CORNWALL, Ontario – The St. Lawrence River Institute had a major announcement on Thursday morning that could change the way we understand the river that our community depends on.
The River Institute has received a $75, 000 Seed grant from the Ontario Trillium Fund.
The money will be used to equip a new fish health assessment laboratory at the River Institute.
The goal of the laboratory will be to evaluate the overall health of the species of fish in the river and the impacts that contaminants are having on their ecosystem.
Dr. Jeff Ridal stated that this Trillium funding is just the first step and that if they can show the value of this research, that the River Institute hopes to expand the project through Growth funding.
“The Fish Health Assessment Laboratory will provide the tools needed to develop our ability to link fish health issues to environmental change,” he said. “It also allows us to increase of capacity to provide lab services for in-house programs and provide services to others.”
Stormont, Dundas and South Glengarry MPP Jim McDonell was on hand for the Trillium announcement.
“When I look back over the years, we wouldn’t be able to have all of these great programs in the area without the Institute,” he said.
