A recent poll conducted by Decima Research revealed a heightened public concern in Canada for environmental issues. When asked what the most important issue facing Canada in the 1990’s was, 29% of the poll respondents indicated the environment. Far behind in priority, only 9% indicated inflation/economy as more important.
The Nova Scotia Ministry of the Environment has begun hearings to examine water quality issues. The Task Force on Clean Water will hold the hearings in 14 communities over the next two months. Some of the issues the task force will be concentrating on include: disposal of industrial and human waste, water management, water resources, and protection and conservation plans for water and land.
Canada’s federal Environment Department will get 11.4% more money this year, one of the highest budgetary increases given any department, but environmentalists say it isn’t enough. It’s the second consecutive year that Environment has been given a budget boost at about twice the rate of inflation. Other federal Canadian agencies face cuts and spending freezes.
Ontario, Canada’s tough pollution laws are being challenged by scrap metal dealers as unconstitutional. A Windsor, Ont. company faces several charges and their lawyers say that fines up to $50,000 per day for polluters are “cruel and unusual punishment.” If successful, the challenge could cripple the province’s ability to enforce environmental laws.
The Consumer Association of Canada’s British Columbia provincial association has requested that the provincial ministers of Municipal Affairs and Health ban the use of lead solder in new plumbing and plumbing repairs.
The association wants a province-wide survey of community water supplies and blood testing to determine lead levels in children. Where lead levels are discovered, the CAC-BC recommends buffering of water supplies to reduce the leaching of lead into drinking water.
Joe D’Angelo and Grant North of Mississauga, Ont., Naz Rayman of Scarborough, Ont. and Norm Reise of Regina, Saskatchewan have been appointed to fill vacancies on the Canadian Water Quality
The estimates indicate there will be $13.7 million in new money for cleaning up the Great Lakes. That’s under the $125-million Great Lakes cleanup plan announced by Prime Minister Mulroney in 1988.
The Canadian Water Quality Association will stage its annual convention and meeting Sept. 20-22, 1990 at the Banff Springs Hotel in Banff, Alberta, Canada.
The tentative agenda for the conference, “New Horizons: The Nineties,” includes a full-day water treatment seminar with voluntary industry certification exams.
Seminars will be held on Friday, Sept. 21 and Saturday, Sept. 22.
“Marketing – New Horizons” will be discussed by Robert Kanerva, president of Erie Manufacturing.
Richard Harmon of Ebco Manufacturing will talk about the bottled water/dispensing area of the industry.
“Your Business in the 90″s” is the topic of Peter Mitchell from Ernst & Young, Chartered Accountants.
Lu Cole, water treatment consultant, will talk about industry standards, certification and product validation.