Hamilton Pitches In

The Great Canadian Shoreline Cleanup welcomes the City of Hamilton as the latest official Clean Shoreline Community. Hamilton joins the cities of Calgary, Vancouver and the District of West Vancouver in adopting the green designation awarded by the Great Canadian Shoreline Cleanup, one of the largest direct-action conservation programs in Canada. The partnership supports Our Future Hamilton, Hamilton’s vision for a clean and green community with a flourishing natural environment that enriches the quality of life for community members.

Hamilton is located at the western tip of Lake Ontario, an area known as Hamilton Harbour, a place where Hamiltonians enjoy exploring and relaxing at Hamilton’s beaches, waterfront areas or the many waterfalls that flow from the Niagara Escarpment into the harbour. Wetlands and marshes in the harbour, including Cootes Paradise, are also important natural habitats for wildlife and plants.

Community members, businesses and local government groups have been working together since 1992 to reverse the negative impacts of industrial activities and development and restore the health and natural heritage of Hamilton Harbour. Litter cleanups support restoration efforts by preventing more waste from entering the harbour and Lake Ontario, the source of Hamilton’s drinking water. They also raise awareness on the types of litter found, including plastic, which in turn can encourage participants to take more sustainable personal actions, including reducing their use of single-use plastic items.

Are you ready to Team Up to Clean Up? The City of Hamilton supports residents and community groups who want to help keep our water and shorelines litter free by providing free cleanup supplies through the Team Up to Clean Up program. Through working alongside the Great Canadian Shoreline Cleanup, they will help to engage even more citizens in local cleanup events by providing resources and event support, organizational help, and tools to track litter collected to help identify the major sources of litter in our waterways.

Community groups, schools and residents can help keep Hamilton’s shoreline clean and green by hosting their own Team Up to Clean Up event. Visit Hamilton.ca/teamuptocleanup and www.shorelinecleanup.ca to learn more and register.

The Great Canadian Shoreline Cleanup, presented by Loblaw Companies Limited, is one of the largest direct action conservation programs in Canada. A conservation partnership by Ocean Wise and WWF-Canada, the Shoreline Cleanup aims to promote understanding of shoreline litter issues by engaging Canadians to rehabilitate shoreline areas through cleanups. Find out more at www.shorelinecleanup.ca.