The Canadian Press: Canada's commitment to Arctic research in doubt, says prominent scientist

The Canadian Press: Canada's commitment to Arctic research in doubt, says prominent scientist

OTTAWA — Just one day after the federal government saved an Arctic climate change research program from the brink of death, another is knocking on the door looking for salvation.

Louis Fortier, a University of Laval biologist, is the head of ArcticNet, a consortium of Canadian Arctic climate science researchers, Inuit, and all levels of government which study the effects of climate change in the Arctic.

As of next March 31, the 15-year-old program will die unless Ottawa bails it out.

ArcticNet's annual budget is $9.6 million. Fortier said there is a competition he can apply to through the Network Centres of Excellence program, which the government is continuing, but that process won't come through with funding until at least 2019 and there is only $9 million a year available for all networks, which is less than what ArcticNet alone needs, he said.

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