The Ottawa Riverkeeper

When it comes to sustainability, change happens in numbers. It’s not our individual carbon footprint, but the collective mark we leave on our environment that strains it. At the same time, change for the better is a group effort.

Community engagement is a great way of enacting the change we want in the world. We’re showcasing a local initiative that has been working tirelessly on keeping a legendary river healthy for over 25 years:  The Ottawa Riverkeeper.

What is the Ottawa Riverkeeper?

The Ottawa Riverkeeper is a charitable organization that has given a voice to the Ottawa watershed and raised it loud to ensure its needs are heard and met. 

This volunteer group has worked on restoring ecosystems around shorelines, educating children and adults about the importance of a healthy river, and defending biodiversity.

The association has flagged issues they hold at the heart of their initiatives, like road salt, invasive and endangered species, sewage overflows, and microplastics. The vision tying these issues is clear: to protect the environment against all kinds of pollution. 

From Mattawa, to Ottawa, Hawkesbury, Hudson, and beyond. That’s a lot of roads that need salting, lots of sewage systems at risk of overflowing, but also many hands that can help mitigate these issues.

Thanks to the Riverkeeper, Canada has banned the use of microplastics in all personal care products! That’s a huge win for our rivers, and there are more wins to be had. 

Current Initiatives

The Ottawa Riverkeeper currently has several initiatives you can join, namely,

1.     Watershed Health Assessment and Monitoring.

A program where volunteers continuously check in on the Ottawa watershed, to ensure it is healthy.

2.     Open Data Portal.

Want to know more about the watershed? They have an extensive information portal.

3.     Pollution Hotline.

You can report anything strange you might find, be it a littered beach or a spill in the water.

4.     Youth Leader Program

To get the next generations active on the river and involved in its wellbeing.

The Ottawa River and its tributaries aren’t merely great for fishing, boating, and paddling. From its source lake Capitchimigama down to its mouth near Montreal, it’s also a lifeline for over 2 million people in Ontario and Québec. It is drinking water. With over 50 dams, it’s also our electricity. But for industry and farmers, it is also a source of local sustenance and economic prosperity. Without this river, even Green Beaver wouldn't exist.

Getting Involved 

Green Beaver’s relationship with the Ottawa Riverkeeper began in 2016, when co-founder Alain Ménard helped tag endangered American eels for monitoring purposes.

Dams have played a big part in the species’ endangerment; finding it harder to swim upstream, the species had declined by 99% in the last 40 years.

In 2021, the Carillon Dam, 10km downstream from Hawkesbury, was set to undergo a $750 million renovation, the Riverkeeper campaigned for the installation of an eel ladder to help the species swim upstream. While they are still fighting for these installments, the dam has at least acknowledged the importance of protecting the eels and has worked to minimize its impact.

Want to support the Ottawa Riverkeeper’s mission? Here are three ways to make an impact:

1.     Donate.

Make a donation to help support their efforts or get involved in fundraising campaigns to tackle one of various issues. In 2025, Green Beaver donated Castile soap to the annual Riverkeeper Gala, because it is biodegradable and river-friendly.

2.     Report.

Is pollution a concern in your part of the Ottawa region? Call their pollution hotline at 1-888-9KEEPER or submit a form. 

3.     Join.

The Ottawa Riverkeeper is always looking for volunteers. Learn more about the initiatives and community events happening near you.