Loss of ice on the Great Lakes has many implications: increasing erosion along their coastlines, affecting ecosystems, and reducing opportunities for winter recreation, Mike McKay of the University of Windsor told an audience across the province last week.

Dr. McKay, executive director of the Great Lakes Institute for Environmental Research, spoke as part of a panel exploring the health and fate of the lakes on The Agenda with Steve Paikin, TVO's flagship current affairs program.

“We should look at ice as a major cultural identifier,” McKay told Paikin. “Meaning that many people living in the Great Lakes region take to the lakes even during winter for winter recreation: ice fishing, for example.”

Paikin noted that the lakes boast a surface area equal to the United Kingdom and together hold 20 per cent of Earth's freshwater. The discussion was prompted by hopes that a new administration in Washington offers an opportunity for the Canada and the United States to work in harmony. The program also explored the impacts of algae blooms and invasive species.

Watch the entire segment here: