Press Releases

The Cities Initiative periodically issues press releases on a variety of programs. Find an archive of press releases here.

September 10, 2021 – Coastal Resilience and Water Equity reports from Great Lakes and St. Lawrence Cities Initiative identify significant funding needs and increased federal investment

August 26, 2021 – Great Lakes and St. Lawrence Cities Initiative concludes highly successful virtual annual meeting

July 8, 2021 – Great Lakes and St. Lawrence communities to spend nearly $2 billion over next five years combating coastal damages from climate change

 May 24, 2021 – Mayors Commission on Water Equity supports new legislation in Congress providing assistance for water utility bills

April 29, 2021 – Mayors Commission on Water Equity asks Congress to invest $58 billion to create a cross-agency “Lead Safe Communities” fund

April 20, 2021 – Great Lakes and St. Lawrence Cities Initiative Supports Budget 2021’s funding for Canada Water Agency and understanding the effects of Climate Change

April 16, 2021 – Great Lakes and St. Lawrence Cities Initiative Vice-Chair requests $2.2 Billion for the Canada Water Agency and $7 Billion in shoreline infrastructure funding to address climate change

March 31, 2021 – Great Lakes and St. Lawrence Cities Initiative supports Biden infrastructure plan

March 10, 2021 – Great Lakes and St. Lawrence Cities Initiative applauds passage of Biden COVID relief package

February 25, 2021 – Regional organizations support shared priorities for the Great Lakes

January 19, 2021 – Great Lakes and St. Lawrence Cities Initiative supports Biden COVID relief package and urges quick approval by Congress

January 8, 2021 – Great Lakes and St. Lawrence Cities Initiative applauds agreement to advance Brandon Road project to stop Asian carp

December 15, 2020 – 150 mayors from across America’s heartland urge funding to support COVID-19 response

November 16, 2020 – Great Lakes and St. Lawrence Cities Initiative Convenes Mayors Water Equity Commission

September 23, 2020 – 150 U.S. Mayors Urge Congressional Leaders to Find Compromise on Stimulus Spending to Help Struggling Cities and Towns

September 23, 2020 – Great Lakes organizations urge Congress to include Great Lakes priorities in WRDA reauthorization

September 2, 2020 – Detroit, Zion, and Saint-Anicet join the Great Lakes and St. Lawrence Initiative

August 6, 2020 – 200 U.S. Mayors Call for Emergency Fiscal Assistance for Municipal Governments in U.S. Senate CARES Stimulus Plan

July 7, 2020 – Great Lakes and St. Lawrence Cities Initiative Calls for Additional Stimulus Efforts to Include Water Restoration Priorities

June 9, 2020 – Sheboygan, Wisconsin Mayor Mike Vandersteen elected chair of the Great Lakes and St. Lawrence Cities Initiative

February 14, 2020 – Pre-Budget Consultations with the Government of Canada

February 11, 2020 – Reaction to presidential budget

June 26, 2019 – Projects Moving Ahead to Reduce Lake Erie Algae, Phosphorus targeted for removal

June 18, 2019 – The Great Lakes St. Lawrence Collaborative Proposes Action Plan 2030 to Protect the Great Lakes

June 7, 2019 – TruGreen Honors Leading GLSLCI Members with First-Ever TruGreen Environment Education Awards

June 6, 2019- Canadian and American Mayors Call for Urgent Action against Asian Carp. Signing of the “Mayor's Declaration to Stop Asian Carp”

April 19, 2019 – Great Lakes & St. Lawrence Cities Initiative Welcomes Waukegan Mayor Cunningham

April 11, 2019 – Great Lakes and St. Lawrence Cities Initiative and TruGreen Partner To Improve Water Quality, the Environment

March 15, 2019 – Trump Administration 2020 Budget Proposal Jeopardizes Clean Water 

February 22, 2018 – Canadian and US Mayors Call for Immediate Action on Asian Carp

December 7, 2018 – Projects identified to address Lake Erie algae, Thames River Phosphorous Reduction Collaborative
a. Read the Backgrounder
b. Read the Press Release

November 30, 2018 – Mayors and Anishinabek Nation call for stricter rules for water withdrawals from the Great Lakes and St. Lawrence
a. Read the backgrounder
b. Read the Press Release

October 26, 2018 – Panel of Expert to Investigate Protection of the Great Lakes and St. Lawrence River
a. Read the backgrounder
b. Read the Press Release

September 20, 2018 – More funding for new phosphorus technologies to clean up Lake Erie Federal-provincial program boosts innovative Thames River initiative

July 19, 2018: New phosphorus technologies to clean up Lake Erie – Thames River Phosphorus Reduction Collaborative

a. Read the backgrounder

June 14, 2018: Canadian and US Mayors reject rhetoric, stand united for shared economic prosperity.

