Experimental Lakes Area to stay open with funding from Ontario, Manitoba

Ontario will commit $2 million a year to keep the Experimental Lakes Area open, and Manitoba will contribute another $900,000 over six years through its funding of the International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD), which will run the site,the two provincial governments announced Monday.

The future of theinternationally renowned research site for the study of water pollution and lake ecosystems has been in question ever since the federal governmentannounced last yearthatit would be closing it in March 2013 as part of budgetcuts to the Department of Fisheries and Oceans.

The project, which consists of 58 pristine lakes near Kenora in northwestern Ontario and has been the site of pioneering research into acid rain and phosphates in laundry detergents, got a reprievewhen the federal government agreed to keep the site open for a few more monthswith the help of theIISD, a Winnipeg-based public policy research organization.

At that time, theOntario government said it was committed to keeping the site operating after the federal government pulled out at the end of August.

On Monday, the government said it was still in the process of finalizing a long-termagreement withIISD andthe federal and Manitoba governmentsbut that the institute would eventually fullytake over the running of the site, which was established in the late 1960s.

"I am thrilled that the Experimental Lakes Area will remain open," Ontario Premier Kathleen Wynne said in a press release. "The research performed here provides invaluable knowledge about climate change and helps protect freshwater systems around the world."

Manitoba will contribute about$900,000over six years toward freshwater research and technology at the Experimental Lakes Area as part of its $6-million, six-year funding arrangementwith the IISD.