Ours to protect today - for generations to explore and enjoy tomorrow

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Published to the public on June 6, 2016
Georgian Bay Forever, a respected voice in freshwater scientific research and education


Bringing focus to our scientific and educational work
Advancing GBF Priorities
Significant effort was made this year to ensure GBF’s work truly reflects the entire Bay community. Among the many priority projects we undertook was an engineering study to recommend climate resilient structural options for managing water levels within the Great Lakes-St. Lawrence River System, ongoing work on a standardized water quality protocol to support consistent data collection to help inform water research and government decision-making, and a community mobilization initiative to help eradicate invasive Phragmites which are threatening our precious coastal wetlands. Initiatives like these demonstrate how our investments are truly making a difference in protecting life as we know it on the Bay, and how our work on water levels, water quality and ecosystems is all inter-connected in some way.Strengthening our future
Working together with our Board, we developed a new strategic plan to help prioritize our work and guide our decision-making over the next three years. We updated our vision and mission statements and identified seven strategic priorities and associated projects to help move our work forward. Among these is a commitment to clarify our role within the GB-5 in response to feedback from stakeholders, and to further build our profile through enhanced communication. We have already taken steps on the latter by adding a full-time communications role to our team, updating our website, and enhancing our social media presence in order to educate as many people as we can about water issues, climate change and threats to Georgian Bay and the Great Lakes. This has further expanded GBF’s outreach and influence as indicated by the 10 per cent increase in new donors who contributed to the close to $500,000 we received in donations this year. GBF ended 2015 with a modest financial deficit. This was a carefully planned shortfall that allowed us to invest in The Search for New Solutions study on water level management, and to expand communications and education. These are responsible investments that will result in long-term benefits for the Bay and lay a strong foundation for our work in 2016 and beyond.Acknowledging our partners
Our work would not be possible without the support of our many partners, donors, and community volunteers who share our passion for keeping the Bay’s waters and ecosystems healthy and thriving. A special shout out to our colleagues at the Georgian Bay Association on their milestone 100th Anniversary! We also wish to extend our heartfelt thanks to former board chair, Brenda Drinkwalter, who worked tirelessly during her two-year term to advance our mandate and raise GBF’s profile, and retiring board member Hugh McLelland, who served on the GBF board for many years.
Peter Singer Board Chair

