By Allison Needham
WCA Director & GBA Board Member
Editor, GBA UPDATE
As a member of the West Carling Association (WCA), you are also a member of the Georgian Bay Association (GBA).
GBA and its sister organizations, continue to get frequent questions from WCA members and other Georgian Bay cottagers about the specific roles of each organization. Why are there four groups and what is the difference in their roles? Simply put, who does what on the Bay? Here is a quick summary:
Georgian Bay Association (GBA) is an advocacy umbrella group representing 17 community associations and their members – approximately
3,000 families comprising over 30,000 individuals, on the east & north shores of Georgian Bay. Its mandate is to represent the interests of our member associations to all levels of government (municipal, provincial, federal, first nations and regulatory authorities) and others to preserve the unique characteristics, and ensure the careful stewardship of Georgian Bay.
The mission of the GBA is to work with our water-based communities and other stakeholders to ensure the careful stewardship of the greater Georgian Bay environment
Georgian Bay Forever (GBF) is a science and education charity focused on water issues in the whole of Georgian Bay. GBF funds and supports scientific research and education that protects and enhances the waters of Georgian Bay, as part of the Great Lakes.
GBF’s mission is to protect, enhance, and restore the aquatic ecosystem of Georgian Bay by funding accredited research on water levels, water quality, and ecosystems; by educating the public and governments on issues regarding the environmental protection of the Georgian Bay area; and by enhancing the public’s appreciation for their environment.
We believe that water is a common heritage and a fundamental human right that is essential to life. It should be preserved and made accessible to all, today and in the future. We value the concepts of transparency, integrity, creativity, trust, and sharing. Everything we undertake is done with respect for the members of the varied communities we serve.
Georgian Bay Land Trust (GBLT) acts to protect wilderness lands and species along the eastern shore of Georgian Bay and the North Channel and its near watershed, through strategic conservation planning, land securement, stewardship, research, and education.
GBLT’s vision is an eastern Georgian Bay and North Channel whose islands, shores, and inland watersheds are connected and strengthened by a network of protected natural lands and habitats, where native species thrive, and people interact with the natural world.
Georgian Bay Biosphere (GBB) is a charity that promotes the aims of the UNESCO biosphere on the east coast of Georgian Bay to actively nurture the balance between human activity and the ecosystem. To facilitate cooperative action in support of the conservation of biodiversity and sustainable development through education and public outreach, that will foster a shared responsibility for the GBB for the next seven generations.
Situated within Anishinaabek territory, Georgian Bay Mnidoo Gamii Biosphere is a region of global ecological significance that makes an ongoing commitment to the United Nations to strive for sustainability. Here, people are inspired to live and work in harmony with nature. GBB partners with First Nations and Indigenous peoples to care for our shared air, land, and water.