Local shorelines along the St. Clair River and Lake Huron are now better equipped to withstand the impacts of extreme weather events and high-water levels after the completion of shoreline protection projects by the St. Clair Region Conservation Authority (SCRCA). With funding support by Infrastructure Canada’s Disaster Mitigation and Adaptation Fund (DMAF), and in collaboration with the City of Sarnia and Township of St. Clair, five shoreline protection projects have been completed in the communities of Sarnia, Brights Grove, Port Lambton, and Courtright.

“The Shoreline Rehabilitation project will ensure Sarnia, Brights Grove, Port Lambton, and Courtright have reliable and modern infrastructure to better prevent flooding and protect homes and businesses for years to come,” said Jennifer O’Connell, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Intergovernmental Affairs, Infrastructure and Communities, on behalf of the Honourable Dominic LeBlanc, Minister of Intergovernmental Affairs, Infrastructure and Communities. “Our Government will continue to take strong action to protect communities against the effects of climate change.”

“Shoreline communities throughout the Great Lakes have been impacted by more severe and frequent storm events, leading to the deterioration of retaining walls, flooding, and increased erosion,” said Girish Sankar, Director of Water Resources at the Authority, “Thanks to our strong partnerships with the City of Sarnia and Township of St. Clair, and the DMAF funding provided by the Government of Canada, we have been able to better protect local communities and municipal infrastructure.”

Construction of the new shoreline protection has been ongoing since 2019 and primarily involved the replacement of failing sheet pile walls with armour stone revetments and groynes. Armour stone is a common material used along shorelines due to its durability, long lifespan, and resistance to erosion. “In total, we have been able to reinforce about 1,270 m of shoreline with armour stone since 2019,” said Sankar.

Administered by Infrastructure Canada, the Disaster Mitigation and Adaptation Fund (DMAF) was launched in 2018 and provides essential funding for structural and natural infrastructure projects to increase the resilience of communities that are impacted by natural disasters triggered by climate change. In 2019, the SCRCA was granted $7,984,000 through the DMAF program to support shoreline protection projects with an additional $12.3 million invested by the City of Sarnia and Township of St. Clair.

Shoreline Protection Projects along the St. Clair River and Lake Huron (2019-2022):

Lake Huron (920 m of shoreline restored)

• • • • • • Helen Ave to Kenwick Street – Brights Grove (400 m)
          • Old Lakeshore Road East – Bright’s Grove (300 m)
          • Old Lakeshore Road – Rine Ave to Penhuron Dr., Brights Grove (220 m)

St. Clair River (350 m of shoreline restored)

• • • • • • St. Clair Township – Courtright Park (130 m)
          • St. Clair Township – Port Lambton Park (220 m)

About the Disaster Mitigation and Adaptation Fund (DMAF)

Launched in 2018, DMAF is a $3.375 billion program that supports communities by investing in structural and natural infrastructure projects to increase the resilience of communities that are impacted by natural disasters triggered by climate change.