David Sweetnam Executive Director

Meet the men and women who so generously volunteered their time in 2015 to help GBF advance our mission.
Find out about the committees on which they served.
“Georgian Bay Forever is a shining example of a charitable organization that connects communities with important issues and engages people in action. In the 20 years you have been in existence, you have had a remarkable impact championing Georgian Bay water quality and ecosystem protection.”
The Honourable Elizabeth Dowdeswell, Lieutenant Governor of Ontario Keynote speaker at GBF’s Vital Signs IV, April 2015
Exploring structural solutions to regulate water levels
While water levels are slightly higher than long-term average levels once again, it’s important to remember the devastating impact of the low water levels we experienced in 2012/13. We know from the International Joint Commission’s International Upper Great Lakes Study, that climate change will continue to make our lakes vulnerable to fluctuating water levels in years to come, and from the GBF and and Council of the Great Lakes Region funded Mowat Centre study, Low Water Blues , that this will have serious economic and ecological repercussions for the Great Lakes over the long-term. Building on this important work, GBF identified the need to develop structural solutions to mitigate water level extremes – higher highs and lower lows.
Learning from the historical impact of water level extremes
During Phase 2 of our strategic partnership with the NASA DEVELOP Program at the Langley Research Center in Virginia and the Great Lakes St. Lawrence River Cities Initiative, we used satellite imagery captured between the high levels in May 1987 and the low levels in June 2013 to measure the impact of varying water levels on wetlands.
Standardizing water quality testing to support important research
Based on our discussions with key stakeholders, water quality remains a top priority for those who live, work and play on the Bay. Building on our water quality monitoring work with the Township of Georgian Bay, GBF continued its two-year partnership project with the Georgian Bay Biosphere Reserve and other key partners to harmonize water-testing protocols across the Bay. This work will help us to provide Township and cottage association volunteers with standardized tools to track water quality data in a similar and comparative manner to better inform water quality research and government decision-making. These tools will replace the more than 15 different water quality-monitoring programs currently in use on the Bay, which make scientific comparisons between regions challenging. A standardized water testing protocol will also allow us to compare our findings with other coastal monitoring programs through the Ontario Ministry of the Environment and Climate Change’s Lake Partner Program. This work is set to be completed in 2017. The results will be highlighted in the next State of the Bay report for Eastern and Northern Georgian Bay, slated for publication in 2018.
Your support makes it possible for GBF to fund important research
Thanks to the generosity of GBF donors who supported the purchase of our 19’ boat, the Baykeeper, we are able to assist the work of researchers who wouldn’t otherwise have access to the resources they need to complete their work. Learn more about donating.
Thank you
The Great Lakes Community Guardian Fund
The Schad Foundation
Lake Simcoe South Eastern Georgian Bay Clean-up Fund
Applying leading edge tools to monitor water quality
The completion of a three-year Water Quality Program redesign in the Township of Georgian Bay marked GBF’s first use of microbial source tracking, a novel diagnostic tool used to help identify whether the source of microbial contaminants (e.g., bacteria, parasites, viruses) in our waters are human or animal. The final report , released in 2016, shows that contaminant levels in the Township’s water from birds, humans and pets are well below the water quality standard limits for Ontario, which should give the population confidence that the systems the Township currently has in place are working well.
Predicting the release of toxic algae blooms
GBF is always pleased when we can support the research of others like University of Toronto Professor Maria Dittrich. She and her students were able to collect samples and perform microsensor measurements in Honey Harbour thanks to GBF’s cooperation. Their study of the make-up of sediment in Honey Harbour and its capacity to release phosphorous into the water will move us closer to predicting the risk for toxic algae blooms in south-eastern Georgian Bay.
Mobilizing our communities to eliminate invasive species
Never underestimate the power of community. Following 2014’s highly successful pilot project to eradicate invasive Phragmites in Eastern Georgian Bay, GBF expanded its reach in 2015 to 16 communities from Collingwood to the North Channel. With the help of the Georgian Bay Association, we educated, trained and mobilized teams of volunteer “phragbusters”, helping them to remove more than 8,000 kg of Phragmites and take the first important steps towards eliminating this serious threat to our ecosystems.
Using DNA barcoding to detect how changes impact ecosystems
Building on work we started with the University of Guelph in 2012, we continue to take a leadership role in the Great Lakes region to support the development of an aquatic biodiversity library for the Bay. Using sophisticated Canadian-developed DNA bar coding, GBF is collecting samples to rapidly and cost-effectively identify all living organisms and species living in the Bay. This work will allow us to monitor how stressors of the ecosystem impact diversity and the food web over time and will aid in identifying hot spots in need of protection. A progress report on the status of this project will be released in 2016 with a focus on the impact of open cage aquaculture on water quality and the food web. Partner: University of GuelphSeeking new habitats for the survival of declining fish species.
With Walleye, Lake Sturgeon and Sucker species on the decline in certain areas of Eastern Georgian Bay, GBF is partnering with the Eastern Georgian Bay Stewardship Council on their 32-month project to survey 8 to 10 tributaries within the Parry Sound District. Using lakebed mapping, aerial and underwater photography, water flow and other measurements, we are assessing the suitability of these tributaries for restorative work to enhance spawning, rearing, nursery and foraging habitats for these species. GBF is supporting this initiative through fieldwork involving our staff, boat and sounding equipment. In 2015, we began work on the Blackstone, Seguin, Shebeshekong and Shawananga Rivers, with plans to expand and include the Magnetawan, Key, Pickerel and French Rivers, Sucker’s Creek and potentially the Naiscoot River by 2018.
Georgian Bay Forever Circle - A New Recognition Program for our Generous Donors



