The Credit River Alliance (CRA) is comprised of 31 environmental and conservation groups in the Credit Valley Watershed who share a common concern in protecting the quality and quantity of our water.
We represent an alliance of more 10,000 supporters who place a high priority on maintaining a healthy and sustained River system.
The Credit River Alliance strongly encourages all levels of government to make further strides protecting the Credit River Watershed from the impacts of urbanization. We realize that what happens upstream or downstream affects all of us in the watershed.
The Credit has suffered damage in recent years and is becoming more impaired by:
- Flooding from inadequate storm flow management
- Loss of groundwater and base flow
- Erosion of riverbanks
- Sediment runoff
- Water quality contamination
The Credit River is a crucial asset to not only this Region, but to all of Ontario. Home to 45 different species of fish, it is the most diverse cold-water fishery and one of the most important river systems in the Province.
The Credit has huge runs of 20,000 Chinook Salmon and 10,000 Steelhead every year with the Steelhead population now at 90% wild. Coho, Pink, and Atlantic Salmon occur in smaller numbers, not to mention large-mouth and small-mouth bass and many other still-water fish.
Around the Forks of the Credit there is a world renowned trout fishery of both Brown and Brook Trout.
Out of Doors magazine states:
"Upper Credit truly is one of the last bastions of wilderness in the shadow of urban sprawl, one of the few remaining cold-water streams in Southern Ontario that has genuine blue-ribbon trout fishing."
It is estimated by MNR that millions of dollars are generated annually in this Region due to the fishery.
But this is not only about the dollar value of recreational fishing.
The fish also allow us to monitor and maintain the health of the watershed. Like canaries in a mineshaft, the health of the fishery is directly related to how we control or minimize the cumulative impacts to our river systems.
The Credit River is already seriously stressed with the pressures of urbanization. We know more effective controls are needed as erosion downstream in Mississauga has increased at an alarming rate.
The next 5-10 years has much more development planned and the Credit faces a potential "tipping point" as to which way the River will go. Can we maintain its health or will we move to irreversible damage?
The onus is on us to make the right choice.
Development is part of progress—but better controls and prevention of damage are also part of progress. We now have the data to help us understand where we need to improve and how to go about it.
We invite all levels of government to partner with us in protecting one of the best river systems in Ontario.