Prepas, Ellie

Ellie E. Prepas, Professor Emeritus of Natural Resource Management at Lakehead University, author and activist was born in Hamilton, Ontario and received her Bachelor of Mathematics degree from the University of Waterloo, her Master of Environmental Studies from York University in 1974 and her Doctorate from the University of Toronto in 1980. She was a prominent member of the Waffle movement in Canada.
Prepas joined the Waffle movement within the New Democratic Party (NDP) as a graduate student in 1971. The Waffle was a Canadian national socialist party that opposed American and foreign ownership of Canadian resources and industries. As a Waffler, Prepas participated in protests that included the Mackenzie Valley pipeline project and the Canada-US Auto Pact. Prepas was also a prominent member of the women’s group within the Waffle, advocating for women in the workforce and changes to the Criminal Code on the issue of abortion. During the 1972 Canadian Federal Election, Prepas was successfully nominated as the NDP candidate for the riding of Trinity-Spadina but resigned her candidacy prior to the election date due to the expulsion of the Waffle from the NDP.
Prepas’ early research centred on limnology, the study of fresh or saline waters within continental boundaries, which later expanded to studies of watershed disturbance and climate factors and their impact on surface water quality and biota. She taught at McGill University, the University of Alberta and Lakehead University. During her tenure at Lakehead University, she was awarded the Canada Research Chair by the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada in 2001 and received it again in 2008. Prepas was involved with the Forest Watershed and Riparian Disturbance Project (FORWARD I to III) from 2001 to 2016.

2023/05/16 K. Cheung. Creation.
2023/05/24 K. Cheung. Revised biographical sketch.