GBF is pleased to recognize the members of the Georgian Bay Forever Circle for their total lifetime contributions.
PROTECTOR
$250,000+
- Great Lakes Basin Conservancy, Inc.
RBC Foundation
DEFENDER
$100,000 - $249,999
- The CSL Group Inc.
Doug and Ruth Grant
Husky Injection Molding Systems Ltd.
Jackman Foundation
The McLean Foundation
The Schad Foundation
GUARDIAN
$50,000 - $99,999
- Echo Foundation
The Geoff Hyland Family
The Langar Foundation
The Judy and Wilmot Matthews Foundation
Marye McCaig
Anthony Munk and Amie Rocket Munk
Robin and Robert Ogilvie
The W. Garfield Weston Foundation
Bruce Power
HERO
$25,000 - $49,999
- Brian and Janey Chapman
The Catherine and Fredrik Eaton Foundation
Peter Hatcher and Family
Robert Hay and Family
Michael and Jacquie Green
John Honderich
Ernest Howard
Roger Jones and Joanne Muther-Jones
Peter and Margie Kelk
The Harold A. Kopas Family Foundation
Lloyd’s Register Canada Ltd.
Ruth Mandel – WHO GIVES Fund
Mason Family Foundation
The McDonald Family
Michael McCain
Hugh and Sylvia McLelland
Jeffrey Orr and Suzanne Legge
Francie and John Pepper
John and Penny Pepperell
The Ruby Family
William and Meredith Saunderson
Peter and Cathie Singer
Larry Smith
Sterling Marine Fuels
Philip and Eli Taylor
Jan Ruby and Mary Thomson
John and Josie Watson
The Michael Young Family Foundation
PATRON
$15,000 - $24,999
- Algoma Central Corporation
David and Shelagh Blenkarn
Derek and Nancy Bowen
Tony and Janet Burt
The Carrick Family
James and Erica Curtis
Philip Deck and Kimberley Bozak
Fednav Limited
The Charles and Rita Field-Marsham Foundation
Mary-Elizabeth Flynn
Donald Guloien and Irene Boychuk
Renata Humphries
John Irving and Janet Turnbull-Irving
Robert and Patricia Lord
Paul and Martha McLean
James Meekison and Carolyn Keystone
Frank and Patricia Mills
Hugh and Ada Morris
Christopher Pfaff
Bill and Carol Prior
Gail and Tim Regan
Margot Roberts and David Williamson
David Roffey and Karen Walsh
Jennifer Rogers
Robert and Valerie Thompson
Cameron Wardlaw
Michael Wenben and Virginia Froman
Sandy Wood and Don Darroch
2015 GBF Supporters
Georgian Bay Forever is grateful to all of our donors and sponsors who make all that we do to protect the waters of Georgian Bay possible. More than 80 per cent of your contributions go directly to one of our many research and education projects that are aimed at informing water levels management, maintaining water quality, and protecting the ecosystems of Georgian Bay.We deeply appreciate everyone who donated to Georgian Bay Forever in 2015.
$50,000
- RBC Foundation
$25,000 - $49,999
- Bruce Power
Great Lakes Basin Conservancy, Inc
Sterling Marine Fuels Ltd.
Philip and Eli Taylor
$5,000 - $24,999
- Jennifer Bannock
David & Shelagh Blenkarn
Derek & Nancy Bowen
Tony & Janet Burt
Gordon & Harriet Cummings
Philip Deck & Kimberley Bozak
The Catherine & Fredrik Eaton Charitable Foundation
The Charles & Rita Field-Marsham Foundation
Mary-Elizabeth Flynn
Doug & Ruth Grant
Michael & Jacquie Green
Donald Guloien & Irene Boychuk
John Honderich
Ernest Howard
Renata Humphries
The Geoff Hyland Family
Roger Jones & Joanne Muther-Jones
The Harold A. Kopas Family Foundation
The Langar Foundation
LeVan Family Foundation
Mason Family Foundation
The Judy & Wilmot Matthews Foundation
Marye McCaig
The McDonald Family
Anthony Munk & Amie Rocket-Munk
Robin & Robert Ogilvie
Jeffrey Orr & Suzanne Legge
Margot Roberts & David Williamson
William & Meredith Saunderson
The Schad Foundation
Peter & Cathie Singer
Robert & Valerie Thompson
Sandy Wood & Don Darroch
The Michael Young Family Foundation

$2,500 - $4,999
- Sted & Robin Garber
Peter Hatcher & Family
John Irving & Janet Turnbull-Irving
Jackman Foundation
Peter & Marjorie Kelk
Jay & Katherine Kraner
Sue McNamara
Gail &Tim Regan
$1,000 - $2,499
- Murray & Susan Armitage Foundation
Clair Balfour & Marci McDonald
Paul Brisbois & Sandi Campbell
Michael & Maureen Douglas
Richard & Dawn Drayton
John & Jennifer Ferguson
Joseph Green
John & Patricia Hardy
Adam Howard & Janet Neilson
S. Jean & Harold Koetsier-Adams
Bill Linton & Marilynne Day-Linton
Robert & Patricia Lord
Dougal & Barbara Macdonald
Paul & Martha McLean
Hugh & Sylvia McLelland
William & Mary Elizabeth Morris
Evelyn Newell
John & Francie Pepper
Point Pleasant Marina
Lloyd & Pat Posno
Alison Prentice
Queen's Cove Marina
Rick & Anne Randell
Robert & Carolin Shepherd
Lawrence & Judith Ward
John & Josie Watson
Thomas Williams
$500 - $999
-
Amy Beament
Vince & Jennifer Berretta
James & Maureen Cooper
William Cunningham
Brenda Drinkwalter
Katherine Freygang
Brian & Carol Grant
Jon & Shelagh Grant
Glen & Beth Heintzman
Barbara Hyland
Sam Kohn & Mary Ciolfi-Kohn
Gavin & Jan Langmuir
John & Carol Macfarlane
MacFeeters Family Fund at the Toronto Foundation
Jerry & Jane McIntosh
June McLean
Blake & Janet Murphy
John Rhind
R.G.H. Robertson
Rose Point Marina
Chester Sandberg
Edward Simmonds
Mark Smith & Anne Larson
Sonja Stewart
Emma Sweetnam
Michael & Melinda Tabor
Michael Wenban & Virginia Froman
Ian Werker & Janet Saunderson
George & Helen Will
Donald & Sandra Wilson
Robert & Fran Woodrooffe

