Introduction Climate Projections Agriculture Forests & Wildlife Human Health Lakes, Streams, & Fish Property and Infrastructure Recreation & Tourism Water Supply & Pollution Wetlands & Shorebirds Climate Solutions Resources & Links

Introduction
From the coniferous forests of western Ontario that support populations of black spruce, moose, caribou, lynx, and wolf to the sandy beaches along the shores of Lake Ontario, Georgian Bay, and Lake Huron, Ontario boasts some of the most intact and distinct ecosystems of the Great Lakes region. These ecosystems—represented by places such as Killarney Provincial Park and Point Pelee—attracted more than $7 billion in tourism and recreation by providing some of the best bird watching opportunities in the region, pristine landscapes, and excellent fishing. While the majority of Ontario’s inhabitants live in cities in the southern part of the region, northern stretches of coniferous forest are cherished by the people of Ontario and are an integral part of Ontario’s economy. Ontario’s forestry sector and the 90,000 people it employs depend upon the well-being of these forests.

A common thread through these activities is Ontario’s ecological richness. This richness, however, is at risk from climate change. This change is largely driven by human activities, primarily the burning of fossil fuels to produce electricity and drive our cars, which in turn emits gases—principally carbon dioxide—that blanket the planet and trap heat. The resulting fundamental change in the Earth's atmosphere and climate is affecting people and the environment in the Great Lakes region.

In the Ontario section of this web feature, we explore what a changing climate could mean for the province. Specifically, we examine how climate is projected to change in Ontario; how these changes may impact human health, agriculture, forest and wildlife, water supplies, property and infrastructure, aquatic ecosystems, and tourism and recreation; and how Ontario residents can help reduce these potential impacts by pursuing several solutions strategies.

After you’ve learned about the threats that a changing climate pose to Ontario, please take a couple of minutes to tell policymakers to begin tackling the problem. This is easy to do by visiting the Great Lakes section of the David Suzuki Foundation website, www.davidsuzuki.org/greatlakes.