A criminal lawyer by training, Mark Mattson champions due process and public access to clean waterways as President and Waterkeeper with Lake Ontario Waterkeeper.
Mark co-founded Lake Ontario Waterkeeper in 2001 with a goal to restore and protect Lake Ontario’s natural resources, as well as contribute to its aesthetic, social recreational and economic values.
As the primary spokesperson for the charity, he gives a voice to the cares and concerns of the millions of people who live in the Lake Ontario watershed. Prior to forming Lake Ontario Waterkeeper, Mark Mattson founded a volunteer-based effort known as the Environmental Bureau of Investigation. He has acted as counsel for public interest groups at more than 50 hearings, including the Walkerton Inquiry, the International Water Tribunal, and the Ontario Energy Board. A member of the Law Society of Upper Canada, Mark co-authored The Citizens Guide to Environmental Investigation and Private Prosecution and hosts the radio program “Living At the Barricades”.
Mark’s Vital People grant will be used to enhance his public speaking skills during Lake Ontario Waterkeeper’s 10th Anniversary year.
