Five Ottawa researchers will receive funds to investigate alternative clean technologies for applications ranging from natural pest control to mine waste management, the Ontario government announced in a release Thursday.

The provincial government's $5-million investment – part of the $3-billion Ontario Research Fund – is touted to not only reduce the cost of environmental damage, but also create jobs in the 'clean-tech' sector.

The Ottawa researchers receiving funding are:

• Glenn Milne, University of Ottawa, $130,000. He will examine how climate change is affecting coastlines and landforms, with an eye to advising environmental engineers in Ontario's north on where to build in the future.

• Charles Darveau, University of Ottawa, $102,014. Pollinating insects such as bees have been rapidly declining lately. Mr. Darveau, by examining how these insects adapt in a changing environment, will attempt to help them survive climate change and other threats to their well-being.

• Julian Starr, University of Ottawa, $89,683. He will examine the DNA of sedges – a plant that is important economically in Ontario because it dominates the landscape. His aim is to catalogue its difference from other plants with an aim to keeping the species vibrant.

• Susan Bertram, Carleton University, $85,000. Agriculture in Ontario is under threat from grasshoppers and other pests, which cost millions of dollars a year to combat. Ms. Bertram will investigate how the environment affects the survival of crop pests, with an aim to creating bio-friendly control pest controls.

• Paul Simms, Carleton University, $50,634. Since tailings and other mine waste can deaden the area around the excavation, Mr. Simms is looking at new ways to manage waste and create eco-friendly cleanup technologies.