Mr. Speaker, as a member of the environment committee, I am always looking for environmental best practices, and as the member of Parliament for Kitchener Centre, I am always proud to speak about the great achievements of my community. The Grand River Conservation Authority lets me do both.
The GRCA conserves the natural environment in the middle of a thriving metropolitan area of 39 municipalities with a population of close to one million people.
The GRCA is the first watershed management agency ever created in Canada. It delivers outdoor education to more than 50,000 children per year, and its 12 conservation areas are visited by more than one million people each year.
The GRCA is built on partnerships, which is an excellent model for conservation efforts.
Having spent a lifetime hiking and paddling around the Grand River, I am extremely proud of the GRCA's excellent work.
Congratulations to board chair Jane Mitchell, executive director Joe Farwell and everybody at the GRCA.