Manitoba’s marine research facility celebrates one year of research

Graduate students collecting ice cores as part of a research project at the Churchill Marine Observatory in Churchill, Man. (Jocelyn Plouffe)

A multidisciplinary research facility in Churchill focused on advancing knowledge in Arctic science is nearing its one-year anniversary, with the hope of answering “complex questions with complex, socioeconomic implications.”

Dr. Feiyue Wang, project lead at the University of Manitoba’s Churchill Marine Observatory (CMO) and professor at the university’s Clayton H. Riddell Faculty of Environment, Earth, and Resources, said the CMO’s opening “really put Manitoba on a map of marine research.”

The roughly $45 million facility officially opened on Aug. 27, 2024, and permits a range of studies, according to Wang, allowing seawater from the Hudson Bay and the mouth of the Churchill River to be drawn into the facility.

“This kind of arrangement allows us to do experimental studies, to study different scenarios as the Hudson Bay environment areas are going through rapid change, so we could actually test the different scenarios and start to gain the knowledge to prepare the region,” he said.

Wang, who was initially trained in aquatic chemistry, said the CMO is equipped to look at studies such as risk reduction and mitigation, including how to better respond to oil spills in the region. He said the CMO also allows for studies on freshwater and how it impacts the marine ecosystem in the Hudson Bay.

Along with the main facility, Wang said strings moulded to the bottom of the Churchill River and Hudson Bay feature many sensors—allowing researchers to monitor physical and biological properties of the water. A research vessel, the William Kennedy, also provides mobility for sampling and monitoring.

Though Wang said most projects are still ongoing, he said the CMO supported three major research projects from November 2024 to February 2025. One of these projects included studying the initial stages of thin ice formation in collaboration with researchers from Denmark.

Wang said another study started last year looked at whether natural microorganisms are capable of degrading oil in ice-covered waters in the event of an oil spill. He said data from the study, led by his colleague, is being interpreted and a continuation of the study is planned for this winter.

Looking ahead, Wang also hopes to see more participation from Indigenous researchers and from community members, adding that the facility’s full-time technician is from the northern town.

“Folks who live there, who call that region home, are the ones who are going to be more invested in it. So, we really want to see the participation and the direct involvement of folks from the community,” he said.

“We’ve already incorporated (that) to some extent, but I’d like to see that really become more prominent in the overall research direction of the (CMO).”