What is Eastern Georgian Bay Stewardship Council (EGBSC)?
Who & What We Are (pdf)
In 2006, the EGBSC came into existence when the former “Georgian Bay – North Channel Fisheries Stewardship Council” was split into two councils and brought into the Ministry of Natural Resources’ Ontario Stewardship Network. The Ontario Stewardship Program was initiated by MNR in 1995. It was formerly the Ministry’s Private Land Resource Stewardship Program.
Council activities and interests are primarily water related, but they also comprise the land base of townships bordering Eastern Georgian Bay. The Council area extends from Severn Sound to to the French River delta.
The EGBSC is one of over forty Community Stewardship Councils that are made up of interested and active community members who share a strong commitment to sustainable resource management. They provide a forum to recognize and influence community involvement in private and crown land stewardship projects. Councilors are apolitical and non-partisan.
The Ministry of Natural Resources provides funding for Council operations as well as ’seed money’ to help leverage additional funding from partners involved in council projects.
The Ontario Stewardship Leadership Team consists of:
A Provincial Coordinator (Mitch Baldwin)
A Fish & Wildlife Program Liaison (Owen Williams)
A Managed Forest Tax Incentive Program Coordinator (John Oatway)
The Purpose of the EGBSC is:
- To bring together landowners, community associations and resource agencies to collectively discuss and define stewardship goals for their community;
- To foster and develop working relationships between these groups;
- To develop and deliver projects that achieve those defined stewardship goals.
It is intended that the EGBSC will integrate with existing community groups – not duplicate or replace their efforts. Together, these groups compliment one another and will work together to focus on land and resource management projects of shared interest through mutual support and effort.
The EGBSC is not a government controlled council. Program initiatives originate at the community level. Nonetheless, Council goals and objectives should be compatible with MNR’s long-term strategic documents (Beyond 2000, SPOF II and Our Sustainable Future). Ecological sustainability is MNR’s corporate mission and this is shared by the Council.
Essential Relationships:
The EGBSC will operate by exerting influence primarily at the community level, but also at various levels of government when appropriate. Cooperative interests will be achieved through the strength of relationships and common interests of its members – not through legislation and other forms of control.
It is vital that mutually cooperative working relationships be established with the following stakeholders:
- Communities including First Nations;
- Municipalities;
- Landowner & Cottage Associations;
- Industry (Tourism, Marinas, Sport and Commercial Fishing Interests, Land Development, Boating Interests, Forestry, Water Management); and
- Resource Agencies (Governments, Game and Fish Clubs, Georgian Bay Biosphere Reserve).
A council is established when:
- A group of 8 - 15 people committed to sustainable resource management represent a broad spectrum of land and resource interests;
- Terms of Reference, General Operating Guidelines, General strategy outlining specific goals, objectives, priorities, candidate activities and opportunities are formulated;
- Administrative guidelines including appropriate (auditable) means for handling money are in place;
- An annual Work Plan is prepared;
- A means of tracking community and agency participation and contribution to the attainment of the work plan is in place; and
- Agreements are in place with respect to funding guidelines established by partner agencies and groups.
Roles of the Stewardship Coordinator:
- Stewardship Coordinators are paid by MNR with the understanding that they work for the community through the Stewardship Council.
- Their job involves building relationships and partnerships, working collaboratively with agencies and associations, providing a window to the science and information within MNR and the Ontario Stewardship network.
- They may take an active role as spokesperson for the Council, Ontario Stewardship and where applicable for partner associations and agencies.
Historic Role of the Council |
