakes provide. It is estimated that a staggering 10 million kilograms (22 million pounds) of plastic enters the largest freshwater system in the world each year, from Canada and the U.S. Given the heightened awareness and concern regarding plastic pollution in freshwater systems and the need to protect the Great Lakes, TC Energy’s support of the GLPC helps to serve as a catalyst for change by supporting sustainability initiatives dedicated to the protection of the Great Lakes through co-operation and knowledge-building.
TC Energy’s support has allowed for the inclusion of strategic locations throughout the Great Lakes, including Meaford, while helping to fill knowledge gaps about the issue of plastic pollution and develop effective community, policy and industry action to bring about positive long-term change.
To learn more please visit www.greatlakesplasticcleanup.org
Sincerely,
Christopher Hilkene
CEO, Pollution Probe
