News Release • Communiqué

Office of the Premier, Minister of Research and Innovation
Bureau du premier ministre, Ministre de la Recherche et de l’Innovation

For Immediate Release
July 11, 2007

MCGUINTY GOVERNMENT SUPPORTING A GREENER ENVIRONMENT

Better Water And Air Quality Means A Healthier Ontario

PETERBOROUGH – The McGuinty government is helping to protect our environment by supporting two green research initiatives at Trent University, announced Minister of the Environment Laurel Broten on behalf of Premier and Minister of Research and Innovation Dalton McGuinty.

“These projects will help us better understand the effects that global warming, deforestation and urbanization have on our water, air and land,” said Broten. “By enabling this kind of world-class research to be done right here in Ontario, we’re doing our part to promote new breakthroughs that will lead to a cleaner, greener and healthier province.”

The government is providing more than $2.5 million to support the two projects:

• $1.29 million to create the state-of-the-art Microenvironment Laboratory, which will use cutting-edge technology to develop more effective environmental management plans related to energy development, water protection, transportation and community health
• $1.26 million to upgrade and expand the Worsfold Water Quality Centre, so that researchers can better identify threats to water resources and provide more sustainable environmental processes for industry and communities.

“These new funds strengthen Canada’s ability to better understand the impacts of chemical contaminants and climate change,” said Trent University president and vice-chancellor Bonnie Patterson. “Many Trent faculty and students will gain opportunities to significantly advance their environmental and life science research in new state-of-the-art facilities.”

“We are on the side of Ontarians who want a prosperous economy and a clean environment,” said Premier McGuinty. “These projects are helping Ontario become a leader in environmental protection and driving the new knowledge-based economy that is based on creative, forward-thinking ideas, leading-edge research and new technologies. We’re making Ontario the place where our homegrown ideas become the high-value jobs of the future.”

All Ontarians have a role to play in making our province greener. The government has already taken action by protecting a greenbelt that stretches across southern Ontario from development, introducing tough new laws that protect our drinking water, producing more renewable energy and doing more to conserve electricity. But we know more needs to be done. That's why our next step will be the announcement of a climate change plan – a step that will help all Ontarians do their part to make our province cleaner and greener while keeping the economy strong.

For more information about the Ontario Research Fund, please visit www.ontario.ca/innovation.

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For more information:
Premier’s Media Office
416-314-8975
www.premier.gov.on.ca
www.ontario.ca/innovation