The federal and provincial governments have made many efforts to improve the state of the St. Lawrence River and reclaim the river for users. To evaluate progress and determine what remains to be done, an accurate portrait of the state of the St. Lawrence is required. The task of obtaining an overview of something as vast and diverse as the St. Lawrence River ecosystem is not an easy one, however. It is vital that the stakeholders involved in monitoring the river work together. The St. Lawrence Centre has contributed to this undertaking by establishing a program for spatial and temporal monitoring of indicators that reflect the health of the St. Lawrence.
Indicators are one of the most effective means of monitoring changes in a system.
By examining many indicators at a time, we can determine how a system is changing and whether it is improving, deteriorating or remaining stable. The results of these projects, together with the findings of our partners involved in monitoring the St. Lawrence River, will show how the river's health is changing. For the SLC, keeping this knowledge up to date is essential to the success of its mission.