After five years of a first action plan for the protection, conservation and clean-up of the St. Lawrence ecosystem, both the Canadian and Quebec governments signed once again a second agreement. Under the new name St. Lawrence Vision 2000, this agreement ran until 1998 after stimulating and harmonizing the efforts of as many partners as possible.

St. Lawrence Vision 2000 not only carries on the work of the St. Lawrence Action Plan, it also seeks to address new issues and follows a different approach in that the focus is now on partner participation and a larger field of action.

St. Lawrence Action Plan: Confirmation of Phase II

Work goes on with St. Lawrence Vision 2000...

St. Lawrence Vision 2000: a comprehensive environmental project

Greater co-operation

Work goes on with St. Lawrence Vision 2000...
With this second phase, we not only continues, but also steps up, efforts to reduce the discharge of toxic effluent into the St. Lawrence: 56 new plants are added to the 50 initially targeted. Another major objective is virtual elimination of persistent, bioaccumulative toxic substances in effluents.

Although 5000 ha of prime habitat were protected as a first step, the goal is now to protect another 7000 ha. Work continues to implement recovery plans for several threatened or declining species such as the beluga. Other goals are to produce a report on the biodiversity of the St. Lawrence system and to continue to put in place restoration plans for degraded sites along the river.

St. Lawrence Vision 2000: a comprehensive environmental project
St. Lawrence Vision 2000 is more than just an extension of the St. Lawrence Action Plan, it seeks to break new ground.

For a more comprehensive, integrated approach, St. Lawrence Vision 2000 expands its activities into new areas of action. Phase II has seven areas of action: Biodiversity, Agriculture, Community Involvement, Decision Support, Health, Protection and Restoration. In each area, clear and measurable results are expected. The plan also addresses non-point-source pollution from seven of the St. Lawrence's tributaries: the L'Assomption, Boyer, Chaudière, Richelieu, Saguenay, St. Maurice and Yamaska rivers.

St. Lawrence Vision 2000 calls for more public participation. Local advisory committees are being established for each area of prime concern (ZIP) and public consultations are being held to prepare Environmental Remedial Action Plans (ERAPs). SLV 2000 also offers financial assistance to organizations wishing to carry out local protection and restoration projects with the Community Interaction Program.

Greater harmonization
To increase the co-ordination of activities to clean up and protect the St. Lawrence River, an even greater number of government partners, eight compared to five in the first part of the action plan, are involved in implementing this second plan.

St. Lawrence Vision 2000 also encourages the active participation of partners from the private sector, universities, environmental groups, research centres and local organizations.