Canada’s Minister of Environment and Climate Change, Catherine McKenna, announced funding of $ 3.8 million over four years to fund 23 projects under the Lake Winnipeg Basin Program.
The Canadian government wants to improve the health of Lake Winnipeg by reducing the amount of phosphorus entering the lake.
“Clean water is an indispensable resource for Canadians. It is essential to our health, the environment and the economy,” said the Minister of Environment and Climate Change.
Catherine McKenna wants the money to help reduce the impact of phosphorus on the lake, which causes the proliferation of toxic and harmful algae.
“We have a real problem,” she said. Lake Winnipeg faces all kinds of threats.”
The government wants to work in partnership with aboriginal peoples for this measure. “The Government of Canada is pleased to work with environmental groups, Aboriginal peoples and its partners to work with communities in the Lake Winnipeg Basin and achieve tangible results in improving the overall health of the lake. Adds the Canadian minister.
Winnipeg South MP Terry Duguid accompanied the Minister of the Environment to Gimli on Thursday. “By leveraging the knowledge and expertise of all stakeholders in the basin, we will be able to restore the health of Lake Winnipeg,” he said.
Both the Lake Winnipeg Foundation and the Manitoba Conservation Society were present at the announcement as they will receive money.
The Lake Winnipeg Foundation will receive $ 260,000 over four years for a citizen engagement project to collect and analyze multi-year phosphorus data.
Alexis Kanu, Executive Director of the Lake Winnipeg Foundation, says the funding will be “essential to facilitate the decision making of all organizations trying to keep Lake Winnipeg clean.”
For its part, the Manitoba Protecting Society will receive $ 400,000 over two years for the protection and restoration of more than 700 hectares of wetlands in the Lake Winnipeg Basin.
Andy Roberts is a seasoned journalist with nearly 9 years experience. While studying journalism at Ryerson, Annie found a passion for finding engaging stories. As a contributor to White Pine Tribune, Annie mostly covers provincial and national developments..
