April 6, 2009
Twenty-five organizations
representing thousands of citizens from Alberta, Saskatchewan, and Manitoba
recently released a vision for water in the Prairie
Water Directive. The release of the
report coincided with World Water Day on March 22, whose theme this year is
sharing water across borders and outlines recommendations for water security by
2050. The report conducted an assessment of each of the three Prairie Provinces
and the federal government in a number of different areas.
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The Calgary
Regional Partnership (CRP) draft land-use plan could have long-term
ramifications for source water protection in the City of Calgary and across its
surrounding region. The draft plan could
represent a sea change in land-use direction for the Calgary area. But it will
only be achieved if CRP members can commit to a clear planning structure with
clear targets and measures for performance.
Through March and the
beginning of April the Calgary Regional Partnership (CRP) has toured its draft
plan in a series of open houses and a public comment period. Ultimately, the
plan will become part of the South Saskatchewan Regional Plan under Alberta's
Land-use Framework (LUF).
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A national survey released in March suggests the
vast majority of Albertans is very concerned about freshwater supply but is
still not fully informed about water use.
The study conducted by Ipsos Reid for Unilever and
the Royal Bank of Canada included a sample of 2,165 adult Canadians from the
general population across Canada. The results are considered accurate to within
± 2.2 per cent 19 times out of 20 if the entire adult population in Canada had
been polled.
According to the national survey, Canadians are as
concerned about the long-term supply and quality of Canada's freshwater as they
are about the stability of global financial markets. Only the availability of
adequate health care ranked higher as a concern by Canadians.
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Environmental protection is being eroded in
Canada — as are our rights to public input and transparent decision making.
On March 12th the Canadian Senate passed
amendments to the Navigable Waters
Protection Act (NWPA) that is expected to limit protection of rivers and
streams nationwide. The amendments will provide significant discretion to the
federal Minister of Transportation to redefine which types of projects (e.g.,
small dams) and which classes of water bodies (e.g., small creeks) will be
exempt from the NWPA approval process. These exemptions will effectively remove
the opportunity for public input and environmental assessment for these types
of projects and, thereby, significantly undermine public oversight for a number
of development proposals that will affect waterways.
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Roxanne Walsh did not move to Turner Valley to be a water advocate. But moving to Turner
Valley has made her one. A dedicated and articulate citizen, Roxanne has worked to protect the town's drinking water from the legacy of early oil and gas production.
When Roxanne moved to Turner Valley in 1998, she
wanted a place to settle and cultivate a deep connection with her community.
But two events sparked Roxanne's concern about her drinking water. In 2001, two nurses from the Black Diamond Hospital raised concerns about the high multiple sclerosis rate and about the
high incidence of neurological disorders and brain cancers in the area. Later, in September 2004, Turner Valley's mayor asked residents to urge the minister to clean up the old gas plant.
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