Great Lakes Forestry Centre (Sault Ste. Marie)
Project: Great Lakes Forestry Centre – Invasive Species Centre (Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario)
Department: NRCAN-RNCAN
Location: Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario
Name and function of Laboratory/Facility: Invasive Species Centre
Natural Resources Canada’s Great Lakes Forestry Centre (GLFC) in Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario, is one of five laboratories of the Canadian Forest Service (CFS) dedicated to supporting the sustainable development of Canada's forests and a competitive forest sector. The Great Lakes Forestry Centre specializes in biological research related to trees and forest ecosystems including the area of invasive alien species (insects). A new investment of $9,000,000 over two years will establish an Invasive Species Centre (ISC) at the Centre in partnership with the Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources. This facility would support federal regulatory activities for invasive species and increase the federal profile. The Government of Ontario has announced plans to invest $15,000,000 in the ISC and this project will create new partnerships between NRCan’s Canadian Forest Service (NRCan-CFS) and the Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources.
The federal infrastructure investment would create a multi-agency facility serving as a national centre for the rearing of invasive alien insects, scientific research and public communications related to invasive species.
| 2009-10 | 2010-11 | TOTAL |
|---|---|---|
| $3,100,000 | $5,900,000 | $9,000,000 |
Project description
The existing Great Lakes Forestry Centre (GLFC) insect quarantine facility and insect rearing facility will be upgraded to meet the requirements of an Invasive Species Centre (ISC). GLFC Building A, which is currently underutilized, would be renovated to contain state-of-the-art research laboratories and office space, and would include access for disabled people and upgrades to the heating system to improve energy efficiency. Jobs created by the delivery of this program will be in the construction sector and in supporting services and industries. Direct jobs are created in the construction sector, from construction workers to experts in advanced building retrofits and energy efficiency; indirect jobs are created in industries serving the construction material supply chain, from resource extraction to manufacturing. The Ontario investment would be used for office upgrades, equipment purchases and hiring staff for the ISC.
Prepared by: Geoff Munro, Chief Scientist and Associate Deputy Minister, Innovation and Energy Technology Sector, 613-947-1435 and Dr. Richard Tobin, Associate Deputy Minister, Corporate Management and Services Sector (613) 995-4252 with the Canadian Forest Service
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