Muskoka offers to fund watershed protection projects pitched by locals

Student tests beach water across Simcoe Muskoka for bacteria levels (CTV News/Catalina Gillies).

The District Municipality of Muskoka is offering to fund community-led projects that protect and improve local lakes and watersheds.

“Healthy lakes support clean water, local wildlife and the outdoor experiences people value across Muskoka,” the municipality said in a social media post on Monday.

The district calls it the Watershed Resilience Action Program (WRAP).

Muskoka says WRAP funding will be distributed in one of two streams: planning or action and monitoring.

Examples of planning stream pitches include creating lake plans (or updating previously existing plans) or the creation of a stewardship action plan. Similarly, bettering communications for residents of a specific lake community or doing early planning that supports research or monitoring are all ideas welcomed by the district.

As the name suggests, action and monitoring stream pitches include community-based monitoring and hands-on style ideas, including restoration work. These pitches also involve creating best practices that others can use as well as including indigenous knowledge and perspectives where possible.

Planning stream pitches could be funded up to $10,000 while action and monitoring stream pitches could be funded up to 50 per cent of project costs, or a maximum of $20,000.

When doing their WRAP pitches, residents are asked to bring forth project ideas that have a determined start and end date as well as a clear list of deliverables.

The pitch should also include what benefits the project will have on the chosen body of water (or watershed community) and it must follow all required laws, by-laws and rules.

Pitches will not be considered if they are already independently in operation. Similarly, the district of Muskoka says plans that duplicate work already being done by the district or any other agency will not be funded.

Capital or infrastructure-related projects will not be accepted, nor will projects that mainly benefit one person. Anyone not in good standing with the district (such as those currently in litigation with Muskoka) will not be considered either.

Applications opened on June 1 and are due by Aug. 31.

For more information, visit the district’s website.