River Institute Receives $100K Research Grant
The RBC Blue Water Project has awarded a Leadership Grant of $100,000 to the St. Lawrence River Institute of Environmental Sciences for a project entitled: "Beach Health: E. coli and Effective Management Practices at St. Lawrence River Beaches."
The two-year grant from the RBC Blue Water Project will enable the River Institute to work together with the Eastern Ontario Health Unit, the St. Lawrence Parks Commission, and the Raisin Region Conservation Authority to determine the causes of microbial contamination at selected beaches in the Cornwall region. Forecasting methods will be developed to predict when contamination events are likely. Ultimately, the project aims to reduce the beach posting rates and improve the socio-economic status of beaches in riverfront communities.
"We are excited about the implications of this project," said Dr. Jeff Ridal, Executive Director of the St. Lawrence River Institute. "This RBC Leadership Grant will help us develop innovative solutions that will make a positive impact on water quality at local beaches, and will give us tools to share with other communities."
The RBC Blue Water Project is a 10-year, $50 million philanthropic commitment to support charitable organizations that are committed to watershed protection and providing access to clean drinking water. Since 2007, RBC has committed more than $20.48 million in single and multi-year grants to more than 200 organizations worldwide.
"We are pleased to award an RBC Blue Water Project Leadership Grant to the St. Lawrence River Institute of Environmental Sciences and celebrate what they are doing to improve beaches in our community," said Mike Haley, RBC Regional Vice President, Eastern Ontario. "Working together with our communities, our goal is to create a blue water future, where everyone understands the value and vulnerability offreshwater:the world's most precious natural resource."
RBC has a longstanding commitment to environmental sustainability. Water has become an integral part of that commitment, as it is fundamental to the sustainability of all life on the planet.
About the St. Lawrence River Institute of Environmental Sciences
The River Institute was established in 1994 as a unique community partnership involving government, education, business and industry, and the Mohawks of Akwesasne. Its mandate is environmental research and education with a focus on the Great Lakes / St. Lawrence River ecosystem. It has earned an international reputation for its fresh water ecosystem research projects.
You can learne more on about the Institute on their website: