07/10/2012 - The Canadian Cooperative Wildlife Health Centre at the University of Saskatchewan is set to receive Provincial funding with a research grant of up to $170,000 in the area of Chronic Wasting Disease research. According to Environment Minister, Ken Cheveldayoff, the research gives us a better understanding of how the disease spreads and the effect it has on big game populations. He further adds that the information assists in developing effective policies and future regulations to minimize the rate of transmission. The ministry has delivered a CWD program to manage the disease in wild deer and elk since 1997. Since then 47,580 samples have been tested, of which 350 have been positive.