Our River, Our Story

Our 2015 Annual Report website is up and waiting for you see what Ottawa Riverkeeper has been doing to protect our watershed. Find out how you can get involved for a swimmable, drinkable, fishable future!

It has been an incredible year for Ottawa Riverkeeper and more importantly, for our beloved Ottawa River. A lot less untreated sewage is flowing into the river from the City of Ottawa thanks to our collective voices, and leadership from Mayor Jim Watson, the province of Ontario and our federal government. This example of working together across jurisdictions is critical for the long-term health of our shared waters.

We are very proud that Ottawa Riverkeeper continues to lead the way to bring players together to find solutions to complex problems related to managing our shared rivers and lakes throughout our diverse watershed.

Our successful 2015 Ottawa River Summit marked an important breakthrough in the protection of the Ottawa River and its tributaries. We are thankful that our two provincial environment ministries have signalled their intention to work together to set protection and restoration priorities for the Ottawa River and to share information and data. It seems obvious, yet without the leadership of Ottawa Riverkeeper, this commitment to work together and share data would not be on the table.

At the Summit, there was energy and optimism in the packed room. There is momentum and a collective desire to acknowledge and celebrate the cultural, heritage, and natural values within the Ottawa River Watershed.

Our work continues to raise awareness in diverse circles, and the number and calibre of people who support us, attend our events and help us is impressive.

On behalf of the Board of Directors of Ottawa Riverkeeper I would like to thank everyone who has contributed to our good work. It takes a watershed to protect a river. Our river supports life and brings health and happiness to our communities.

We must continue to work together for a healthy and accessible river, and for a watershed where we can safely swim, drink and fish our local waters.

Geoff Green C.M.
Chair, Ottawa Riverkeeper Board of Directors

See the 2015 Annual Report