Ontario Premier Kathleen Wynne, MP Bob Nault of Kenora, and the Minister of Fisheries, Oceans and the Canadian Coast Guard, Dominic LeBlanc announced this week that DFO will invest $1.7 million over the next two years to support the operations at the IISD Experimental Lakes Area (IISD-ELA).
This commitment is part of the federal government’s $197.1 million investment in ocean and freshwater sciences, as announced in May in Budget 2016. It builds on the provinces’ support to ensure the continuation of the facility’s almost 50 years of ongoing research on how contaminants, climate change and other factors are affecting our freshwater ecosystems.
The Government of Ontario provides up to $2 million each year to IISD-ELA, and the the Province of Manitoba has committed more than $6 million over six years to support and advance IISD’s operating costs.
“This support along with our existing partnerships with the governments of Ontario and Manitoba is vital to maintaining IISD Experimental Lakes Area’s unique repository of nearly 50 years of ecological experimentation and research. We are grateful to the federal government for recognizing the value of expanding our research capacity to provide evidence-based insight into the effects of pollutants, climate change and other threats to our lakes of rivers,” said Matthew McCandless, executive director of the IISD-ELA.
Minister LeBlanc said, “The Government of Canada and the International Institute for Sustainable Development share a common commitment to understanding and protecting our freshwater fisheries and the ecosystems that support them. We are pleased to provide federal funding to IISD Experimental Lakes Area and to support its legacy of informing important policy decisions in Canada and around the world.”
The IISD Experimental Lakes Area, in Northwestern Ontario, is internationally known for its unique, whole-ecosystem research and its influence on policy decisions, such as the removal of phosphorous from household cleaners.
IISD Experimental Lakes Area (IISD-ELA) is a unique research facility and is the only place in the world where scientists can conduct research on real lakes and ecosystems for the most accurate and comprehensive results.
Research conducted at IISD-ELA supports Canada’s long-term understanding of our freshwater ecosystems and leads to better decision-making on the use and protection of our freshwater resources for the benefit of all Canadians and future generations.
