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Laurentian project to address greenhouse gas emissions gets $1.6M boost from NSERC and OCE

Laurentian project to address greenhouse gas emissions gets $1.6M boost from NSERC and OCE

Laurentian University will receive $1.6M from the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC) and the government of Ontario through the TargetGHG program administered by Ontario Centres of Excellence (OCE) in support of research aimed at tackling the problem of greenhouse gas emissions.

The Landscape Carbon Accumulation through Reductions in Emissions (L-CARE) project will examine how best to manage reclamation as part of a carbon sequestration strategy in relation to extensive hard-rock mining, looking at an assortment of treatment and management strategies across three main ecosystem types: upland, wetland, and aquatic.

“Laurentian has gained national recognition for its excellence in research and innovation particularity as a leader in transforming industrially-impacted environments,” said Dr. Rui Wang, Vice President, Research at Laurentian. “The investment we received today will help address critical issues to further improve carbon emissions reduction.”

Through the TargetGHG program, NSERC and OCE are partnering to support industry and academic collaborations that address Ontario carbon emissions reduction targets while creating economic benefits, and each will contribute $798K to this project.  The L-CARE project is also supported by research partners Vale Canada Limited, Glencore’s Sudbury Integrated Nickel Operations (Sudbury INO), and the City of Greater Sudbury, who are frequent collaborators on regional landscape reclamation efforts.

“Greater Sudbury’s Regreening Program has been and continues to be a global leader,” says Nathan Basiliko, Canadian Research Chair in Environmental Microbiology and co-lead of the L-CARE research project. “This research brings together industrial, community, and government stakeholders to transform an industrially-impacted landscape into biodiverse and well-functioning ecosystems. We are excited to look retrospectively at how these past and ongoing reclamation efforts have led to active carbon sequestration, and to test new protocols to maximize carbon storage while still meeting the other important ongoing goals of reclamation.”

Since the 1970s, after massive investments in reducing sulfur and metal emissions from the smelters began, more than 8,000 hectares of Greater Sudbury’s landscape have been treated with crushed limestone and over 10 million tree seedlings have been replanted. However, over 30,000 hectares remain unrestored. A team of Laurentian University researchers led by Nathan Basiliko and John Gunn, along with Nadia Mykytczuk, Peter Beckett, and Graeme Spiers, will soon be investigating how best to manage reclamation as part of a carbon sequestration strategy in relation to extensive hard rock mining.

“Environmental sustainability is one of our greatest challenges, both now and in the future,” says Glenn Thibeault, Member of Provincial Parliament for Sudbury and Ontario Minister of Energy. “Supporting the TargetGHG program delivered by OCE is a clear demonstration of Ontario’s commitment to cleantech research and innovation and we applaud today’s announcement.”

The team of researchers at Laurentian and its five partner institutions—McMaster University, Trent University, Queen’s University, Université de Sherbrooke, and Université du Québec à Montréal, and collaborators from Cambridge University, Cornell University, The Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry, and the Canadian Forest Service—will examine an assortment of treatment and management strategies across three main ecosystem types. They will also perform trials on mine tailings management areas, working closely with the industry partners such as Vale and Glencore Sudbury INO.

“Taking steps to reduce the impacts of greenhouse gases and air pollution on our climate and environment is a key priority in Canada,” says Dr. Marc Fortin, Vice-President, Research Partnerships, NSERC. “NSERC is proud to partner with Ontario Centres of Excellence to connect Canada’s top researchers and companies to develop innovative clean technologies that will advance environmental sustainability in Canada and improve the health and quality of life of Canadians.”

Current rough estimates place the carbon storage potential of local smelter-impacted barren and semi-barren lands high enough to balance ten years of carbon emissions by the industry partners at current levels. Additionally, development of new protocols could be used in reclamation efforts in other, similarly impacted areas of mining and industrial disturbance around the world.  

