It’s been just over a year since Ottawa Riverkeeper moved into its real catch of a location — the NCC River House.
Now, the local non-profit is looking to fulfill its 15-year-old dream of having a space by the water for research, education and advocacy. The environmental organization is inviting the public to support its first-ever major fundraising campaign, The Big River Give.
This morning, Ottawa Riverkeeper CEO Laura Reinsborough, who also holds the title of Ottawa Riverkeeper, came together with campaign co-chair Geoff Green and their fellow campaign supporters to publicly announce The Big River Give. The campaign has so far raised $3 million, or 60 per cent of its $5-million fundraising target. It needs to raise an additional $2 million.
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“We want people to ‘give to the riv’,” said Green, who’s also chair emeritus at Ottawa Riverkeeper, founder and president of Students on Ice Foundation, and unofficial creator of catchy slogans. “For all of us who depend on and love this river, we really want people to step up for this cause. We need to spread the word.”
Said Reinsborough: “Yes, it’s an announcement, but it’s also a celebration, an invitation and call to action.”
Major contributors to the campaign have included the Government of Canada through its Canada Community Revitalization Fund. Local MP Mona Fortier, described as “a champion” of the cause, was in attendance. Other significant donors included the non-profit, family-run Taggart Parkes Foundation, Ottawa Community Foundation and RBC Royal Bank.
The $3 million raised is about 30 times what Ottawa Riverkeeper’s annual budget would have been 15 years ago, Green said, putting their achievement into perspective. “So, we’re well on our way.”
Ottawa Riverkeeper’s new headquarters, at 501 Sir-George-Étienne-Cartier Pkwy in Rockcliffe Park, has boat docking space, a science lab, meeting spaces and a hands-on River School and Learning Lab — not to mention a swimming area that would prove popular during today’s heat wave.
Ottawa Riverkeeper is the “go-to source for information on river issues,” Reinsborough reminded everyone. “We speak up for the river’s needs and we press decision-makers to act in the river’s best interests. Leaders and community members look to us for our expertise.”
According to Ottawa Riverkeeper, funds raised through the campaign will help secure a healthy future for the river and its watershed by connecting communities to the Ottawa River like never before. Donors are helping to educate an additional 2,500 students annually on the importance of a healthy river and ecosystem, connect 10,000 visitors with the river to deepen their understanding of local waterways, and bring together community groups and decision-makers for summits, workshops, and discussions addressing critical issues impacting the waterways. As well, the organization will be better able to uncover the state of the river and determine how it’s being threatened through new and expanded research and community science programs.
“We’re asking you to join us by making a special gift to ensure the success of this campaign,” said Reinsborough. “Yes, we’ve raised $3 million but we have $2 million to go to contribute to programming, to allow that runway for us to have this magic happen, to engage more people here at River House, and to have that ripple effect throughout the whole watershed.”
The campaign has the steadfast support of Mark Carney, who’s a big fish, both nationally and globally. Along with being a former governor of the Bank of Canada, Carney is an officer of the Order of Canada, UN Special Envoy for Climate Action and Finance, and was made the inaugural Honorary Ottawa Riverkeeper with his wife, Diana, back in 2013.
During his brief remarks at the podium, Carney promoted the values of environmental stewardship, responsibility and next-generation sustainability. He also expressed concern regarding the findings of the Ottawa Riverkeeper’s recent 2024 Watershed Report Card, which is available to read online.
“Unfortunately, we haven’t been so much ‘give to the riv’ but ‘take from the lake’,” said Carney.
Carney’s volunteer work for the UN deals with such topics such as climate change, nature and biodiversity loss. “These are global issues but they require, ultimately, local action,” he added. “And that’s what this is; this is local action with involved communities.”
The Big River Give is taking environmental efforts to “another level,” Carney continued. “It’s been a privilege to be a part of it, and I intend to be an even bigger part of it going forward.”
The podium was located near a traditional birch bark canoe that’s being built for use by Indigenous youth, for future use on the Ottawa River. They’ve been working under the expertise of Algonquin craftsman Pinock Smith from the Kitigan Zibi Anishinabeg Nation.
Speeches were made near a display showcasing such local water-based wildlife as the Great Blue Heron and various turtles. They were fake, but visitors can find the real deal in the nearby Science Lab. It’s home to 418 eggs of Snapping Turtles, Painted Turtles and Northern Map Turtles, collected from Petrie Island. They’re being kept safely in an incubator to better ensure their survival. They’ll be released back into the wild once they start hatching.
The campaign launch wrapped up with everyone raising a toast to the Ottawa River. Attendees held champagne flutes filled with water, which, besides its symbolic importance, was probably the best choice for a hot day like today.
caroline@obj.ca
