The ELA has been saved (?)

Last May the Canadian federal government axed funding for the Experimental Lakes Area, a world-renowned long-term research facility for aquatic ecology. It now appears that the ELA has been reprieved, or at least has a good shot at being reprieved. As described in this press release and this detail-light article (and that’s all I have to go on–anyone know of independent confirmation?), a charitable organization called the International Institute for Sustainable Development has stepped in and seems on the verge of working out a deal with the Ontario provincial government to take over ELA operations, with the Ontario government providing some sort of financial support.

Obviously, lots of questions remain. And no, the fact that someone else has stepped in doesn’t justify the federal government’s decision to axe funding for ELA. But given that federal funding was axed, it’s surely good news that someone is close to stepping in to keep the ELA going in some form.