In Alternative Federal Budget 2015: Delivering the Good, the Council of Canadians calls for $4.2 billion and the implementation of a national water policy in order to combat the hundreds of drinking water advisories in effect.
Last week, the Council of Canadians released On Notice for a Drinking Water Crisis that drew attention to the thousands of people in Canadian and Indigenous communities who are not able to drink their tap water. There were 1838 advisories in effect in January in Canada.
“The Alternative Federal Budget calls for substantial changes to the way water and wastewater management is funded now. The federal government needs to fill the gap on funding to begin reducing the number of communities under drinking water advisories,” says Emma Lui, Water Campaigner for the Council of Canadians.
“Canada needs national enforceable drinking water standards and funding for reliable water and wastewater infrastructure. These are concrete steps that the federal government can take to ensure the human right to water and sanitation of Indigenous peoples and Canadians is met,” adds Lui.
The Alternative Federal Budget is calling for an annual investment of $4.2 billion in water and wastewater infrastructure for municipalities and First Nations, including targeted funding for small municipalities. The report On Notice details some of the longstanding water advisories in First Nation communities such as Shoal Lake No. 40, under a water advisory for over 17 years, and Kitigan Zibi, under a do not consume advisory for over 15 years. Many of the drinking water advisories were also in rural areas and small towns.
“The Harper government has been progressively cutting back on freshwater protection by gutting legislation, slashing water programs and stifling research. Meanwhile it is promoting tar sands, pipeline, fracking and other projects that threaten drinking water,” warns Maude Barlow, national chairperson for the Council of Canadians. “The federal government is setting the country up for a freshwater crisis if it doesn’t reinstate funding, freshwater protections and research programs.”
The Alternative Federal Budget points to the overhaul of the Fisheries Act, the delisting of 99% of lakes and rivers under the Navigation Waters Protection Act, and the changes to the Canadian Environmental Assessment Act that cancelled 3000 environmental assessments. Fracking and pipeline projects like Energy East are listed as examples of risks to drinking water.
The Alternative Federal Budget funding for water protection:
- Water and wastewater infrastructure: $4.2 billion annually
- Environmental impact research on tar sands, fracking and mining projects: $129 million in first year, $16 million annually thereafter
- Protection of Great Lakes and freshwater supply: $613 million in first year, $1.06 billion annually thereafter
The Alternative Federal Budget is prepared by the Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives. The water chapter can be found here.
This week is the Canadian Water Week. This, Sunday, March 22nd is World Water Day.
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