TBM mayor lauded by bi-national Great Lakes organization

The Great Lakes and St. Lawrence Cities Initiative announced that Mayor Andrea Matrosovs of The Blue Mountains, ON, has received the Ontario Member of the Year Award in recognition of her outstanding contributions to the organization's mission of promoting access to clean, safe, and affordable water for all residents of the basin.

Mayor Matrosovs serves on the Cities Initiative’s Ontario Regional Advisory Committee and Mayor Matrosovs was honoured at the Cities Initiative’s awards gala during its annual meeting in Montreal.

“I am honoured to be selected for this year’s Ontario Member of the Year Award and embrace the role ahead as a commission co-chair to advance water equity in our nations,” said Matrosovs in a news release. “Together we can advocate for solutions to the needs of our communities while recognizing we share the responsibility of stewardship of the land and water.”

This year’s conference hosted by the Cities Initiative focused on the economic transformation of the Great Lakes and St. Lawrence River Basin into a world-leading blue-green industrial corridor supported by the clean energy transition. Cities Initiative members, along with government and industry leaders, gathered to share ideas on attracting innovative sustainable industries to our region and supporting the further development of an integrated low-carbon transportation network, along with vibrant and resilient waterfront communities.

“When we come together as the Cities Initiative, we can effect change in national policy in Ottawa and Washington that contributes to resiliency for all communities within our region because we speak as a united voice,” Matrosovs said. “Together we can all celebrate the successes of the Cities Initiative and step up to the next challenges to foster economic, environmental, and social sustainability for generations to come.”

The Cities Initiative is a multinational coalition of local governments led by mayors and chief elected officers working collaboratively to safeguard the economic, environmental and social health of communities in the Great Lakes and St. Lawrence River Basin. The organization is committed to stewarding the basin’s freshwater and ensuring that all residents have access to clean, safe and affordable water as the foundation for sustainable, vibrant, inclusive and resilient communities.