In accordance with public health guidelines, the Detroit River Canadian Cleanup (DRCC) office remains closed due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Should you need to reach the DRCC, we can be reached via e-mail or telephone at (519) 982-3722.
The Detroit River Canadian Cleanup wishes you a Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays! Our offices will be closed from December 24, 2020 until January 3, 2021. Though 2020 did not go as anticipated, we were still able to achieve great progress towards restoring the Detroit River, together. We hosted our annual film screening and a virtual Detroit River Evening. Our research partners provided new study results to the DRCC indicating no impairment for several BUIs and we were able to redesignate 2 BUIs (more information coming soon!). We also began construction on the Peche Island habitat project in the river - the largest habitat project on the Canadian side to date!

We wish you and your families a safe and happy Christmas, and we look forward to seeing you in 2021.
Miss our Phytoplankton and Zooplankton Virtual Open House?
The Detroit River Canadian Cleanup is recommending changing the status of the Degradation of Phytoplankton and Zooplankton populations beneficial use impairment (BUI) from ‘requires further assessment’ to ‘not impaired’.

If you missed our virtual open house, you can watch it on our YouTube channel. The virtual open house presents a history of the Degradation of Phytoplankton and Zooplankton populations BUI in the Detroit River, and includes Mark Fitzpatrick, scientist from the Department of Fisheries and Oceans Canada, who describes their research on plankton in the river.

We are seeking public input on our recommendation. To read the report and fact sheet that support the recommendation and to comment, visit our website. We expect the comment form to take no longer than 5 minutes to complete. All comments received will be reviewed and addressed by the Detroit River Canadian Cleanup. The deadline to submit comments is December 31, 2020. If you have any questions or concerns please contact Jacqueline Serran at postmaster@detroitriver.ca or at 519-776-5209 ext. 356.
Christmas Bird Count on the Detroit River
The Christmas Bird Count will continue in 2021! The Essex County Field Naturalists’ Club continues its role as the Caretaker for the Lower Detroit River Important Bird Area (IBA), a project of Birdlife International and administered in Canada by Bird Canada. Each year members of ECFNC partake in three waterfowl counts along the Lower Detroit River in January and February covering the area between the Amherstburg Birding and Nature Trail to the north end Fighting Island. This area is labeled as an important bird area for the high numbers of waterfowl that stage here over the winter months, particularly Canvasback which can be seen in the tens of thousands. 2020 was the fourth year ECFNC has participated in this project. Members of the Field Naturalists' Club will be out on the river to collect data in January 2021.
2020 Second Triennial Assessment of Progress Report on Great Lakes Water Quality
The International Joint Commission published the 2020 Second Triennial Assessment of Progress (TAP) Report on Great Lakes Water Quality on December 10, 2020. In this Triennial Assessment of Progress report—covering the period 2017 to 2019— the IJC considers the Progress Report of the Parties (the PROP), which was released in June 2019 by Canada and the United States, the two Parties to the Agreement. The TAP report summarizes public input on the PROP gathered throughout the summer and autumn of 2019 via in-person meetings and listening sessions, and an online survey.

With regards to the Area of Concern program, the report notes "the Areas of Concern program is one of the most successful under the Agreement. Its genius resides in bringing together industry, local, regional, state, provincial, national and Indigenous governments at all levels, and the public in a process geared toward a common objective, fostering a constructive, frank dialogue. This in turn leads to meaningful action enjoying widespread support, as, for example, numerous studies have shown that investments in cleanup yield broad economic and societal benefits." Thank you to all of our partners and the public who make the Detroit River Remedial Action plan a success.
Calling all Ontario-residents with an interest in nature!
Researchers at the Rotman Institute in Toronto are looking for volunteers to help with an online study that will examine how people organize and remember natural taxonomies. Participants are needed for two groups 1. BIRDERS and 2. GENERAL INTEREST. The study takes about one hour and can be completed online. Participants receive an e-gift card for participating. To participate and to request more information, contact Kenny Trinh, ktrinh@research.baycrest.org. 
Extra! Extra! Read all about it!
The Detroit River and Great Lakes in the news. Here are some links to articles that may pique your interest. Click the link to read on.  
The Detroit River Canadian Cleanup is a partnership between government, industry, academics, as well as environmental and community organizations that work together to improve the Detroit River ecosystem through a Remedial Action Plan. Our goal is to remove the Detroit River from the list of Great Lakes Areas of Concern.