Vance Badawey

10/10/2026

08/10/2026

Wonderful to connect with Great Lakes partners and stakeholders at the 2026 Great Lakes Commission Annual General Meeting in Toronto.

Productive discussions explored Canadian federal–provincial cooperation, emerging water quality challenges, Indigenous water stewardship, invasive species control and Lake Whitefish restoration, regional shipbuilding, and the beneficial reuse of dredged materials. We also reflected on the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative’s past, present and future.

These conversations reinforce the value of working together to protect our shared waters, strengthen our communities and advance a resilient Great Lakes–St. Lawrence economy.

One Region. Two Nations. One Future.

07/10/2026

♻️ Recycling is only one piece of the circular economy.

Our latest LOE Brochure: Other Circular Strategies explores how waste prevention, reuse, repair, and material recovery can help keep valuable materials in use for longer and support a more circular approach to plastics.

📘 Download the brochure now to learn more about practical strategies for moving beyond recycling.

https://councilgreatlakesregion.org/programs-resources/

02/10/2026

A pleasure to attend the Empire Club of Canada “One Canada, Built Together: United to Secure Our Energy Future,” featuring keynote remarks from James Scongack, Chair of the Green Ribbon Panel and COO & Executive Vice President, Bruce Power.

A timely conversation with leaders from across Canada’s energy sector on strengthening energy security, driving economic growth and building a clean-energy future that is reliable, affordable and competitive.

Energy security is economic security, and our ability to compete, grow and prosper depends on getting the infrastructure, investment and innovation right.

Working together, we can build a stronger, more resilient Canada.

01/10/2026

Productive discussions at the University of Michigan Water Center on the Great Lakes Horizon Scan, looking beyond today to identify the emerging water-related issues that could shape the Great Lakes watershed and our communities over the next 10–20 years.

By anticipating risks, understanding emerging trends and identifying new opportunities, we can help ensure the Great Lakes region is prepared not only to respond to what lies ahead, but to lead.

Thank you to Mike Shriberg and the University of Michigan Water Center for hosting and for bringing together the expertise and leadership needed to advance this important work, and to everyone who attended and contributed to such a productive and forward-looking discussion.

This is the value of collaboration: bringing together expertise, experience and a shared commitment to protect our waters, strengthen our communities and build a more resilient and sustainable Great Lakes region.

One Region. Two Nations. One Future.

30/09/2026

Truth must guide us. Reconciliation must move us. And partnership must define the way forward.

Today, on the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation, we honour the children who never came home, the Survivors, their families and communities, and the enduring strength of Indigenous Peoples.

The Great Lakes have sustained Indigenous Peoples since time immemorial. They are more than shared waters, they are places of culture, history, identity and responsibility.

“Reconciliation calls on all of us to listen to the truths of the past, respect Indigenous knowledge and leadership, and build meaningful partnerships for the future,” stated Vance Badawey, President & CEO.

“At the Council of the Great Lakes Region, we are committed to advancing a Great Lakes region where Indigenous communities are valued as partners and where stewardship of our shared waters is grounded in respect, collaboration and reconciliation. Truth must guide us. Reconciliation must move us. And partnership must define the way forward.”

🧡🇨🇦

25/09/2026

One Region - One Voice…

A productive and forward-looking dialogue this week at the Great Lakes Economic Development Council’s Great Lakes Rising Annual Conference in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.

The Great Lakes–St. Lawrence is one interconnected region, one that happens to cross an international border. With a $9.6 trillion economy and deeply connected supply chains, transportation systems and freshwater resources, our future depends on collaboration, strong partnerships and a shared commitment to leading by example.

By working together across borders, sectors and jurisdictions, we can align our efforts, strengthen our region and build a more prosperous, sustainable future.

One Region. Two Nations. One Future.

24/09/2026

CGLR is committed to turning shared priorities into meaningful action, working across borders, sectors and communities to strengthen the Great Lakes-St. Lawrence region we all share.

22/09/2026

Explore our newly updated Resource Library and download the latest Circular Economy Brochures, including our latest informational resource on Mechanical Recycling, Advanced Recycling, and Waste-to-Energy.

As we work toward a more circular economy, understanding the different pathways for managing plastic waste is essential. This new brochure explores how mechanical recycling, advanced recycling, and waste-to-energy technologies each play a distinct role in recovering value from materials, diverting waste from landfills, and reducing the need for virgin resources.

📘 Download the brochure today to better understand these approaches and how they can help inform policy, infrastructure, and end-of-life management decisions as we continue solving for sustainability together. https://councilgreatlakesregion.org/programs-resources/

21/09/2026

A powerful reminder that protecting our shared Great Lakes begins with partnership, stewardship and collective action.

🌊 For World Cleanup Day, we’re celebrating the people working to protect the Great Lakes.

CGLR recognizes our partners at the Great Lakes Plastic Cleanup and the dedicated individuals and organizations helping remove plastic pollution from our shared waters.

Protecting the Great Lakes takes collaboration, commitment and action. Together, we can keep our lakes clean, healthy and resilient for generations to come. 💙



Special Thank you to Our Cleanup Partners:
Pollution Probe
Meijer
TC Energy
Belle Isle Conservancy
Black Swamp Conservancy
Eriesponsible Inc
Gannon University
Grand Valley State University
Milwaukee Riverkeeper
Superior Watershed Partnership
University of Wisconsin Oshkosh