Lake Winnipeg Basin Program

The Government of Canada is taking action to improve the ecological health of Lake Winnipeg and its basin. Lake Winnipeg is experiencing large and frequent algal blooms due to high nutrient levels from multiple transboundary sources, including agriculture, industry, municipal wastewater and surface runoff.

In order to address freshwater issues in the basin, the Government of Canada launched the Lake Winnipeg Basin Initiative (2008-2012) with an investment of $17.7 million in funding, followed by an investment of $18 million (2012-2017).

Budget 2017 confirmed the Government of Canada’s commitment to addressing freshwater issues through an investment of $25.7 million and the launch of Environment and Climate Change Canada’s (ECCC) Lake Winnipeg Basin Program (2017-2022). The Lake Winnipeg Basin Program (LWBP) is taking action to reduce excessive nutrients – such as phosphorus – from entering the lake, is enhancing collaboration throughout the basin and is supporting the engagement of Indigenous Peoples on freshwater issues.

The LWBP advances ECCC research to better understand:

- Nutrient loading in agricultural streams;
- The response in Lake Winnipeg to nutrient reduction action in the basin;
- The impact of climate variability on nutrient loading;
- The impact of zebra mussels on nutrient cycling and the food web.

The LWBP also provides financial support through an application-based funding program for targeted, outcome-focused action, in the following three key freshwater priority areas:

- **Nutrient reduction:** support for targeted stakeholder delivered projects in the Lake Winnipeg Basin, in key geographic areas, that demonstrate an effective means to reduce phosphorus loading and increase public knowledge and engagement
- **Collaborative governance:** encourage and strengthen collaborative efforts to reduce nutrients throughout the Lake Winnipeg Basin
- **Indigenous engagement:** enhance opportunities, capacity and the engagement of Indigenous governments, organizations and communities on Lake Winnipeg Basin nutrient issues

加拿大政府致力于改善温尼伯湖及其流域的生态环境健康。温尼伯湖正遭受因跨境来源（包括农业、工业、市政污水和地表径流）导致的营养水平升高，从而引发大规模且频繁的藻华现象。

为解决流域内的淡水问题，加拿大政府启动了温尼伯湖流域倡议（2008-2012年），投入了1770万加元的资金，随后在2012-2017年间再次投入了1800万加元。

2017年预算确认了加拿大政府通过投入2570万加元和启动加拿大环境与气候变化部（ECCC）的温尼伯湖流域计划（2017-2022年）来解决淡水问题的承诺。该计划旨在减少过量营养素——如磷——进入湖泊，加强流域内的合作，并支持原住民在淡水问题上的参与。

温尼伯湖流域计划（LWBP）推进了ECCC的研究，以更好地理解以下内容：

- 农业溪流中的营养素负荷；
- 温尼伯湖对流域内营养素减少行动的响应；
- 气候变异性对营养素负荷的影响；
- 银色贻贝对营养循环和食物网的影响。

LWBP还通过基于申请的资金支持计划，为以下三个关键淡水优先领域提供财务支持：

- **营养素减少：** 支持在温尼伯湖流域的关键地理区域内，由目标利益相关方实施的、证明有效减少磷负荷并提升公众认知和参与的项目；
- **协同治理：** 鼓励并加强在整个温尼伯湖流域减少营养素的协作努力；
- **原住民参与：** 提升原住民政府、组织和社会在温尼伯湖流域营养素问题上的机会、能力及参与度。