$250 - $499
- Peter & Nora Adamson
William & Elizabeth Ash
Donald & Elizabeth Bartlett
Fred & Dorothy Beattie
Mary Boeckh
Clayton & Amber Bunn
Alison & Gregory Scott Butler
Clive & Mary Chamberlain
Tom & Christine Claflin
Brian Clark
Sondra Cornett
David Cranmer
James & Erica Curtis
Douglas Derry
D'Arcy Doherty
Karen Fergus
Jean Friedel

$250 - $499 (cont.)
-
Ed & Kathy Garner
John & Elizabeth Hackett
Mary Claire & George Heintzman
Ann Herring
John & Laura Hughes
Robert & Mary Lee
David & Mary Lord
Margaret Mackenzie
John & Adrienne Mars
Bill & Claire Middleton
Joseph & Gillian Mitchell
Jessie O'Neill
Britton & Arani Osler
Dr. Perry Phillips
Jonathan Pintwala
Michael & Sheila Royce
Rosemary Short
South Channel Association
David Sweetnam & Debra Archibald
Ronald Till & Sheila Lee
Phillip & Maureen Tingley
Sarah White
Judith Yohe
$1 - $249
- John & Wendy Abbott
Norman Abbott
William & Jane Abbott
Pamela Aitken
Sandra Andrews
Harvey & Mary Armstrong
Victoria Athanassiou
Arnold Bailey
Peter & Nancy Baines
Sandy Baker
Robert & Sinikka Barker Donald & Mary Barron William Bartram Derek Bate Charles & Kathleen Beck Todd Beckett Elizabeth Bell Jodi Bellaera Ann Bennett David Bennett Cathy Bentley Jurg & Gisela Berchtold Audrey Best Thomas Bogardus Peter & Rita Boruta Shelagh Bowden Derek Brackley & Sara Menzel Ernest & Gloria Bradford Rosalind Bradford Steven & Kathryn Bradford Paul & Frances Breithaupt Jack & Lani Broadbent David & Sonja Brown Douglas & Helen Bryce Peter Bryce Jean & Donald Butler Daniele Caloz Neil & Judy Cameron Camp Osawa Ltd. Bruce & Noella Campbell Ron & Mary Campeau Michael & Marjorie Carson Ross & SusanCarter Elizabeth Cates John & Margaret Catto Central East Region Judges Bruce & Dianne Christie Brian Clark Philip & Kay Clarke

