Government of Canada invests in research to better understand the effects of contaminants on aquatic ecosystems

OTTAWA, ON, March 29, 2021 /CNW/ - The Government of Canada is further investing in research to better inform the protection of our oceans, lakes, rivers and waterways and the many species that call them home. The unfortunate reality is that microplastics, pesticides, pharmaceuticals, and oil- and gas-related contaminants enter our water systems due to human activity. This means we must continue to study and understand the threats that our ecosystems face.

Today, the Minister of Fisheries, Oceans and the Canadian Coast Guard, the Honourable Bernadette Jordan, announced $2,891,371 over four years in funding for contaminants research. This funding supports nine research projects addressing the biological effects of contaminants on aquatic species. Two of these projects are funded under the Oceans Protection Plan's Fate, Behaviour, and Effects Initiative, which aims to better understand oil spill behaviour so we can better inform the protection of our waterways against its biological effects.

The Government of Canada will continue to invest in science and research to understand what our oceans, lakes, rivers, and waterways need to sustain the countless lifeforms that call them home. Whether it is studying the impact of contaminants on the iconic species that Canadians love, like killer whales, or studying their impact  on the species we harvest, like shellfish, today's investment will help collect the data and information needed to keep Canada's waterways healthy for generations to come.

Quotes

"Canada is well-positioned to be a world leader in the emerging blue economy. We are home to the world's longest coastline, three oceans, and thousands of lakes. It is therefore critical that we study and understand all threats, including contaminants, to our aquatic ecosystems to ensure that these bodies of water can continue to sustain the countless resources and livelihoods they generate. Today's investments will strengthen Canada's blue economy and ensure all our decisions continue to be grounded in science and sustainability."

The Honourable Bernadette Jordan, Minister of Fisheries, Oceans and the Canadian Coast Guard

"Through the Oceans Protection Plan, we are building a marine safety system with stronger protections for marine species than ever before. We're accomplishing this by bringing together science, technology and traditional knowledge to protect Canada's unique coastal ecosystem from coast-to-coast-to-coast. The results of these research projects will help us further protect the marine ecosystem, our communities and our economy."

The Honourable Omar Alghabra, Minister of Transport

Quick Facts

• Fisheries and Oceans Canada's Science Sector funds research on the biological effects of contaminants.
  
  
• The $1.5 billion Oceans Protection Plan is the largest investment ever made to protect Canada's coasts and waterways. This national plan is creating a stronger marine safety system that provides economic opportunities for Canadians today, while protecting our coastlines and clean water for generations to come. This work is being done in close collaboration with Indigenous peoples, local stakeholders and coastal communities.
  
  
• Since the Oceans Protection Plan started in November 2016, over 50 initiatives have been announced in the areas of marine safety, research and ecosystem protection that span coast-to-coast-to-coast. The Fate, Behaviour and Effects Initiative supports research on oil spill behaviour, its biological effects and potential mitigation measures.
  
  
• Minister Jordan launched the engagement on Canada's Blue Economy Strategy on February 8, 2021. The World Bank defines the blue economy as the sustainable use of ocean resources for economic growth, improved livelihoods and jobs, and ocean ecosystem health. Canada's ocean sectors contribute approximately $31.7 billion annually in gross domestic product and account for close to 300,000 jobs.

Backgrounder

About contaminants research funding

Fisheries and Oceans Canada (DFO) supports external research on the biological effects of contaminants on aquatic organisms. Priority research areas include:

• Microplastics
• Oil- and gas-related contaminants
• Pesticides
• Contaminants and issues of emerging concern

The nine projects announced today total $2,891,371 in funding over four years. Information about these projects including recipients, objectives, and funding amounts can be found in the table below.

Learn more about contaminants and research projects funded through DFO Science.

Contaminants research projects

Recipient	Title	Objective	Funding Contribution
Huntsman Marine Science Centre	Single and mixed polycyclic aromatic compound toxicity data generation for the improvement of oil spill models	The project will study several factors that affect how contaminants related to oil spills impact Atlantic marine species including lobster, sea urchins and cod	$600,000 2 years
Ocean Wise	Investigating contaminant- related health effects in killer whales using omics	A project to measure the levels of contaminants in southern resident killer whales and evaluate related health effects	$284,326 3 years
L'Université du Québec  à Rimouski	Étude des effets chroniques d'une exposition aux microplastiques sur le pétoncle géant, une espèce marine d'intérêt socio- économique	A study that examines the biological effects of microplastics on sea scallops. The research will provide data on the impact of microplastics on this species, which may be applicable for marine fisheries and shellfish aquaculture	$230,468 4 years
IISD-Experimental Lakes Area	Fate, bioaccumulation, and ecological effects of mixtures of the psychoactive drug venlafaxine in freshwater ecosystems	A project to characterize the effects of exposure to an antipsychotic pharmaceutical on several aquatic species and communities by undertaking a series of experiments that use ecosystem-based enclosures	$220,736 3 years
University of Waterloo	Assessing the potential effects on wild fish, of representative chiral pharmaceuticals present in upgraded municipal wastewater effluents (meeting the Wastewater Systems Effluent Regulations)	A study to integrate a fate and effects model, lab studies and field assessments to examine how anti-depressants (including metabolites and various chemical forms) move in the environment, bioaccumulate in fish and cause changes in key biological processes	$219,420 3 years
University of Toronto	Ecosystem-based experiments to determine the ecological impacts of microplastics on freshwater fish and their food web	This project seeks to test the ecological impacts of microplastics on fish and their associated food web in a series of experiments using ecosystem-based e nclosures	$217,870 3 years
Ocean Wise	Environmental Relevance of Microplastics in the Coastal Ocean: Strait of Georgia as a Case Study	A project to study microplastics in the Salish Sea and examine the thresholds for negative impacts of microplastic textile fibres in the food web	$274,822 3 years
McGill University	Micro- and nanoplastics in aquatic environments: sources, properties and methods to understand uptake and translocation	A study to assess how small micro- and nanoplastics end up in Canadian aquatic environments and how their properties affect travel into and within the body of aquatic organisms potentially resulting in health effects	$217,733 3 years
Simon Fraser University	The effects of individual polyaromatic compounds and petroleum hydrocarbon mixtures on Pacific marine organisms	A project to study several factors that affect how contaminants related to oil spills impact Pacific marine species including oysters sea urchins and herring	$625,996 2 years
TOTAL			$2,891,371

Associated Links

• Contaminants
• Microplastics
• Protecting our Coasts - Oceans Protection Plan
• Let's Talk – Oceans Protection Plan
• Blue Economy Strategy
• Blue Economy Strategy Consultation

Related products

• Backgrounder - Contaminants Grants and Contribution Funding

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SOURCE Fisheries and Oceans (DFO) Canada

Jane Deeks, Press Secretary, Office of the Minister of Fisheries, Oceans and the Canadian Coast Guard, 343-550-9594, [email protected]; Media Relations, Fisheries and Oceans Canada, 613-990-7537, [email protected]