Researchers working at one of 58 lakes in the Experimental Lakes Area in northern Ontario.

Only three days remain to finalize the interim agreement to find a new operator for the Experimental Lakes Area laboratory in northern Ontario, but the province’s resource minister is “optimistic” things will work out.

“We are optimistic that we’ll have some positive news very shortly,” said Natural Resources Minister David Orazietti Thursday.

It’s possible all parties may agree to an interim continuation of the already interim agreement if no permanent arrangement can be found, he said, but currently the Liberals don’t believe more time will be necessary to strike a deal. “We may need to, but right now we are focused on meeting those timelines so those experiments can continue,” he said.

The interim agreement signed on Sept. 2, 2013 set a deadline of March 31, 2014 for all parties to sign a new operating framework…