Initiatives

We Had a Vision. Now We’re Building It, Together

The Centre for Climate and Lake Learning is becoming real. This is where YOU come in…

It began with a need

At IISD Experimental Lakes Area, we’ve always known that protecting fresh water takes more than research. It takes connection.

 

Connection between students and scientists, between Indigenous Knowledge and Western science, and between the people and the lakes on which we all depend.

 

But for too long, our campus has lacked the space to truly bring those connections to life.

 

That’s why we imagined something new: a place where the next generation of freshwater stewards could learn, collaborate, and grow. A place designed for science, stories, and solutions.

From vision to momentum

 

What began as a bold vision to create Canada’s first Centre for Climate and Lake Learning is now becoming a reality at the world’s freshwater laboratory.

 

Thanks to generous support from donors like you, that vision is becoming real.

  • We have broken ground!
  • The building is now officially under construction…

 

Because of you, we’ve laid the groundwork. Now it’s time to bring this Centre to life.

What your gift will help complete

This is part of a $20 million campaign to renew and expand the IISD-ELA field station for the future.

 

Your gift today will help:

  • complete the 10,000-square-foot Centre for Climate and Lake Learning;
  • build new lodging to welcome more scientists, students, and educators;
  • install a solar energy system to reduce our diesel usage by 80%; and
  • equip the Centre with the furnishings, tools, and technology it needs to thrive.

 

Why this matters now

Picture a student collecting water samples for the first time. Later that day, they gather in the new Centre with scientists and peers, sharing ideas, asking questions, and discovering how they can shape the future of fresh water.

That’s what we’re building: not just a facility, but a living, learning space where relationships, reflection, and real impact can flourish.

This Centre will be a home for:

  • students learning by doing,
  • scientists working together across disciplines,
  • Elders and Knowledge Keepers sharing vital wisdom, and
  • conversations that lead to lasting change.

 

It’s more than a building. It’s a place where the future takes shape.

 
Be part of this moment

We’ve come a long way, but we can’t finish without you.

Your gift today won’t just help build a Centre. It will create a legacy: one that serves students, science, and sustainability for generations to come.

Help us build what comes next.

Donate Now

Learn More

If you would like more information or have any questions, please reach out to Hammad Babatunde at [email protected].

 

To donate by cheque, make the cheque payable to IISD Experimental Lakes Area (with the memo notation “IISD-ELA Endowment Fund”) and mail to: Attn: Philanthropy; IISD Experimental Lakes Area; 325-111 Lombard Avenue; Winnipeg, MB; R3B 0T4

 

If you’d like IISD-ELA’s securities transfer form, e-transfer details, or to make a credit card gift over the phone, please contact Hammad Babatunde at [email protected].

 

Note that our CRA Registered Charity Number is 850309576RR0001.