Long-awaited federal money for an Invasive Species Centre in Sault Ste. Marie has finally arrived.
Federal Natural Resources Minister Lisa Raitt delivered a $13.4 million cheque to the Great Lakes Forestry Centre (GLFC), July 21, to establish a research wing to combat alien marine and plant invasive species in Canada.
At a press conference in the Sault it was announced the money will be spread out over two years with $4.4 million specifically earmarked to modernize a waterfront building at the GLFC campus.
The centre's role will be to study and combat alien invasive species that threaten Canada's naturally growing plants, wild and marine life, and ecosystems.
This money comes well after the Ontario government set aside $15 million for the centre in its 2008 budget.
It is unclear how many research jobs will be created or what Algoma University's role will be. The university is establishing an Invasive Species Research Institute on the campus and plans to build a new biosciences and technology convergence centre with a $16 million investment from two joint federal-provincial infrastructure programs. The university predicts a minimum of 106 knowledge-based jobs will be created on campus within five years.
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