News Release

Ministers Baird, Toews and MP Bezan Announce Government's Additional Investment in Lake Winnipeg Cleanup

Winnipeg, November 7, 2007 - The Honourable John Baird, Minister of the Environment and the Honourable Vic Toews, President of the Treasury Board, announced today that the Government of Canada is ramping up its support to clean up Lake Winnipeg.   The Government will be investing $18 million under under the Action Plan for Clean Water to fix serious water quality problems affecting the lake.   This is an additional $11 million to the $7 million already committed by this Government.

"Our Government is taking real action to protect and preserve our environment for all Canadians," said Minister Baird.  "Today's investment is another concrete step towards restoring the health of Lake Winnipeg.  Local MPs like James Bezan (Selkirk-Interlake) have fought hard for the clean up of Lake Winnipeg, and today's announcement reinforces our commitment to protect Canadian waters under the Action Plan for Clean Water."

The increased funding for the clean up of the Lake Winnipeg Basin will support a science-based approach to understanding how nutrient runoff affects the ecology of the lake and how to control nutrient contributions in watersheds. The Government will also expand and improve the network of water monitoring sites in the basin area.  Through these measures the Government hopes to reduce blue-green algae levels; restore the ecological integrity of the lake, ensure a sustainable fishery, and reduce beach closures.

"Work is underway on a number of fronts to address the water quality problems in Lake Winnipeg and its contributing watersheds, but there is still a lot more to be done," said Minister Toews. "Our Government is committed to delivering real results for Manitobans. Today's investment of $18 million over the next five years will help reduce pollution and restore the health of Lake Winnipeg."

This major investment to clean up Lake Winnipeg is part of the Government of Canada's Action Plan for Clean Water.  Recently, the Government has also taken action to protect water quality including tough new regulations against the dumping of raw sewage and improving raw sewage treatment in municipalities and first nation communities across Canada.  These measures will help filter out substances like phosphates, which can lead to excessive blue-green algae production.

Related Document: