Reconnecting Canada – The Million Mile Effort

Reconnecting Canada – The Million Mile Effort.

Reconnecting Canada – Trout Unlimited Canada (TUC) has been known for decades for its efforts in fisheries protection, stream rehabilitation and partnership in management efforts across the country. TUC is pleased to announce its first national stream rehabilitation campaign. This campaign will join TUC staff, volunteers, members and partners across the country to achieve a common goal – reconnect Canada’s waters

Across the country rivers, streams and creeks are severed by many different types of crossings, many of which have culverts. A culvert is a structure placed under a road that allows water to pass under the road, utility or trail. Culverts are commonly made from concrete or metal and come in various shapes and sizes. Unfortunately, many culverts have significant negative impacts to Canada’s precious rivers and streams. Culverts can stop or hamper fish and other animal passage, cause erosion and most importantly reduce the quality of water upstream and downstream.

Why is this important? Rivers and Streams provide vital services to animals, people and our environment. Clean, healthy water improves our recreational areas by reducing the ability of viruses and bacteria like E. coli to survive. These healthy waters also improve and create new habitats for a variety of animals, improving the value and quality of our parks and wild areas. Healthy trees and plants need clean water to grow, improving air quality and reducing air temperatures during hot spells. Healthy rives provide cleaner water for communities that use rivers and lake for drinking water, irrigation and industry. Clean water is cheaper to treat, and better for our communities.

Trout Unlimited Canada is committing to making these changes happen in Canadian communities, it’s time to reconnect our waterways! By replacing or fixing culverts that are causing erosion, degrading water quality, hampering fish movement and threatening our roads and utilities we will make our communities healthier and stronger.