 

ABOUT LAURENTIAN UNIVERSITY

Laurentian University, located on the traditional territory of the Atikameksheng Anishnawbek First Nation, is committed to strengthening the foundation of knowledge in higher education and research in order to offer an outstanding university experience in English and French with a comprehensive approach to Indigenous education. Together with its federated partners, Laurentian University prepares leaders who bring innovative and intelligent solutions to local and global issues.

CROSH researchers at Laurentian University receive three grants from the government of Ontario

CROSH researchers at Laurentian University receive three grants from the government of Ontario

January 16, 2017 - Laurentian University’s Centre for Research in Occupational Safety and Health (CROSH) will receive more than $300,000 in new research funding from the Ontario government. Ontario’s Minister of Energy and Sudbury MPP Glenn Thibeault made the announcement at the CROSH lab today in the presence of Laurentian University’s Interim President and Vice-Chancellor Pierre Zundel.

Ontario is awarding a total of $310K to support innovative research projects and top talent. The funding will assist CROSH researchers as they carry out three projects aimed at addressing mobile equipment hazards, advancing Indigenous occupational health and safety in Northern Ontario, and improving safety for people who work around heavy equipment.

 

The awards include:

  • 182K through the MOL Occupational Health and Safety Prevention Innovation Program to support the project: Development of Knowledge Transfer Kits to Address Mobile Equipment Hazards.
    Project lead: Dr. Tammy Eger
    Project Aims: To develop three Knowledge Transfer Kits to address the following hazards related to the operation of mobile equipment: 1) Line-of-sight and situational awareness, 2) Exposure to vibration, and 3) Fatigue and musculoskeletal disorders. The KTKs are designed to be used by occupational health and safety trainers in the workplace.
     
  • 68K through the MOL Research Opportunities Program: Research for the Workplace to support the project: Mino-nokiiwin: Advancing an Understanding of Indigenous Occupational Health and Safety in Northeastern Ontario
    Project leads: Dr. Nancy Lightfoot and Dr. Darrel Manitowabi
    Project Aims: In the Ojibwa language, mino-nokiiwin refers to a good working environment. This project will identify factors that compromise and contribute to mino-nokiiwin in Indigenous communities.
     
  • 59K through the MOL Research Opportunities Program: Evidence for Practice to support the project: Improving line of sight knowledge for pedestrians working around heavy equipment
    Project lead: Dr. Alison Godwin
    Project Aims: To develop and test a line-of-sight virtual reality intervention aimed at improving line-of-sight awareness and knowledge for workers who move around heavy equipment on a daily basis at work.

 

These research projects were evaluated through a rigorous peer review process involving academic and industry experts and were chosen based on their research excellence and societal benefits for Ontarians. They build on the innovative research already underway at CROSH and foster new discoveries to support best practice in the workplace.

Minister Thibeault agrees and says: “Addressing high hazards associated with the operation of mobile equipment was a priority identified in the 2015 Mining Health Safety and Prevention review.  Furthermore addressing indigenous workplace issues will begin a conversation about what is needed to improve occupational health and safety of Indigenous peoples in the workplace.”

CROSH Research Chair Tammy Eger and Director Sandra Dorman believe that these funds will help drive the development and implementation of the Centre’s research and innovation strategy. They also underscore the province’s commitment to the long term sustainability of the only Occupational Health and Safety Research Centre addressing the specific research needs of northern Ontario.

 

About Laurentian University

Laurentian University offers an outstanding university experience in English and French, with a comprehensive approach to Indigenous education.  Laurentian University, situated on the traditional territory of the Anishinabe peoples of Atikameksheng First Nation, prepares students as agents of change and empowers them to create innovative responses to local and global challenges. Laurentian’s students benefit from small class sizes and exceptional post-graduation employment rates.  With nine Canada Research Chairs and eighteen research centres, Laurentian is a recognized leader in its specialized areas of research strength, which include mining innovation and exploration, stressed watershed systems, particle astrophysics, rural and northern children’s health, and occupational health and safety.