CWWA News
Reaching out to young people can be a challenge, but it certainly is fun. I recently participated in a "Human Library" event with the Ottawa School Board. It was kind of a Career Day meets Mr. Roger’s Neighbourhood. Dozens of community professionals made themselves available to Ottawa high school students to explain what they do and discuss the major issues of that field.
Visit https://www.naylornetwork.com/cww-nwl/articles/index.asp?aid=264300&issueID=37475 to view the full article online.
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CWWA is currently planning the 16th Canadian Conference on Drinking Water, to be held in the National Capital Region from October 26–29, 2014. Taking place at the Hilton Lac Leamy in Gatineau Quebec, this is a fantastic venue for meeting, networking and to enjoy everything the National Capital has to offer.
Visit https://www.naylornetwork.com/cww-nwl/articles/index.asp?aid=264335&issueID=37475 to view the full article online.
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Member News
The Water Environment Federation (WEF) and, the American Biogas Council (ABC) have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) that will help accelerate organics recycling by jointly promoting the value of resource recovery, specifically the use of energy and products produced from biogas systems at wastewater treatment facilities.
Visit https://www.naylornetwork.com/cww-nwl/articles/index.asp?aid=264339&issueID=37475 to view the full article online.
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The 2014 Canadian Water Summit is returning to Toronto on June 18 to put the spotlight on urban water issues. The event will connect water professionals with paths that lead to solving the Canadian urban water puzzle. CWWA is a sponsor and Summit advisor, and are pleased to support this unique Event. In addition CWWA Executive Director Robert Haller will be moderating a session on "How water is changing cities," so be sure to attend.
Visit http://www.watersummit.ca/ to view the full article online.
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March 17–19, 2015, Palais des congrés de Montréal This bi-annual conference will give preference to high-calibre international science and technology presentations dealing with current and major environmental issues for industrialized countries and the developing world. For its 20th anniversary, Americana will be a significantly positive and innovative event! The world is evolving, and we must share innovations to find solutions and encourage common and fruitful thinking!
Visit http://americana.org/Home to view the full article online.
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Federal Initiatives
The Canadian Government is continuing efforts to harmonize our current WHMIS system with international labelling and safety protocols by implementing the Globally Harmonized System for Classification and Labelling of Chemicals (GHS). Bill C-31 begins to lay the groundwork for these changes.
Visit https://www.naylornetwork.com/cww-nwl/articles/index.asp?aid=264353&issueID=37475 to view the full article online.
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Federal Minister of Transport, Lisa Raitt, recently requested the Standing Committee on Transport, Infrastructure and Communities to conduct an in-depth review of the Canadian regime regarding the safe transportation of dangerous goods and the role of safety management systems across all modes of transportation.
Visit https://www.naylornetwork.com/cww-nwl/articles/index.asp?aid=264355&issueID=37475 to view the full article online.
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Provincial News
The Ontario government has posted notice of a new proposed "Living List" Framework, under Ontario’s Toxics Reduction Program, that establishes a process for reviewing and making changes to the lists of substances prescribed under the Toxics Reduction Act (TRA). The aim of the Toxics Reduction Program is to identify ways to make changes or refine processes and technologies to reduce the use and creation of toxics and their release to the environment.
Visit https://www.ebr.gov.on.ca/ERS-WEB-External/displaynoticecontent.do?noticeId=MTIxMzAz&statusId=MTgxNTg1 to view the full article online.
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The federal and provincial governments continue to put legislation in place that will shift responsibility for the Experimental Lakes Area from the jurisdiction of the federal government to the Government of Ontario and ultimately to the International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD) . The federal Department of Fisheries and Oceans has already introduced legislation to allow the deposit of deleterious substances into lakes in the Area, which will allow research to continue. The Ontario Government has introduced two new Regulations to authorize continued scientific experiments in the area.
Visit https://www.naylornetwork.com/cww-nwl/articles/index.asp?aid=264496&issueID=37475 to view the full article online.
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British Columbia’s Minister of Environment, Mary Polak, announced on March 28, 2014 that a roundtable of representatives from communities, industry, labour, First Nations, and the environmental sector has been established to discuss ways to find the right balance between economic development and environmental protection. The roundtable will be chaired by Peace River South MLA Mike Bernier. Meetings will be scheduled every three to four months. The National Roundtable on Environment and Economy was discontinued as part of the 2013 omnibus budget bill, so it’s interesting to see provincial governments creating their own groups.
Visit http://www.newsroom.gov.bc.ca/2014/03/roundtable-on-the-environment-and-the-economy-created.html to view the full article online.
