Text Size
Community Involvement and Awareness Coordination Committee
Background
The overall vision characterizing sustainable development favours close partnerships between the stakeholders involved in protecting and enhancing the St. Lawrence. Among these stakeholders, riverside communities play a primary role, as they are particularly well placed to take part in achieving local initiatives. They can also share their experience and knowledge of the state of the ecosystem with other stakeholders and participate in gathering data and disseminating information.
Over the years, more and more communities have joined forces to protect and enhance the various resources and uses of the St. Lawrence, a clear indication of the importance citizens attribute to the environment in which they live. Since 1989, committees established along the St. Lawrence River, called ZIP (Area of Prime Concern) Committees, have been encouraging riverside communities to increase consultation to define priority environmental issues at the local level. Ecological Rehabilitation Action Plans (ERAPs) were then developed for each area to propose the projects that should be given priority. In order to support communities in carrying out their various actions, the government partners of the St. Lawrence Plan provide them with financial, scientific and technical support.
Government scientists and professionals have access to a great deal of data and knowledge related to the environmental issues of the St. Lawrence. This information, even if it is published and disseminated on-line, does not always meet the needs of either those who have an interest in the St. Lawrence or those whose decisions could have an impact on the river. Decision-makers and the public are increasingly demanding information that is better adapted to their needs and presented in a manner designed to help them make informed decisions to guide them more effectively when taking action to protect the environment and promote sustainable development. One of the objectives of the St. Lawrence Plan is to better respond to expectations regarding information. In addition to traditional tools, Plan administrators make use of tools that rely on new information technology, such as a portal pertaining to the St. Lawrence. Local stakeholders’ knowledge will therefore be built upon to present the most complete and accurate assessment as possible of the current state of the St. Lawrence.
Mandate
The mandate of the Community Involvement and Awareness Coordination Committee is to Raise the awareness of communities, young people, users and decision-makers with respect to the advantages of choosing sustainable development and integrated management of the St. Lawrence and encourage their participation in related activities.
Composition
The federal departments and provincial ministries involved in the Community Involvement and Awareness Coordination Committee of the St. Lawrence Plan are as follows:
Canada |
Quebec |
|
|
Targeted Results
In Phase IV, the Community Involvement and Awareness Coordination Committee has targeted the following results:
- Support the concerted action of riverside communities on local environmental issues, including the priorities set out in Ecological Rehabilitation Action Plans.
- Support the implementation of 150 community and environmental projects.
- Provide riverside communities with scientific and technical support.
- Make more young people aware of sustainable development through educational programs and tools with the Biosphère’s local partners.
- Adapt scientific information and knowledge to meet the needs of stakeholders, decision-makers and citizens, and make them available (by using traditional and electronic tools such as a portal).
Date modified: 2010/08/19 – Important Notices
