Award-Winning Firm Tapped to Write Vision 2050 Discussion Paper
Vision 2050 is pleased to announce that Urban Strategies Inc. (USI) has been selected to develop its upcoming Discussion Paper. USI will craft a compelling narrative outlining the why, what, and how of protecting and conserving the eastern and northern coastal regions of Georgian Bay. The paper will support engagement with stakeholders, governments, and influencers and is expected to be completed in early June 2026.
Vision 2050 Survey Shows Stronger Than Expected Backing for Enhanced Protection of the Bay
Results from the Vision 2050 Survey reveal strong and widespread support for enhanced protection of Georgian Bay’s eastern and northern coastlines. With over 1,000 respondents, members and community stakeholders identified key concerns including water quality, biodiversity loss, habitat fragmentation, rapid development, and climate change. The findings underscore broad alignment around the need for stronger conservation zones, improved land-use policies, and collaborative stewardship, insights that will directly inform the upcoming Vision 2050 Discussion Paper.
Vision 2050 Boosted by Mitacs Partnership
Vision 2050 is pleased to announce a new partnership with Mitacs, a national organization that connects academic researchers with non-profit and industry partners to advance applied research. Through this collaboration, Vision 2050 will strengthen its research capacity and expand its conservation work, including a review of international conservation models and an analysis of existing conservation efforts across Georgian Bay. We are also excited to welcome Quinn Nolan, a Master of Resource and Environmental Management student at Dalhousie University, to the Vision 2050 team as part of this partnership.
Niibii – Water – Sacred Medicine
GBA is very pleased to welcome Marilyn Capreol as a new member of the Vision 2050 Advisory Council. We look forward to learning from her extensive Indigenous traditional knowledge, experience and storytelling.
Niibii – Water – Sacred Medicine is a reflective piece by Marilyn Capreol of Shawanaga First Nation that shares Indigenous teachings about water as life, medicine, and responsibility. Drawing on Anishinaabe knowledge, the article highlights the sacred relationship between women and water, emphasizing women’s roles as water keepers and caretakers across generations. Through story, memory, and spiritual insight, the piece invites readers to see water not as a resource, but as the lifeblood of Mother Earth, deserving of respect, protection, and ceremony.
Vision 2050 Partners with TMU Advanced Planning Studio to Advance Regional Conservation Planning
Vision 2050 has partnered with the Toronto Metropolitan University (TMU) Advanced Planning Studio to support research-driven, policy-relevant foundations for long-term conservation planning in Georgian Bay. The collaboration will examine international coastal conservation and governance models to identify best practices in governance, policy tools, financing, and community and Indigenous engagement that are relevant to environmentally significant regions.
The project will also explore how conservation outcomes in Georgian Bay can be strengthened through improved regional coordination, even without changes to Ontario’s current planning and regulatory framework. The study aims to identify opportunities for greater collaboration among municipalities, First Nations, parks, conservation organizations, and other regional stakeholders.