Town of Cobourg Joins Great Lakes Coastal Cleanup

Cobourg, ON (October 3, 2025) – The Town of Cobourg proudly joined five other Ontario communities on Sunday, September 28, 2025, for the inaugural Great Lakes Coastal Cleanup. More than 1,200 pieces of plastic and other litter were removed from Cobourg’s shoreline thanks to the dedication of local volunteers.

Hosted by the Great Lakes and St. Lawrence Cities Initiative (Cities Initiative) and funded by the Government of Ontario, the event took place on World Rivers Day, highlighting the importance of healthy waterways.

“This shoreline is the heart of our community. We enjoy the beauty of this place every day – but with that enjoyment comes the responsibility to protect it,” said Mayor Lucas Cleveland.

Cobourg was one of the original members of the Cities Initiative. “Continuing Cobourg’s active participation in the GLSLCI remains a key priority,” added Mayor Cleveland, who also serves as co-chair of the Mayor’s Commission on Economic Transformation for the Cities Initiative.

Thank You Volunteers
The Town extends its gratitude to the many individuals and organizations who participated in this year’s cleanup including Blue Dot Northumberland, the Ecology Garden, Northumberland Land Trust, A Greener Future, Willow Beach Field Naturalists, Great Lakes Plastic Cleanup, Community Power Northumberland, EV Society Northumberland Chapter, Seniors for Climate Action Now, Stalwood Homes and the Green Party of Ontario. New Amherst Homes was the event’s community sponsor.

About the Great Lakes

• The Great Lakes contain almost 20% of the world’s surface fresh water and sustain 4,000 species of plants and animals
• The Great Lakes are a source of drinking water for one in four Canadians
• The Great Lakes are home to one-third of Canada’s population
•  An estimated 22 million pounds of plastic enter the Great Lakes each year – over 80% of the litter collected along the Great Lakes is composed of plastic
• Canadians living in the Great Lakes Basin are estimated to throw away more than 1.5 million tons of plastic waste each year – up to 7% of that waste is estimated to leak into the environment

About the Great Lakes Coastal Cleanup
The Great Lakes and St. Lawrence Cities Initiative partnered with six communities across Ontario on the first ever Great Lakes Coastal Cleanup. This special event, funded by the Ontario Government, brought together more than 415 volunteers to collect and catalogue 200 kilograms of litter at beaches, parks, and other shoreline areas along Lakes Superior, Huron, Erie, and Ontario, along with the St. Lawrence River. The Cities Initiative is proud to partner with Thunder Bay, Chatham-Kent, Owen Sound, Collingwood, Cobourg, and Kingston to unite people from across the province who are passionate about keeping our lakes clean. Visit the Great Lakes Coastal Cleanup webpage to learn more.

About the Great Lakes and St. Lawrence Cities Initiative
The Great Lakes and St. Lawrence Cities Initiative is a multinational coalition of municipal and Indigenous government executives representing communities in the Great Lakes and St. Lawrence River Region who are working to promote economic prosperity in our communities and protect our fresh water for the benefit of current and future generations. With more than 350 communities represented, the Cities Initiative is leading the way in advancing the environmental, economic, and social health of the region by addressing issues impacting its residents.

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