York — Simcoe MP and Government House Leader Peter Van Loan, along with Canada's Environment Minister John Baird and other dignitaries, announced the first group of projects to receive funding under the $30 million Lake Simcoe Clean-Up Fund recently.

In addition, a $30,000 commitment for the Kitchener Park Naturalization Project in Orillia was named as part of these projects.

"Our government has been clear that action needs to be taken to clean up the lake," said Van Loan. "(Friday's) announcement demonstrates real, meaningful, on-the-ground action for the lake. We're moving forward and cleaning up this Ontario jewel."

Thirty-six projects will receive a total of $1.9 million in the first round of funding approved under the Lake Simcoe Clean-Up Fund. A second round of proposals will be sought in the fall of 2008.

"Our government's investment will help improve the health of the lake," said Baird. "Each of these projects around the lake will have an important impact to make a big difference for the environment and for Canadians."

The Kitchener Park project will help reduce phosphorous inputs into the lake by planting a shoreline buffer strip to discourage geese from entering the park area. The new 10-metre wide shoreline plantings will create a filtering system for the run-off from the park to the lake, and will stabilize the shoreline to reduce erosion.

Projects funded by the Lake Simcoe Clean-Up Fund are designed to preserve and protect the environment of the lake. These projects are part of an overall investment of $30 million over five years, which was announced in February.

This investment to clean-up the lake is part of the federal government's Action Plan for Clean Water, which includes projects like the Health of the Oceans initiative, the cleanup of Randle Reef in Hamilton Harbour and Lake Winnipeg.