The Cooperative Freshwater Ecology Unit (CFEU or Co-op Unit) is a highly successful partnership of academic and government scientists who collaborate on projects with industry and municipal partners.  It was created in 1989 to share resources and create closer, more effective working relationships between government, industry and universities to effectively address important, applied, environmental research questions.

Since its inception the Co-op Unit has become an internationally renowned research and monitoring group studying the impact of human activities on the lakes, streams and wetlands in Northern Ontario environments and the effects of restoration and remediation techniques.

The lead partners are Laurentian University, the Ministry of the Environment (MOE), the Ministry of Natural Resources (MNR), Vale Inco, Xstrata Nickel, the City of Greater Sudbury and Environment Canada.  Human Resources Skills Development Canada (HRSDC), Department of Fisheries and Oceans (DFO), FedNor and Ministry of Northern Development and Mines (MNDM) have all provided funds to assist in staffing for the field research, monitoring, and data management work of the unit.