GBA Update Summer 2024

WATER QUALITY

Cosette Shipman, Research Consultant

By Peter Frost, Councillor Ward 2, Township of the Archipelago

Cruise Ships Research Project

D uring the summer of 2023, cruise ships were seen docked at ports on Georgian Bay or anchored nearby. Cruise ships have been visiting Georgian Bay for many years, but recently, there has been a significant increase in traffic—up 40 per cent since 2022. With this increase in cruise ships, GBA received questions about the potential environmental impacts. GBA understands the importance of cruise ships to tourism for several local economies on the Bay, so our focus was to look into the concerns raised by our members, share our findings, and decide on any advocacy action that might be required. Here are the research topics we came up with: The cruise lines/cruise ships 1. What cruise lines/cruise ships are visiting Georgian Bay? 2. How often do they visit the Bay? 3. What are the ship details (size, capacity, on-board blackwater treatment, etc.)? 4. Do they have sustainability/environmental policies?

The ports 1. Which ports are the cruise ships visiting on the Bay? 2. Do the cruise ships anchor or dock at these ports? 3. What services are provided at these ports (sewage/ garbage removal etc.)? Regulations 1. Who regulates cruise lines? 2. How is blackwater/greywater discharge and treatment regulated? 3. Are there gaps in laws and policies? We contacted local municipalities and the cruise lines to get details about the ships visiting Georgian Bay and where they stop along their routes. In the 2023 season, four cruise lines (six ships total) came through Georgian Bay and visited several ports. The cruise lines are Viking Cruises Canada (Viking Octantis & Viking Polaris), Pearl Sea Cruises (Pearl Mist), Ponant (Le Dumont D’urville & Le Bellot) and Hapag Lloyd (Hanseatic Inspiration).

Viking Cruises Canada

Pearl Seas Cruises

Ponant

Hapag Lloyd

• Viking Octantis • Viking Polaris

• Pearl Mist

• Le Dumont D’urville • Le Bellot • Killarney/Frazer Bay • Little Current • Parry Sound • Midland

• Hanseatic Inspiration

Ships

• Killarney/Frazer Bay • Parry Sound • Tobermory

• Killarney/Frazer Bay • Parry Sound

• Little Current • Parry Sound • Midland

Port

www.georgianbay.ca

GBA UPDATE Summer 2024

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