Government of Canada Invests $4 Million in Long-term Ecosystem Research at the Experimental Lakes Area

OTTAWA, Aug. 1, 2018 /CNW/ - International Institute for Sustainable Development - Experimental Lakes Area (IISD-ELA) is a unique research facility where scientists can undertake real-world experiments on small lakes to improve our understanding of human impacts on the environment.

Today in Kenora, the Honourable Robert D. Nault, Member of Parliament for Kenora, on behalf of the Honourable Jonathan Wilkinson, Minister of Fisheries, Oceans and the Canadian Coast Guard, announced $4 million in funding over four years for IISD-ELA to support data collection, analysis, and efforts to make this data available to the public. Accompanying Member of Parliament Nault, was David Lametti, Member of Parliament for LaSalle—Émard—Verdun, and Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Innovation, Science and Economic Development.

Specifically, the funding supports the Long-Term Ecological Research program, which monitors a range of indicators that help to identify long-term trends and ecological changes of fisheries health and productivity in Canadian boreal lakes. The open dataset produced by this research is available to the public, academia, researchers and the government to better understand how human and environmental stressors affect our freshwater ecosystems and to promote science-based management of Canada's freshwater resources and ecosystems.

Quotes

"Our government is committed to better understanding the impacts of human activities on Canada's valuable freshwater resources. We are pleased to continue our relationship with IISD-ELA and to provide federal funding for the collection and dissemination of this unique science data. This investment will help inform important policy decisions and support education and water stewardship in Canada."

The Honourable Jonathan Wilkinson, Minister of Fisheries, Oceans and the Canadian Coast Guard 

"The Long-term Ecological Research Program is the most comprehensive open dataset on freshwater research in the world. The Government of Canada's investment ensures that the information collected over the past fifty years continues to make substantive contributions to science and public understanding of Canada's freshwater resources."

David Lametti, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Innovation, Science and Economic Development

"We are lucky to have this world-renowned facility in our own backyard, here in the Kenora riding. The research coming out of the IISD-ELA is used to develop and shape freshwater policies both here at home and abroad. I am incredibly proud to say that we restored funding in 2015, and today's investment further solidifies that commitment. "

The Honourable Robert D. Nault, Member of Parliament for Kenora

"This is the fiftieth year of IISD Experimental Lakes Area—Canada's incredible gift to the world's freshwater research. Now that we have an unparalleled half-a-century of data on a wide range of indicators of freshwater health, we are dedicated to sharing that data openly, to ensure it makes the greatest possible impact."

Matthew McCandless, Executive Director, IISD Experimental Lakes Area

Quick Facts

• IISD Experimental Lakes Area—the world's freshwater laboratory—is located in northwestern Ontario and is a one-of-a-kind natural laboratory consisting of 58 small lakes and their watersheds set aside for scientific research.
• The funding is part of the Government of Canada's Budget 2016 commitment of $197.1 million for ocean and freshwater science.

Associated Links

IISD Experimental Lakes Area

Long-Term Ecological Research

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SOURCE Fisheries and Oceans (DFO) Canada

For further information: Media Relations, Fisheries and Oceans Canada, 613-990-7537, [e-mail]; Laura Gareau, Director of Communications, Office of the Minister of Fisheries, Oceans and the Canadian Coast Guard, 613-992-3474, [e-mail] ; Sumeep Bath, Communications Manager, IISD Experimental Lakes Area, [e-mail]

Related Links

http://www.dfo-mpo.gc.ca