Ontario Supporting the Experimental Lakes Area
New Government Working to Keep Ongoing Freshwater Research
Ontario is working collaboratively with the federal government, the Government of Manitoba and other partners to keep the Experimental Lakes Area (ELA) operational in 2013 and ensure sustained longer-term operations.
Ontario will provide operating support and work toward an agreement with the International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD) and other partners so that the important science conducted in the ELA can continue.
Experimental Lakes Area is a one-of-a-kind, freshwater research region in northwestern Ontario that attracts scientists from across Canada and around the world.
The important science and research performed in this area informs our pollution reduction strategies, our understanding of climate change and how we can protect our lakes and rivers here in Ontario, across Canada and around the world.
Supporting science and research is part of the new Ontario government's plan to build a fair, prosperous Ontario for the benefit of all.
- The Experimental Lakes Area was established in 1968 and is located approximately 50 kilometres southeast of Kenora, Ont., in the Lake of the Woods watershed.
- On May 17, 2012, the Department of Fisheries and Oceans announced that the federal government was cutting funding for research and operations in the ELA on March 31, 2013.
- Read about how Ontario is protecting the Great Lakes.
“We have had many conversations with members of the public and our scientific and academic communities who want to see the Experimental Lakes Area stay open. Investing in science and research to help us understand and prevent pollution is a wise investment for the people of Ontario.”
“Ongoing research at the Experimental Lakes Area has produced decades’ worth of continuous data. Ensuring this important information continues to be collected will help us identify emerging threats to our environment and understand critical changes in ecological communities over time. I look forward to working with the federal government, the Government of Manitoba and other partners to keep ELA operating.”
“The Experimental Lakes Area is an incredibly productive outdoor laboratory. It has an unmatched record of generating critical information about acid rain, mercury contamination, climate change effects, and the connection between phosphorus runoff and algae blooms in lakes. The ELA is a go-to place when we need information to make environmental progress.”
“Ontario recognizes the Experimental Lakes Area as a world-renowned freshwater research facility that contributes to our growing knowledge of ecosystem health and informs our stewardship strategies. I am pleased that our government is working with the federal government towards the goal of sustaining operations at this unique natural resources laboratory.”