HAMILTON - One of the most contaminated sites on the Canadian side of the Great Lakes is getting a $30-million cleanup in the hopes that people can one day enjoy the waters again, Premier Dalton McGuinty announced Wednesday.
Ontario is funding the cleanup of coal tar and heavy metal residue in Hamilton Harbour's Randle Reef and is calling on the federal government and municipal partners to contribute the same amount.
"Healthy waterfronts help make communities like Hamilton great places to live," McGuinty said in a statement.
"We're starting the cleanup of Randle Reef because we want the people of Hamilton to enjoy a waterfront that's clean and healthy and improves the economy."
Hamilton Harbour has been listed as an area of concern by Environment Canada because of a host of problems including water quality, bacterial contamination, urbanization, fish and wildlife issues, and public access and esthetics.
The funding was welcomed by Gail Krantzberg, a professor at Hamilton's McMaster University and a former director for the binational International Joint Commission.
"The sediment that they're cleaning up is the most contaminated on the Canadian side of the Great Lakes," she said. "(The cleanup) is necessary to bring the harbour back to life and it's good news for the economy."
The announcement came as a complete shock considering investments into Great Lakes cleanup between 2000 and 2005 amounted to only $50 million, she added.
"That was good news, so this $30 million in one shot at Hamilton is a very pleasant surprise," Krantzberg said.
"I think it's a good sign the government is taking the Great Lakes seriously."
