From the Environment Canada website:
The water quality of Lake Winnipeg has been negatively impacted by excessive amounts of nutrients from both urban and rural sources. Lake Winnipeg is fed by a vast basin covering approximately one million square kilometres extending over four provinces and four states. More than half of the nutrients reaching Lake Winnipeg originate outside Manitoba's borders. Recent estimates indicate that 53% of the total phosphorus and 51 % of the total nitrogen to Lake Winnipeg is coming from upstream jurisdictions. Phase II (2012-2017) of the Lake Winnipeg Basin Initiative has committed $7.4 million to continue its support of the Lake Winnipeg Basin Stewardship Fund (LWBSF) (herein called the Fund).
The Fund provides financial and technical support to implement high-impact solution-oriented projects aimed at reducing nutrient loads, and improving the ecological sustainability of the lake and watershed. Environment Canada administers the Fund with support from a Technical Review committee and a Public Advisory Committee.
Projects involving 'tried and proven' activities as well as projects demonstrating innovative techniques, technologies and measures to reduce nutrient inputs into Lake Winnipeg are good candidates for this funding. The Fund also supports activities that contribute to a better understanding of current conditions and track improvements in environmental quality within Lake Winnipeg and its watershed.