Three Waters Foundation: Who We Are & Why We Started

At the core we are a group of paddlers and surfers from Georgian Bay. We love Lake Huron and we cherish all that it has shared with us over the years. 

We've observed that the amount of plastic debris on remote islands and coastlines has notably increased over the past decade. Plastic in the freshwater environment harms wildlife and contaminates the environment. 

July 2019, TWF founder Scott Parent and his nine-year-old daughter Acadia paddled tandem on a SUP from Bootaagani-minis (Drummond Island) Michigan, to Penetanguishene, Ontario. Their journey followed the route of their ancestors and covered nearly 500 kilometres along the shores and islands of Lake Huron's northern and eastern coastline. 

Together they collected water samples along the route to be later analyzed for microplastics research. They also collected plastic trash and hauled it out on their board to the next garbage bin. Out of this journey, Scott Parent produced the documentary film Three Waters.

"After that journey, it was hard to excuse the mess of plastic out in these remote areas that in many cases, isn't being left behind by people. It is carried there by the water itself," says Parent.

On our many paddling trips, TWF has seen firsthand how plastic infiltrates its way into the nests of water birds and fish spawning areas. We aim to serve these wild spaces through monitoring and cleanups. 

The impacts of anthropogenic waste in freshwater environments is less understood than in marine environments, and researchers need our support. 

“Our shorelines have organizations initiating cleanups, and I’m grateful for that," adds Parent. "The remote islands are out of sight and mind for most people and also not easily accessible. These exposed island coasts often take the brunt of what washes up onshore and are also home to aquatic bird colonies. 

Ultimately we aim to serve all the species that have been impacted by plastic pollution in a way that doesn't cause them any further distress. We also aim to protect and preserve the clean waters of Lake Huron for future generations.”

TWF recognizes the sovereign responsibilities of the First Nations for these waters and we support Indigenous-led coastal monitoring and community programs. We acknowledge the water walkers, carriers and protectors.  

TWF started in 2023. Working within our means, we conducted our cleanups with proceeds from donations at screenings of the Three Waters film. 

We are here to do our part.