A collaborative initiative helping communities along 56 kilometres of the southern Lake Huron shoreline prepare for a changing climate.
This stretch of coast includes residential neighbourhoods, parks, beaches and working waterfronts – places where people live, work, and spend time. Over the next 100 years, an estimated $750 million in property and infrastructure is at risk from erosion, flooding and other climate-related impacts – many of which are already being experienced.
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This pilot will test nature-based solutions and sediment bypass techniques near Goderich Harbour to restore beach-building sediment, helping protect the shoreline while supporting healthy coastal ecosystems.
A review of existing shoreline policies will identify opportunities to reduce exposure to erosion and flooding. The result will be a set of forward-looking, climate resilient policy recommendations tailored to the Lake Huron coast.
This pilot will produce a practical, ready-to-use guide for municipalities considering when and how to relocate infrastructure from high-risk coastal areas – supporting proactive planning and emergency response.
This project builds on several years of technical research, collaboration, and community engagement along the Lake Huron shoreline. From 2021 to 2023, the Shoreline Hazard Mapping Project helped improve understanding of erosion and flooding risks by identifying where shoreline hazards are most likely to occur and how they are changing over time.
Insights and relationships developed through that work now inform the Southern Lake Huron Coastal Adaptation Strategy, allowing communities to move from risk identification to action.
In addition, Conservation Ontario has developed a range of tools and resources to support communities across the Great Lakes in adapting to coastal hazards. These resources provide broader regional context and help ensure this project aligns with best practices in climate adaptation.
© 2026 · Maitland Valley Conservation Authority.
