On March 20 & 21, 2019, the Lake Winnipeg Basin Program (LWBP) Symposium took place in Winnipeg, Manitoba. The symposium provided the opportunity for Environment and Climate Change Canada (ECCC) to:

Share information and findings on scientific work in the Lake Winnipeg Basin; Showcase projects being funded by ECCC that support nutrient reduction efforts in the basin; Highlight transboundary partnerships that support collaborative efforts in the basin; and Network and identify potential collaborative opportunities for individuals and agencies engaged in work addressing nutrients in Lake Winnipeg. ECCC’s activities in the Lake Winnipeg Basin include:

Water quality and quantity monitoring Contributions to inter-jurisdictional organizations and boards on water quality issues Canada-Manitoba Memorandum of Understanding Respecting Lake Winnipeg and the Lake Winnipeg Basin (2010-2020) Lake Winnipeg Basin Program (2017-2022) With approximately 120 people in attendance, the symposium provided guests with an overview of in-lake and landscape-based monitoring and research, information regarding the various activities being supported under the three pillars of LWBP, various examples of nutrient-reducing actions in the basin and an update on transboundary activities, community-based monitoring programs, collaborative efforts and Indigenous led activities.

Moving forward, ECCC’s Lake Winnipeg Basin Program will continue to support actions undertaken by program partners, implement an Adaptive Management Approach to managing nutrients within the basin and work with the Province of Manitoba to develop a formal arrangement to support collaboration as the current Canada-Manitoba Memorandum of Understanding is due to expire in 2020. The LWBP will continue to work with Indigenous Peoples to collect and utilize Traditional Knowledge and plans to provide future opportunities to engage with stakeholders on the ecological health of Lake Winnipeg and its basin.

The 2019 summary report can be found here!