May 7, 2008
LAKE WINNIPEG SOUTH BASIN LEADERS JOIN PROVINCE IN NEW CAMPAIGN TO BOOST HEALTH OF WORLD'S 10TH LARGEST LAKE
A new initiative to promote the use of environmentally friendly products called the Lake Friendly Label Campaign is being launched with $25,000 in provincial support, Water Stewardship Minister Christine Melnick announced today.
“I am pleased to stand beside these visionary municipal leaders from the south basin of Lake Winnipeg who have been working with us to help restore the health of the world’s 10th largest freshwater lake,” said Melnick. “We have made progress with large numbers of Manitobans by bringing in first-in-Canada measures to reduce nutrients going into our lakes and rivers, and now we can help cottagers and those who reside near our lakes to do their part to improve these bodies of water.”
The campaign will focus initially on identifying products offered for sale in local communities that are environmentally “lake friendly.” The initiative is being led by municipal leaders from cities, towns and rural municipalities around the south basin of Lake Winnipeg.
The committee of Lake Winnipeg south basin municipalities includes:
· David Bell, mayor, City of Selkirk;
· Tammy Axelsson, mayor, Gimli;
· Bill McDonald, reeve, Victoria Beach;
· Richard Gamble, mayor, Dunnottar;
· Steve Strang, municipal mayor, St. Clements;
· Don Forfar, reeve, St. Andrews;
· Harold Foster, reeve, Bifrost;
· Don Pepe, mayor, Winnipeg Beach; and
· George Harbottle, reeve, Alexander.
“The citizens living in the municipalities surrounding Lake Winnipeg are most directly affected by the health of this great lake and must lead the cleanup by example,” said Selkirk Mayor David Bell, chair of the committee of municipalities. “Today, we begin this task in partnership with the province.”
Mayors and reeves from the south basin of Lake Winnipeg will work with local schools to design a label for products such as phosphorus-free detergents, lawn fertilizers and other products that are environmentally friendly. Students from schools in the area will have the chance to design the new lake-friendly label. A prize of $1,000 will be split equally between the winning student and his or her school.
The formation of an awareness campaign for lake-friendly products was one of the recommendations of the Lake Winnipeg Stewardship Board’s final report. In all, the board made 135 recommendations to address the health of Lake Winnipeg and the province has completed or taken action on over 95 per cent of the recommendations.
In addition, in the last fiscal year, Manitoba invested over $2 million, and in this fiscal year will invest about $2.9 million, in Lake Winnipeg science including support for a water quality chair at the University of Manitoba, the Lake Winnipeg Research Consortium and the research ship Namao.
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