Wednesday, April 24, 2013

Ontario steps up to save the Experimental Lakes Area

This morning the Ontario government announced it will provide financial support to ensure the Environmental lakes Area is sustained for "long term operations".

The Experimental Lakes Area, which had continuous data on 58 protected lakes since the 60s, was one of several research funds cut in the federal budgets of 2012 (previously on this blog). The Area was previously funded through the federal Department of Fisheries and Oceans.

The Globe & Mail reports the exact nature of the funding commitment remains unclear.

CBC story is here, quoting Ontario Premier Wynne saying: " I don't believe that either provincially, regionally, or nationally and internationally we can afford to let it go." (Hear hear!)

Learn more about the Experimental Lakes Area  on their site.

Enjoy Rick Mercer's rant about the original cuts here. "In the world of science, they are rock stars! ... [ELA scientists] up there living in tents and shacks, with their big bushy bears, eating mung beans out of mason jars, trying to figure out what different chemicals will do to our drinking water...". :)

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