Cobourg mayor links federal grants to global advocacy for Great Lakes protection
Cobourg Mayor Lucas Cleveland will present a report to council on April 30 outlining his work with the Great Lakes and St. Lawrence Cities Initiative (GLSLCI), highlighting the town’s growing presence on the international stage and its link to securing major grant funding.
Since becoming mayor, Cleveland has taken an active leadership role in the GLSLCI, a cross-border coalition representing more than 325 municipalities working to protect the Great Lakes and St. Lawrence River Basin. As National Co-Chair of the group’s Economic Forum-alongside the Mayor of Montreal-Cleveland has helped advocate for sustainable infrastructure, environmental protections, and economic development across the region.
Cleveland tells us why his work with the initiative is important to Cobourg.
The report will include details from Cleveland’s March trip to Washington, D.C., where he joined over 30 Canadian and American mayors and Indigenous leaders during Great Lakes Day. The delegation met with U.S. senators, congressional leaders, and senior officials to push back against proposed tariffs on Canadian goods and promote continued cooperation on shared water and trade issues.
Cleveland says his work with the Great Lakes and St. Lawrence Cities Initiative has already made an impact.
Cleveland says his work and that of council is part of a greater push to brand Cobourg as a leader in outside the box thinking and the town is reaping the rewards.
Cleveland’s report connects Cobourg’s recent success in securing over $30 million in provincial and federal grants to this international advocacy. He credits Cobourg’s strategic plan, improved communications, new governance model, and strong partnerships-including with MP Philip Lawrence and MPP David Piccini-as contributing to the town’s elevated profile and ability to attract funding.
The initiative also aligns with Cobourg’s broader goal of being recognized at the provincial, national and international level for leadership on sustainability and economic development.
The next meeting of Cobourg council is on April 30.
(Written by: Joseph Goden)