Creating Jobs and Benefiting Science

For Immediate Release
July 21, 2009

Creating Jobs and Benefiting Science
Canada-Ontario Partnership Invests in New Research Centre in Sault Ste. Marie

SAULT STE. MARIE - Thanks to a joint investment by the Governments of Canada and Ontario, a new, multi-million dollar research centre in Sault Ste. Marie will be built to help improve Canada’s environment while creating jobs and stimulating the economy. To be located at the federal government’s Great Lakes Forestry Centre (GLFC), the new Invasive Species Centre will be dedicated to combatting alien invasive species that threaten Canada’s natural resources and ecosystems.

“Our Government is delivering results by investing in sound projects that will create jobs now while helping to protect our country’s precious natural resources for the future,” said the Honourable Lisa Raitt, federal Minister of Natural Resources. “By utilizing our talented scientists in Sault Ste. Marie, we are ensuring that Canada remains a world leader in finding ways to detect, contain and control invasive species.”

The Government of Canada is contributing a total of $13.4 million to the GLFC, consisting of $9 million in funding over two years for the new Invasive Species Centre and $4.4 million to modernize the GLFC facilities. The Government of Ontario has committed $15 million to the Invasive Species Centre initiative. Building the new centre will provide jobs and economic stimulus in the Sault Ste. Marie area.

“The new Invasive Species Centre in Sault Ste. Marie will provide a boost to the local economy and will help us coordinate provincial, national and international efforts to check the spread of terrestrial and aquatic invading species and the negative effects they can have on the health of our ecosystems and economy across Ontario,” said the Honourable Donna Cansfield, Ontario Minister of Natural Resources. “We are fortunate to live in a province blessed with an abundant variety of plants, animals, birds, fish and insects, but we need to stop the spread of invasive species if we are to preserve the province’s biodiversity.”

The Great Lakes Forestry Centre is one of six Canadian Forest Service centres in Canada. The Government of Canada’s investments in the new centre and the forestry lab upgrades are part of Canada’s Economic Action Plan, which provides $250 million over the next two years to modernize federal laboratories. This funding, one of several job-creation investments of the Economic Action Plan, will modernize these facilities while stimulating regional economies.

For More Information

Jocelyne Turner, Press Secretary, Office of the Minister, Natural Resources Canada, 613-996-2007
or
Media Relations, Natural Resources Canada, Ottawa, 613-992-4447

Stefanie Millon, Office of the Minister, Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources, 416-314-2198

Media Desk, Communications Services Branch, 416-314-2106

General Enquiries

Natural Resources Information Centre
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