News Release

Canada's New Government Provides $450,000 for Lake Winnipeg Science Research 

GIMLI, MB - April 2, 2007 -James Bezan, Member of Parliament for Selkirk-Interlake, on behalf of the Honourable John Baird, Minister of the,Environment announced today that Environment Canada will provide $450,000 in funding over three years to the Lake Winnipeg Research Consortium.

The funding will be used by the Consortium to facilitate and coordinate collaborative research and monitoring activities to learn more about the processes that are critical to the health of Lake Winnipeg.  The funds will also be used to support the vessel MV Namao in research and educational activities, and to establish an electronic archive of scientific data and information about the lake. 

"The work of the Lake Winnipeg Research Consortium supports our commitment to clean up important watersheds, and protect the health of Canadians.  This funding will help focus federal efforts on Lake Winnipeg and is a significant contribution to a larger basin initiative that will provide a model for how the federal government can support watershed management in the Lake Winnipeg Basin," said Mr. Bezan.

Mr. Bezan was joined for the announcement, held aboard the MV Namao in Gimli, by Dr. Al Kristofferson, Managing Director of the Lake Winnipeg Research Consortium.

"This funding announcement from the Government of Canada is excellent news. The multi-year nature of this commitment will allow us to extend our research plans into the future, thereby eliminating the need to work on a year-by-year basis. We are very pleased with this.  It is a very important step forward to help us further understand this Great Lake of ours," said Dr. Kristofferson. 

In Budget 2007, Canada's New Government committed $93 million to support a comprehensive National Water Strategy that will ensure clean and safe water for Canadians. This strategy sets the direction for a concrete action plan that will improve the quality of drinking water, clean up polluted waters, and protect ecosystems.

For more information, please contact:

Eric Richer
Press Secretary
Office of the Minister of the Environment
(819) 997-1441

Environment Canada Media Relations
(819) 934-8008
1-888-908-8008