Deadline looms for Experimental Lakes Area

On September 1, an agreement between Ontario and the federal government that allows scientists to perform experiments in the 58 lakes of the Experimental Lakes Area (ELA) will expire, and there has been little effort to establish a new agreement after the federal government announced in the spring that it would no longer fund the outdoor laboratory project that has operated for 40 years. Ontario premier Kathleen Wynne pledged financial support for the ELA, but has failed to produce any concrete plans or numbers. The Winnipeg-based International Institute for Sustainable Development has offered to take on the ELA, but is waiting for Ontario to provide funding details before they can propose a business plan. The ELA provides scientists with an area for environmental research such as the effects of pollutants, and technology that allows for the easy determination of aquatic health. Globe and Mail