Local

Winnipeg Free Press - ONLINE EDITION

City to ask Ottawa not to shut down ELA

By: Staff Writer

Posted: 11/28/2012 10:28 AM | Comments: 0 | Last Modified: 11/28/2012 11:58 AM | Updates

Freshwater scientist David Schindler pointed to the ELA's groundbreaking research in decrying Ottawa's decision to cut the facility's funding. (RUTH BONNEVILLE / WINNIPEG FREE PRESS) Photo Store

Related Items

Blogs
- ELA petitions not a sign of discord

Winnipeg will urge the federal government not to shut down the Experimental Lakes Area until a funding source to continue its research is found.

This morning, council's executive policy committee voted in favour of writing a letter to the federal government not to close the freshwater research program until they find a funding source. Mayor Sam Katz said everyone should be concerned about lakes and rivers, and he will write a letter in the coming days to Prime Minister Stephen Harper, Environment Minister Peter Kent and Fisheries and Oceans Minister Keith Ashfield on behalf of the city.

"I do believe it's important to keep the research going," Katz said following EPC this morning.

The ELA is a unique program which allows scientists to conduct experiments on 58 lakes in northwestern Ontario near Kenora. Last May, Ottawa announced it will cut the $2-million operating budget for ELA as of April 2013 and either sell the program or close it. Scientists around the world have decried the cuts, claiming the ELA is the only research facility of its kind and has helped lead to public policy in critical areas including acid rain, mercury poisoning and phosphorus buildup.

River Heights Coun. John Orlikow, who proposed the city ask the federal government not to close the freshwater research program until another funding source is found, said Lake Winnipeg is under threat by increasing algae blooms and research from the ELA is needed to find a solution. He said 18 townships and municipalities, including Thunder Bay, Dryden and Kenora, have pushed for the research program to remain open.

Katz said research from the ELA has shown that removing phoshporus from wastewater is key and removing nitrogen can do more harm than good. He said he's glad the federal government is currently involved in serious negotiations with the private sector to find a third party to continue funding freshwater research.

History

Updated on Wednesday, November 28, 2012 at 11:58 AM CST: updates with more info

Fact Check

Have you found an error, or know of something we’ve missed in one of our stories? Please use the form below and let us know.

* Required

In which story did you find the error? *
Please post the headline of the story or the title of the video with the error.
What was the error? *
Please post exactly what was wrong with the story.
What should we have written?
Please indicate your source for the correct information.
Who else should we interview to improve this story?
Please include any contact information you may have.
Can we contact you in the future for advice on stories about this topic?
Yes

No
First Name: *
Last Name: *
E–mail Address: *
This will only be used to contact you if we have a question about your submission, it will not be used to identify you or be published.
Phone: *
This will only be used to contact you if we have a question about your submission, it will not be used to identify you or be published.
Colour:
Are you blue? If you can see this, leave it blank and get some CSS support.
Enter the words that you see: * This is to prevent our forms from being filled out automatically.
You have failed to correctly identify the words in the box above. Please try again.

More Local

Undock

You can comment on most stories on winnipegfreepress.com. You can also agree or disagree with other comments. All you need to do is register and/or login and you can join the conversation and give your feedback.

Have Your Say

New to commenting? Check out our Frequently Asked Questions.

The Winnipeg Free Press does not necessarily endorse any of the views posted. By submitting your comment, you agree to our Terms and Conditions. These terms were revised effective April 16, 2010.