Governance
The project is being managed by the Long Point Biosphere Region and supported by a Working Group, a Public Advisory Committee, and Technical Advisory Committee of independent experts. Public engagement and consultation will be continuous as highlighted in the Governance Model (see right). The public and stakeholders will be invited to community open houses, represented on the Public Advisory Committee, and receive updates via a website.
Working Group
In the fall of 2023, organizations across the north shore of Lake Erie concerned about flooding and erosion, threats to coastal infrastructure, and eroding coastal wetlands started organizing regular meetings to share experiences and consider options to address these challenges. The term ‘Working Group’ was adopted in December 2023 to recognize the growing collaboration.
In February 2024 the Long Point Biosphere Region submitted an application to the Canada Water Agency’s Restoring and Protecting Coastal Areas stream of their Freshwater Ecosystem Initiative on behalf of the Working Group. The application was accepted for funding and the work to develop a North Shore Resilience Action Plan commenced in October 2024. The project embraces the inter-connected nature of the four dimensions of the coast, including social, economic, ecological and physical. Public engagement and consultation will occur continuously throughout the project.
The Working Group includes the following member organizations:
- Municipality of Bayham
- Birds Canada
- Catfish Creek Conservation Authority
- Department of Fisheries and Oceans, Integrated Planning Unit
- Municipality of Dutton-Dunwich
- Kettle Creek Conservation Authority
- Long Point Biosphere Region
- Lower Thames Valley Conservation Authority
- Township of Malahide
- Mississaugas of the Credit First Nation
- Nature Conservancy of Canada
- Norfolk County
- Township of Southwold
- Municipality of West Elgin
The following organizations are observers to the Working Group:
- Canada Water Agency
- Department of Fisheries and Oceans, Small Craft Harbours
- Ministry of Natural Resources
- Ontario Parks, Turkey Point Cluster
Technical Advisory Committee (TAC)
Coastal Dynamics and Sediment Budget
Ryan P. Mulligan, PhD., P.Eng
Ryan Mulligan is a coastal engineer focussed on predicting changes to nearshore regions of lakes and oceans. Ryan completed his undergraduate degree in Geological Engineering at Queen’s University, Masters in Civil Engineering at the University of British Columbia, PhD in Oceanography at Dalhousie University, and Postdoctoral fellowship at the Bedford Institute of Oceanography. He was an Assistant Professor at East Carolina University in North Carolina, USA, and has been a faculty member at Queen’s since 2011 where he is a Professor and the Associate Head of the Department of Civil Engineering, and the Director of the Beaty Water Research Centre. Ryan is also Editor of the Journal of Geophysical Research Oceans published by the American Geophysical Union.
Ryan’s research is focused on improving the ability to simulate and predict coastal hazards particularly related to large waves and flooding generated by major storms and landslides into water. His research also includes investigating the response of coastal systems to changes in climate, sea-level rise, tides, storm surge, storm intensity, sediment transport, and forces on coastal structures. Ryan was awarded the Ocean Voyager Award by the American Geophysical Union in 2022 for fundamental work on predicting the combined impact of sea level rise and extreme events on coastal and estuarine systems.
Chris Houser, PhD.
Dr. Chris Houser is the Dean of Science and Professor in the Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences at the University of Waterloo. His research examines the response and recovery of coastal barriers to extreme storms and changes in wave activity with a changing climate. He also conducts research on bluff retreat in the Great Lakes region, and beach safety at the interface of the social sciences and psychology to reduce the number of rescues and drownings.
Mitchel Provan, M.A.Sc., P.Eng.
Mr. Provan is a coastal engineering researcher at the Ocean, Coastal, and River Engineering Research Centre at the National Research Council Canada with over 10 years of experience in civil engineering hydraulics. Mitchel is a specialist in the application of physical and numerical modelling to investigate and develop solutions for a wide variety of problems in rivers, estuaries, oceans, and coastal regions. Mitchel has been responsible for numerous modelling studies to help optimize and validate the engineering design of hydraulic structures, coastal structures, nature-based solutions, waterfront developments, as well as marine renewable energy technologies. As the Team Leader of NRC’s Coastal and River Systems research team, Mitchel manages a team of engineers and researchers conducting applied research in coastal and riverine engineering.
Traditional Ecological Knowledge
We are consulting with the Mississaugas of the Credit on seed collection, propagation of genetically appropriate beachgrass and dune restoration.
Dune Restoration
Mary Gartshore, B.Sc., CERP
Mary received her Bachelor of Science in Zoology from the University of Guelph in 1973. After graduating, Mary surveyed wildlife species in Nigeria, Cameroon, Cote d’Ivoire in Africa, Banff National Park, Haldimand, Norfolk and Halton Counties. She has more than 33-years of restoration experience throughout Norfolk and southern Ontario with the help of her partner Peter Carson. Mary is a Certified Ecological Restoration Practitioner (CERP) with the Society of Ecological Restoration.
Public Advisory Committee (PAC)
The following individuals were selected for the PAC. We are grateful for all the applications and interest in this committee. Refer to the Frequency Asked Questions page for details on the selection process. There will continue to be opportunities for all landowners and stakeholders to provide feedback on the project.
Norfolk:
Bruce Bolin
Stuart Ross
Laura Weyland
Bayham:
John Seldon
Michelle Kanter
Marni Wolfe
Malahide:
Gordon Hamilton
Duncan Hall
West Elgin:
Brad Hillis
Dutton Dunwich:
Steven Wiegand
Central Elgin:
Melissa Schneider
Southwold:
No applicants