Hamilton Harbour Remedial Action Plan

10/18/2026

Did you miss our latest Hamilton Harbour Deep Dive webinar? Catch up with the recording online anytime at hhrap.ca/events/! 🎥

Last month’s Deep Dive took us through the decades of restoration work happening in and around the Harbour—from wetland restoration and invasive species management to fish habitat and the ongoing efforts to support a healthier Hamilton Harbour.

If you’re new to the series, there’s lots more to discover! All six Hamilton Harbour Deep Dive webinars are available to watch online, covering topics including:
🌿 Habitat restoration
🐟 Fish populations
🏗️ Randle Reef sediment remediation
💧 Wastewater treatment
🐤 Colony-nesting waterbirds
🪶 The Mississaugas of the Credit First Nation and their relationship with the lands and waters

What would you like to explore next? Let us know in the comments!

10/10/2026

🍂 Leave the leaves this autumn! 🍂

Fallen leaves aren’t just yard waste. They’re part of the natural cycle! Leaving some leaves where they fall or raking them into your garden can help return nutrients to the soil, provide shelter for insects and other wildlife, and support a healthier urban environment.

Help keep catch basins in your neighbourhood clear of debris so rainwater can flow freely and reduce the risk of localized flooding.

Small actions in our yards can add up to a healthier watershed—and a healthier Hamilton Harbour. 🍁💧

09/25/2026

Great news for the waterfront! 🌊 The Hamilton side of the Canal Piers is officially open for daylight public access thanks to HOPA Ports and our municipal partners.

Visitors are asked to follow all posted safety signs. Note: The Burlington side remains closed for now.

Read the full update here: https://www.hopaports.ca/canal-piers-hamilton-side-now-open/
Excellente nouvelle pour le secteur riverain ! 🌊 Le côté Hamilton des jetées du canal est officiellement ouvert au public en journée, grâce à APHO Ports et à nos partenaires municipaux.

Nous invitons les visiteurs à respecter la signalisation de sécurité en place. À noter : le côté Burlington demeure fermé pour le moment.

Consultez le communiqué complet ici : https://www.aphoports.ca/piliers-du-canal-cote-hamilton-desormais-ouvert/

09/21/2026

Common carp cause a lot of damage in Cootes Paradise by uprooting plants and muddying up the water. In the 1990s, Royal Botanical Gardens Canada built the Fishway to prevent these fish from getting in and laying their eggs, and it’s working!

Meanwhile, goldfish can grow and multiply when they are released into a waterway—like when they are flushed down the toilet. But how can we manage these invasive fish in the wide-open Hamilton Harbour?

Join us for our next free Deep Dive webinar this Wednesday, September 23 at 5:30 p.m. to learn more about how invasive fish impact local ecosystems. ⚠️🐟

Register today: https://hhrap.ca/events/deep-dive-webinars/

📸 credit: Nicole Turner

09/10/2026

Deep Dive into habitat restoration in Cootes Paradise and Hamilton Harbour! 🐟🌿

Once heavily impacted by pollution, invasive species and habitat loss, Cootes Paradise has been the focus of restoration efforts for decades. In the 1990s, Royal Botanical Gardens Canada built the Fishway to keep out destructive carp. Since then, partners and volunteers have planted thousands of aquatic plants to bring back the marsh.

But restoration is a long-term journey—what does the future look like for Cootes Paradise and Hamilton Harbour?

Join us on September 23 at 5:30 p.m. for a free Deep Dive webinar featuring Tys Theijsmeijer from Royal Botanical Gardens Canada and Nicole Turner from Fisheries and Oceans Canada to explore efforts made with habitat restoration, invasive species, and the path toward a healthier harbour.

Register here: https://hhrap.ca/events/deep-dive-webinars/

09/01/2026

Congratulations to Nipigon Bay as they officially delist as a Great Lakes Area of Concern! 🎉

This milestone on Lake Superior is the result of decades of hard work to address environmental challenges, restore habitat, improve water quality, and strengthen the health of the Nipigon Bay ecosystem. Lasting environmental restoration takes time, perseverance, and partnerships. In Hamilton Harbour, we continue working toward healthier, more resilient waters and ecosystems.

Congratulations to everyone who contributed to this remarkable achievement! 🌱🐟

📢 A major milestone for Great Lakes restoration!

Nipigon Bay has officially been delisted as a Great Lakes Area of Concern (AOC)—an area in the Great Lakes identified as having experienced high levels of environmental harm.

Since its designation as an AOC in 1987, the has worked with partners and local communities to address historical sources of pollution, improve fish habitat, enhance water quality, and restore ecosystem health in Nipigon Bay.

Following decades of collaboration between the governments of Canada and Ontario under the Canada-Ontario Agreement on Great Lakes Water Quality and Ecosystem Health, the Agency is proud to announce that all previously impaired beneficial uses have been restored. 💙

Protecting and restoring freshwater ecosystems in the Great Lakes helps protect the Great Lakes as a source of drinking water for tens of millions of people, supporting healthy communities, local economies and the well-being of future generations.

🌊 Learn more: https://ow.ly/QCyH50ZGFkw

Ontario Government

08/25/2026

Mark your calendars—our next free Deep Dive webinar is on September 23 at 5:30 p.m! 🌿🌊

Over the years, Hamilton Harbour lost a lot of wetland and shoreline habitat through infilling and industrialization. In Cootes Paradise and Grindstone Marsh, partners are working to restore these important habitats, manage invasive species, and support a healthier, more resilient ecosystem for fish, wildlife, and people.

Join Tys Theijsmeijer from Royal Botanical Gardens Canada and Nicole Turner from Fisheries and Oceans Canada to learn more about habitat restoration and the work underway to support the harbour’s long-term health.

Register here: https://hhrap.ca/events/deep-dive-webinars/

07/29/2026

Looking forward to this event! Please join us.

07/24/2026

It might be well intended, but feeding wild animals can do more harm than good. Human food isn't healthy for wildlife, and regular feeding can cause animals to lose their natural fear of people, spread disease, and disrupt the balance of local ecosystems.

Whether you’re on the trails or along the waterfront at Hamilton Harbour, please:

🐿️ Enjoy wildlife from a respectful distance
🥜 Keep your snacks to yourself
🗑️ Pack out your garbage and dispose of food waste properly

The best way to feed the animals is by planting native plants, keeping our water clean, and protecting natural areas. Help keep the trails and shorelines healthy for people and animals alike!

07/16/2026

We reeled in the fun at Pier 7 in Hamilton with Learn to Fish! 🎣 Presented by the Government of Ontario, this free program teaches folks all about fishing hands-on, including how to:

🐟 Rig, bait, and cast a fishing line

🐟 Identify local native and invasive species

🐟 Get a fishing licence and follow regulations

Thank you to Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources for leading the weekend event, to our partners Hamilton Water and Bay Area Restoration Council, and to the dozens of enthusiastic participants who joined us to learn all about fishing in Hamilton Harbour!