2024 Poll: Public Prioritizes Great Lakes Protection Amid Water Quality Concerns

Majority of respondents find Great Lakes protection and investments essential, concerned about impacts of water quality challenges

WINDSOR, ON, Dec. 11, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- The International Joint Commission Great Lakes Water Quality Board's 2024 Great Lakes Regional Poll results reveal that a continued increasing majority of respondents share common beliefs about the value of protecting the Great Lakes. They also recognize the essential role of ecosystem health and water quality in supporting the region's economy and quality of life.

The board's telephone poll is a random, representative sample of more than 4,500 Canadians and Americans. More than 10 percent of respondents identify as Indigenous with First Nations, Métis or Tribal affiliations. Previous public opinion polls were conducted for the board in 2015, 2018 and 2021.

Poll results are published on the Great Lakes Water Quality Board website and include a media toolkit with animations and graphics of key findings with suggested text for sharing on social media.

Key findings:

• Respondents expressed nearly unanimous support (96%) for the importance of government investment in Great Lakes protections.
  
  
• More than 9 in 10 respondents (94%) believe it is important to protect the Great Lakes, increasing steadily over time since 2015 (85%).
  
  
• Four in 5 (80%) respondents agree the region's economy will suffer if the Great Lakes are not healthy.
  
  
• Opinions on the overall status and trend of Great Lakes water quality and ecosystem health are mixed, with views varying lake-by-lake.
  
  
• Invasive species and pollution seen as the top challenges that pose negative impacts to the health of each lake; algal blooms were a top issue in Lake Erie.
  
  
• First Nations, Métis and Tribal Nation members were significantly more concerned about their drinking water sources and a majority (59%) are concerned about Great Lakes water quality affecting species of cultural importance.
  
  
• Climate change is widely viewed as a source of increasing pressure on the Great Lakes (90%), along with concerns about climate impacts on Great Lakes water quality (83%), water quantity (77%) and community well-being (81%).

Read more about the 2024 Great Lakes Regional Poll results in the International Joint Commission's Shared Waters newsletter.

Quick links:

• 2024 Great Lakes Regional Poll details: ijc.org/wqb/2024-great-lakes-poll
  
  
• 2024 Summary of Poll Results report: ijc.org/sites/default/files/WQB_Great-Lakes-Regional-Poll_Results-Summary_2024.pdf
  
  
• 2024 Media Toolkit: ijc.org/en/wqb/2024-great-lakes-regional-poll-media-toolkit
  
  
• Great Lakes Water Quality Board: ijc.org/wqb
  
  
• Shared Waters IJC newsletter article: ijc.org/en/2024-great-lakes-poll-shows-consistent-support-protection-concerns-about-water-quality-challenges

For more information contact:

Allison Voglesong Zejnati, Public Affairs Specialist, [email protected], 519-551-0952

The Great Lakes Water Quality Board is the principal adviser to the International Joint Commission under the 2012 Great Lakes Water Quality Agreement. The board assists the Commission by reviewing and assessing progress by the governments of Canada and the United States to implement the Agreement, identifying emerging issues and recommending strategies and approaches to prevent and resolve complex challenges facing the Great Lakes, and providing advice on the role of relevant jurisdictions to implement these strategies and approaches. The Commission was established by the Boundary Waters Treaty of 1909 to help the governments of Canada and the United States prevent and resolve disputes over the use of the waters they share. More information can be found at IJC.org.

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SOURCE International Joint Commission