North Shore Resilience Project Awarded Wawanesa Climate Champions Grant
Important dune restoration will continue between Port Glasgow and Long Point with support from Wawanesa Insurance.
December 11, 2025 (Port Rowan, ON) – The Long Point Biosphere Region is pleased to announce that critical dune restoration work along the north shore of Lake Erie will continue through 2026 thanks to funding from Wawanesa through its Wawanesa Climate Champions: Local Grants initiative. The $50,000 grant will extend on-the-ground efforts to safeguard communities, infrastructure, and beaches from intensifying coastal hazards from Port Glasgow to Long Point.
“This new funding is an important lifeline for our coastal communities,” says Sarah Emons, Director of Conservation at the Long Point Biosphere Region. “It means we can keep protecting beaches, homes, and infrastructure, while restoring natural dune systems that support both people, the local economy, and wildlife.”
Warming winter air and rising lake temperatures have led to a marked increase in ice-free days on Lake Erie, extending the open-water season and raising wave energy in winter by across the north shore. Combined with more extreme weather events, this has led to increases in flooding, erosion, and beach deterioration. These conditions threaten homes, municipal infrastructure, and regional tourism that relies on healthy shorelines.
The new funding will use nature-based solutions to restore natural shoreline with locally sourced native grasses. Sand dunes form at the back of beaches when sand is trapped by beachgrass and other native plants. Healthy dunes create a barrier against natural coastal hazards, such as flooding and erosion, and improve habitat.
“Climate change is affecting the places we live and work in ways that require practical, local solutions,” says Mitchell McEwen, Wawanesa’s Director of Sustainability, Climate Resilience & Community Impact. “As a member-owned mutual insurer, we believe in supporting those working closest to these challenges. That’s why we’re helping organizations like the Long Point Biosphere Region advance practical solutions forward and strengthen their capacity to protect their communities.”
The North Shore Resilience project is a collaborative effort involving municipal, First Nations, government, and non-profit partners:
- Norfolk County
- Municipality of Bayham
- Township of Malahide
- Municipality of Central Elgin
- Municipality of Dutton-Dunwich
- Municipality of West Elgin
- Townships of Southwold
- Mississaugas of the Credit First Nation
- Long Point Region Conservation Authority
- Catfish Creek Conservation Authority
- Kettle Creek Conservation Authority
- Lower Thames Conservation Authority
- Department of Fisheries and Oceans, Integrated Planning Unit
- Birds Canada
- Nature Conservancy of Canada
The project was launched in 2024 with funding from the Canada Water Agency to address threats to coastal communities, ecosystems, and infrastructure through the development of scientific and technical knowledge, community engagement, and nature-based solutions such as dune restoration. The project is managed by the Long Point Biosphere Region.
About the Long Point Biosphere Region
Designated a UNESCO World Biosphere Region in 1986, Long Point is part of a global network of more than 750 Biosphere Reserves, including 19 in Canada and four in Ontario. The Long Point Biosphere Region is the charitable non-profit organization established to uphold the values and vision of the UNESCO biosphere designation and is dedicated to connecting people to the unique natural landscapes and rich cultural heritage of the Long Point region and Norfolk County. The organization is responsible for demonstrating leadership in conserving biodiversity; promoting sustainable economic, social and ecological development; providing logistical support for education, training, and research; and advancing truth and reconciliation with Indigenous communities.
About The Wawanesa Mutual Insurance Company
The Wawanesa Mutual Insurance Company, founded in 1896, is one of Canada’s largest mutual insurers, with over $4 billion in annual revenue and assets of $11.5 billion. Wawanesa Mutual, with its National Headquarters in Winnipeg, is the parent company of Wawanesa Life, which provides life insurance products and services throughout Canada, and Western Financial Group, which distributes personal and business insurance across Canada. Wawanesa proudly serves more than 1.87 million members in Canada. The company actively gives back to organizations that strengthen communities, donating more than $3.5 million annually to charitable organizations, including over $2 million annually in support of people on the front lines of climate change. Learn more at wawanesa.com.
Media Contacts
Sarah Emons
Director of Conservation
Long Point Biosphere Region
conservation@longpointbiosphere.com
Michel Rosset
Manager, Corporate Communications & Media Relations
The Wawanesa Mutual Insurance Company
media@wawanesa.com
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