Ontario got behind to the Foundation's efforts to institute bi-national coordination for our lake in late January, when Premier Dalton McGuinty sent a letter to Canada's Foreign Affairs Minister Lawrence Cannon supporting the Foundation's request for an International Joint Commission reference for Lake of the Woods water quality. Ontario is asking for:

• Formation of a bi-national task force, set up through the IJC, to coordinate nutrient loading research and development of nutrient management plans across all jurisdictions around the lake;
• Expansion of the existing IJC Rainy River Water Pollution Board to include Lake of the Woods, to provide long-term monitoring and follow up for the lake.

The Premier also indicated Ontario's intent to strengthen and formalize collaboration on the lake by developing a multi-agency working agreement between provincial, state and federal agencies.