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The Ontario Ministries of the Environment, Natural Resources, Agriculture and Food, and Rural Affairs, announced that they have completed negotiations on the 8th Canada-Ontario Agreement on Great Lakes Water Quality and Ecosystem Health (COA). The COA is the principle mechanism through which Ontario and Canada coordinate their work to address their respective and shared commitments to protect the Great Lakes. COA helps implement Ontario’s Great Lakes Strategy as well as Canada’s commitments under the Canada-United States Great Lakes Water Quality Agreement (GLWQA). The first COA was signed in 1971. While the last agreement, the 2007 COA expired June 24, 2012, Ontario and Canada have continued to work together on implementing Great Lakes priorities.
Visit http://www.ebr.gov.on.ca/ERS-WEB-External/displaynoticecontent.do?noticeId=MTE5NzYx&statusId=MTc5MTcz&language=en to view the full article online.
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Snippings and Clippings
WWF-Canada WWF-Canada released Freshwater Health Assessment results for five new watersheds across Canada, in honour of World Water Day on March 22, 2014.These assessments, along with seven existing ones, help create a clear, consistent understanding of Canada’s national water health.
Visit http://www.wwf.ca/?15001/WWF-Canada-launches-water-health-measure to view the full article online.
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Water Canada The City of Ottawa received a perfect score on Drinking Water System inspections performed by the Ministry of the Environment for the review period of 2013-14. The inspections looked at all seven of the city’s drinking water systems and involved up to 14 different aspects of operations, such as drinking water quality, water quality monitoring programs, and operator certification.
Visit https://watercanada.net/2014/ottawa-receives-perfect-score-in-annual-water-quality-report/ to view the full article online.
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Water Canada A watermain running from Haslam Lake, British Columbia to a recently built reservoir may cost the city of Powell River as much as $3.5 million to replace. During a recent city budget committee meeting, it was revealed that a slew of recent breaks contributed to concerns that the watermain is at the end of its life.
Visit https://watercanada.net/2014/b-c-watermain-may-cost-3-5-million-to-replace/ to view the full article online.
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Water Canada Stormwater flows within the Kitchener, Ontario area are directed towards the Grand River, with Lake Erie acting as the ultimate receiver. Additionally, about 70 per cent of the drinking water for Kitchener residents comes from groundwater sources, with the balance from the Grand River; therefore, source water protection is critical, not only for the City, but across the watershed.
Visit https://watercanada.net/2013/user-fees-that-please/ to view the full article online.
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Digital Journal Aboriginal Affairs and Northern Development Minister Bernard Valcourt congratulated the Woodstock First Nation in western New Brunswick on completing its water supply system upgrades. Since fiscal year 2007-2008, the Government of Canada has invested more than $2.8 million into the upgrades that will help ensure safe drinking water for the community.
Visit http://www.digitaljournal.com/pr/1800397 to view the full article online.
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Water Canada If a pipe bursts underground, does it still show up on your bill? Thanks in part to inattention and years of relatively cheap water rates, municipal water utilities are facing burgeoning costs associated with improving and maintaining infrastructure.
Visit http://watercanada.net/2014/taking-a-hike/ to view the full article online.
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Water Canada SaskWater—a Crown corporation owned by the Government of Saskatchewan that supplies municipalities, industries, and farms with water and wastewater services—tabled its 2013 Annual Report in the Saskatchewan Legislature on April 9. The corporation reported a net income of $3.5 million for 2013, and has been named one of the province’s Top 100 Companies by Saskatchewan Business Magazine.
Visit https://watercanada.net/2014/saskwater-delivers-2013-annual-report/ to view the full article online.
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Water Canada The Government of Ontario announced its approval of the Mattagami Region Source Protection Plan on April 10. The plan will strengthen local source-to-tap drinking water in the protection area, which covers more than 11,000 square kilometres, contains four municipalities, and is home to 48,000 residents, about 90 per cent of which are served by Timmins’ drinking water system. The plan will be implemented for fall 2014.
Visit http://watercanada.net/2014/ontario-approves-timmins-area-drinking-water-protection-plan/ to view the full article online.
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AWWA Buy American requirements continue to be an ongoing battle as Congress begins to take up appropriations legislation for fiscal year 2015. Some unions and industry groups are calling upon Congress to extend and expand Buy American requirements for projects receiving funds from State Revolving Fund programs, while other groups representing workers at U.S. ports are voicing resistance.
Visit https://www.naylornetwork.com/cww-nwl/articles/index.asp?aid=264685&issueID=37475 to view the full article online.
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