I'm here today for the launch of a really exciting prospectus. I know that the combined authority in Greater Manchester and the Canal & River Trust have been working together for a long time to put forward a plan for our waterways in Greater Manchester and there's lots we can do together to make sure this is realised.
We know the challenges that climate change is posing for us in Greater Manchester and we know that canals have a really good way of offering a solution that can be through nature-based solutions. So how do we use the towpaths and surrounding areas that will be around how we use the water, how that water could support new industries such as cooling aids and things like that. So there's lots of ways in which canals which are a really important heritage asset for us can help us as we meet the challenges for the future. The prospectus is a really good document. It's a bit like a map for us to follow.
It highlights the importance of partnership work not just between the Trust and the combined authority but other people we need to work with across Greater Manchester and it plots the route through for us to make sure that we have got a city region we can all be proud of in the future.
Really good to be here today for the launch of the prospectus. We work very closely with Canal & River Trust colleagues to pull the prospectus together. It really highlights the opportunities around the canals in Greater Manchester, how we can work together to deliver shared priorities. So currently working with Canal & River Trust around active travel projects using the canals as a way of walking, cycling, wheeling, getting around town. Also thinking about how canals contribute to our local nature recovery strategy and how we can deliver more for the natural environment across GM through the canals. I think the prospectus will really help to draw in more partners, more stakeholders, make a bigger difference around the canal agenda and hopefully help us to deliver more around what we're interested in across Greater Manchester.
What the canals do, ultimately what they are, they're connectors. That's what they've always been. They'll connect places to other places. They connect the people to that locality. People don't love a canal network. They love their bit of the Rochdale or the Liverpool or they love their bit where they grew up. Everyone I've talked to in this room goes, "My dad, my aunt, my great aunt, I used to have a canal connection because they're everywhere. They've been here before we started. They'll be here after us. Help us to use them to make all of the challenges that you face and what you're doing and all the challenges we face a joint endeavour because we are open for working with you.
