A new Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) has been signed between the governments of Canada and Manitoba to advance collaborative work to protect Lake Winnipeg.
“Lake Winnipeg and its basin is a vital resource for many communities,” said Terry Duguid, parliamentary secretary to the minister of environment and climate change. “It is important to our economy, generating millions of dollars of revenue in hydroelectricity, recreation, and fishing industries. Our new agreement with Manitoba on Lake Winnipeg and its basin will help build upon stakeholder efforts to address water quality and ecosystem health challenges, and provide a useful framework for information sharing and science collaboration.”
Building upon a previous ten-year agreement between the two governments, the new MOU will support a cooperative and coordinated approach to understand and protect the water quality and ecological health of Lake Winnipeg and its basin, including reducing nutrient loading. The MOU will also support engagement of Indigenous Peoples to advance reconciliation and mutual priorities related to water quality and the ecological health of Lake Winnipeg.
“Our governments recognize the need to work together to protect Lake Winnipeg,” said Ralph Eichler, Manitoba’s minister of agriculture and resource development. “The transboundary Lake Winnipeg watershed stretches across four provinces and four U.S. states and both the federal and provincial governments have an important role to play in protecting one of Canada’s most important freshwater lakes.”
Parliamentary Secretary Terry Duguid also announced $519,600 in federal funding to support 10 new projects under Environment and Climate Change Canada’s Lake Winnipeg Basin Program.
The Parliamentary Secretary was joined by a representative from Northeast Red Watershed District. Their project received $25,000 to improve water quality by stabilizing creek banks and creating a water retention site to help reduce erosion and retain excessive nutrients from reaching waterways.