February 23, 2018: Collaborative ramps up phosphorus reduction project – Farmers and Cities team up to help meet 40 per cent target

February 14, 2018: Great Lakes and St. Lawrence Cities Initiative Statement on Trump Administration’s Proposed Cuts to the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative

November 22, 2017: Mayors, Businesses and NGOs in Ottawa to call for increased investment to protect the Great Lakes and St. Lawrence

August 2, 2017: Mayors and Governors Reach Agreement to Improve Water Diversion Application Process

June 27, 2017: New group working with farmers, municipalities to reduce phosphorus in the Thames

June 15, 2017: Great Lakes & St. Lawrence Cities Initiative Mayors Mobilize over Great Lakes Restoration and Climate Change

June 2, 2017: Great Lakes and St. Lawrence Mayors Denounce President Trump's Withdrawal from Paris Agreement on Climate Change

May 23, 2017: Proposed US Federal Budget Cuts Threaten the Great Lakes

March 27, 2017: Cities Initiative Board of Directors Announces New President/CAO

March 16, 2017: Elimination of Great Lakes Funds Shocks Mayors

March 3, 2017: Great Lakes and St. Lawrence Mayors Deeply Concerned about U.S. Budget

December 19, 2016: Success for the Great Lakes: WIIN Act Signed Into Law By Obama

December 9, 2016: Funding Supports Work to Reduce Phosphorus Loss to Waterways

October 27. 2016: Mayors, Business Leaders, NGOs Call for New Vision, Blue Print for future of Great Lakes and St. Lawrence Region: Great Lakes Advocates Meet with Key Ministers in Ottawa

June 16, 2016: Mayors Oppose Waukesha Water Diversion (pdf)

June 16, 2016: Backgrounder

February 16th, 2016: Mayors call on June 16, 2016: Backgrounder Premiers, Governors to Defend Integrity of Great Lakes and Compact [pdf]

December 11th, 2015: Mayors call on World Leaders to Reach Ambitious Climate Commitment in Paris [Press Release]

• Backgrounder (December 11, 2015)
• Resolution (December 11, 2015)

October 6th, 2015: Mayors hold first Great Lakes Day at Queen's Park

October 6th, 2015: Backgrounder

June 17th, 2015: Mayors endorse State and Provincial accord to restore Lake Erie (Annual Meeting) [pdf]

June 10th, 2015: Mayors Call on US and Canada to Protect Drinking Water [pdf]

Annual Meetings

Montreal 2017

• January 13, 2017: The Future of the Great Lakes and St. Lawrence on the Agenda for Montreal’s 275th Anniversary

Thunder Bay 2014

• Mayors Call for Better Protection from Oil Transportation Spills
• Cities Recognized for Sustainability, Conservation, and Water Management

Marquette 2013

• Mayors Take on Great Lakes and St. Lawrence Challenges
• Annual Meeting Media Backgrounder

Quebec 2012

Niagara Falls 2011

• Cities Receive Awards for Stormwater Management, Conservation and Sustainability
• New Bi-National Commitment, Investment Urgently Needed to Protect Great Lakes and St. Lawrence

Milwaukee 2010

• Green Cities Chart Sustainable Future for Great Lakes and St. Lawrence
• Cities Initiative Announces Recipient of Wege Sustainability Award
• Great Lakes and St. Lawrence Mayors Request Meeting on Spill Response

Asian Carp

• $2 Million Funding Goal Met, Lead Contractor Selected for Study Initiative to Modernize the Chicago Waterway System and Protect the Great Lakes from Asian Carp – January 11th, 2011
• States and cities launch initiative to modernize the Chicago area waterway system and protect the Great Lakes from Asian carp – July 22nd, 2010

BP Refinery

• July 28, 2007: Mayors Call for Less Pollution from BP Refinery to Lake Michigan

Canada Ontario Agreement and Memorandum of Cooperation (COAMOC)

• June 1, 2010: Provincial and Municipal Great Lakes Partnerships
• June 1, 2010: Ontario and Great Lakes and St. Lawrence Cities Initiative Areas of Cooperation
• June 1, 2010: Ontario’s Great Lakes Beaches and Coasts to Benefit from Collaboration
• May 5, 2009: Ontario Mayors’ Five Point Collaborative Action Plan to Protect the Great Lakes
• May 5, 2009: Cities and Province Affirm Commitment to Restoring and Protecting the Great Lakes

Municipal Adaptation and Resiliency Service (MARS)

• Cities Initiative Launches a Municipal Adaptation and Resiliency Service
• June 17, 2014: Cities, Ontario Tackle Great Lakes Resiliency to Climate Change Together
• June 17, 2014: Letter from Mayor Hobbs to Members regarding Municipal Adaptation and Resiliency Service
• August 2014: “Is Your Municipality Storm Ready?”

Microplastics

• October 29, 2013: Mayors Press for Action on Microplastics

Nuclear

• February 4, 2011: Great Lakes and St. Lawrence Mayors Express Disappointment at Decision to Approve Radioactive Equipment and Waste Shipment
• September 29, 2010: Great Lakes and St. Lawrence Mayors Oppose Nuclear Waste Shipment
• November 23, 2010: Great Lakes and St. Lawrence Mayors Reaffirm Opposition to Radioactive Waste Shipment
• September 13, 2010: Cities Initiative Opposes Radioactive Shipment Along Great Lakes and St. Lawrence River