$1 - $249 (cont.)
-
Don & Ursula Cockburn
Robert Conn
David & Mary Copp
James & Margaret Cowan
Thomas Crerar
Patsy Cross
Nancy Cunningham
Mr. & Mrs. Phillip Cunningham
Thomas & Norma Dancy
Kathleen Daniel
Doug & Heather Daymond
Jo Anne DeBiasio
Roman & Virginia Dementavicius
Vernon & Donna Deneault
John Dick
Benjamin & Molly Diesbach
Al Donaldson
Robert & Mary Lynne Eakin
John & Jane Favret
George & Kittie-Marie Fells
Kurt & Cynthia Fischer
Joan Fisher
Robert & Anne Fisher
Richard Forster
Michael & Salme Foulds
Bill Fowler & Mary Wolf
Sandra Freedhoff
Harold & Heidi Freure
Ross & Jeanne Geddes
Kate Gibson
Mona Gibson
$1 - $249 (Cont.)
-
Brian & Lucile Gille
John & Catherine Gillespie
Leigh & Lee Goodall
Jamie Graham
Donald & Gwen Grant
Cyril Gryfe
Angela Haberhauer
Jean Hafner
Elizabeth Hall-Findlay
William & Marilyn Hance
Carole Harrison & Toni Herrick
Charles Haydock
Lee & Barbara Headlee
Margaret Hebert
Frank Hedley
Ian & Judy Henderson
Virginia Heward
Ashley & Wendy Hilliard
Mark & Marilyn Hiseler
Alen Holton
Margaret & Roger Horton
Diane Hughes
Anne Hurlbut
Judy Hurren
Charles Irwin
Dr. & Mrs. Tad Jacobs
Jane Jeffrey
Stephen & Elisabeth Jenks
Duncan & Robyn Jones
Milan & Ilja Kalis
Rainer Kaufmann & Madeleine Arsenault
Richard Kelley
John & Patricia Keyser
Charles King
Raymond Knowles & Marquerite Doritty
Ken Knuff
Jeff & Cindy Kuchman
Harlan & Elizabeth Lahti
Nancy Langmuir
John Lawson
Pat Laycraft
Reginald & Sheila Lewis
Moira & Harland Lindsay
Tom & Nancy Lofft
Albert & Joan Longo
Geoffrey Lowe
Robert Lunan
Henry & Heather Maag
J.A. Macdonald
Jim & Jill MacKenzie
Joan MacRae
Jane Maher
Lindsay Maing
Susan Main
Jack & Sue Marley
Elizabeth Martin
David Martin
Roger Matthews
John McAllister
William McCoy
Rene & Carol McCron
Ian & Maureen McGibbon
John McKee & Lynn McLauchlin
Margaret McLeish
Marion McLeod
Leslie Menikoff
Ulrike & Erik Meyer
David & Carolyn Middlebrook
Karen Lea Milburn
Greg Miller
James Mills
John & Pam Mitchell
William & Sally Moore
Dr. & Mrs. Donald Moylan
Warren & Barbara Moysey
Bill & Jan Mustard
James Nancorrow & Alison Cooper
Mr. & Mrs. David Newell
Margaret Newell
Dean & Elaine Nicholls
Scott & Christina Northey
Pam Parker
Wendy Parker
Barbara Parton
Deborah Phillips
George & Jean Podolsky
Bill & Carol Prior
Dr. Alexandra Costa Reich
Ella Reynolds
Jamie & Lindsay Richards
Mary Richardson
Murray Rideout
W.M. Robbins
Peter & Sewell Russell
Frank & Ota Safertal
Roma & Algi Sapijonis
Heather Sargeant
Peter Scandrett
Mr. & Mrs. David Schatz
Werner & Inge Schmalz
Paul & Christel Schwarz
David Scoon
Greg Scott
Peter & Diana Selover
Eugene & Fran Shannon
Jessica Shelley
Tom Sherman & Nancy Middlebrook
Dr. John Sieben
Walter & Natalie Sloan
Gordon Smith
Peter & Dallis Smith
Larry Smokorowski
Carl & Jennifer Spiess
Barbara Stefaniuk
Charles Stewart III
Timothy & Nalini Stewart
Richard Stoner
Duncan & Audrey Stratton
William & Kathleen Sutherland
Leo & Ella Sweetnam
Nory Takata & Susan Sheard
Vincent Tangredi
Cleveland & Linda Thurber
Steven Traplin & Krystyn Rutkowski
George Trusler
E.L. & Barbara Van Sickel
John Vanstone
Bob Watson
Diana Watson
Bill & Linda Watts
Susan Waugh
Robert Weekes
Jeffrey Weitz
Dave Whidden
Patric Whitney & Camie Tang-Chang
Ken & Gail Williams
Mr. & Mrs. Neil Williams
Shirley Wilson
Steve Wilson
Susan Wilson
Alice Winn
Wendy Wong
Kim Woodhouse
David & Lynne Woodward
Claudette Young
Merle & Sue Zoerb
Memories-are-forever gifts: Individuals listed below have had gifts made in their honour.
Donations In Memory
-
Ed Adams Sr.
Mike Bannon
Jorge Ferreira
John Bruce Jennings
Bob Kraner
Grace Kraner
Edward Leslie
Dr.Terry Mackenzie
Douglas McLeish
Bill Spaeth
Phyllis Spaeth

Gifts In Honour
- Brenda Drinkwalter
The Honourable John McIsaac
Larry and Judy Ward
Responsible investments for long term benefits
A 10 per cent increase in new donors who, in addition to current donors, contributed to nearly $500,000 in donations in 2015. GBF ended 2015 with a carefully planned modest financial deficit; allowing for investments in the engineering options study and to further expand communications and education. 2015 builds a strong foundation for our work in 2016 and beyond.Revenues and Expenditures
Financial Position

The Independent Auditor's Report of Georgian Bay Forever's 2015 Financials