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IS THERE HOPE?
Dumping mine tailings into lakes and rivers is illegal unless it’s specifically permitted. The Fisheries Act protects these lakes and rivers from the toxic dumping. But, if the Minister gives permission, then the companies are free to dump.
The regulation is called the Metal Mining Effluent Regulations. This redefines the water body as a dumping sites is called a “Tailings Impoundment Area”. The area is no longer protected by the Fisheries act and tonnes of toxic waste is dumped.
Many lakes a rivers have already been deregulated that contain staple species such as Atlantic salmon, otters and brook trout. These sites are now dead zones.
International mining companies are requesting to use Canadian waters as dumping sites for toxic waste. These applications are increasing at an alarming rate.
But there is hope in sight. Because of citizen activism, a recent application was rejected. A mining company, Tesako Mines Limited, applied to use Fish Lake as a dumping site. After reviewing the application, and receiving a flood of letters, emails, and messages from people across Canada, the federal government rejected the application.
The site near Williams Lake, B.C., is known as Teztan Biny by First Nations, and is an important traditional site. It is home to a unique species of rainbow trout, and is one of the province's most productive trout fishing lakes. If the application went through, the lake would've been completely destroyed forever.
Sustaining Our Water?
A lot can be learned from Bill 18 that was introduced by the B.C. provincial government called the new Water Sustainability Act. This new act will replace the current 105 year old Water Act. The new act is being heralded as a long overdue step in the right direction, though many are also calling it the "Watered-Down Act." While the new proposed legislation is definitely an improvement over the current 100-year-old Water Act, it unfortunately falls short of what communities across this province need when it comes to strong water legislation that puts public interest ahead of corporate profits.
The Council of Canadians made seven critical demands that outline the critical need to protect the water and to address this neoliberal approach.
The regulation is called the Metal Mining Effluent Regulations. This redefines the water body as a dumping sites is called a “Tailings Impoundment Area”. The area is no longer protected by the Fisheries act and tonnes of toxic waste is dumped.
Many lakes a rivers have already been deregulated that contain staple species such as Atlantic salmon, otters and brook trout. These sites are now dead zones.
International mining companies are requesting to use Canadian waters as dumping sites for toxic waste. These applications are increasing at an alarming rate.
But there is hope in sight. Because of citizen activism, a recent application was rejected. A mining company, Tesako Mines Limited, applied to use Fish Lake as a dumping site. After reviewing the application, and receiving a flood of letters, emails, and messages from people across Canada, the federal government rejected the application.
The site near Williams Lake, B.C., is known as Teztan Biny by First Nations, and is an important traditional site. It is home to a unique species of rainbow trout, and is one of the province's most productive trout fishing lakes. If the application went through, the lake would've been completely destroyed forever.
Sustaining Our Water?
A lot can be learned from Bill 18 that was introduced by the B.C. provincial government called the new Water Sustainability Act. This new act will replace the current 105 year old Water Act. The new act is being heralded as a long overdue step in the right direction, though many are also calling it the "Watered-Down Act." While the new proposed legislation is definitely an improvement over the current 100-year-old Water Act, it unfortunately falls short of what communities across this province need when it comes to strong water legislation that puts public interest ahead of corporate profits.
The Council of Canadians made seven critical demands that outline the critical need to protect the water and to address this neoliberal approach.
Demands 1 and 2: Recognize water as a human right and reaffirm water as a public trust that belongs to people and cannot be privately owned or controlled.
The legislation does not recognize water as a human right or public trust.
Demand 3: Recognize Indigenous title and jurisdiction to watersheds as well as secure free, prior and informed consent protocols within the Water Act alongside policies to monitor and sustain groundwater.
The new Water Sustainability Act fails to adequately recognize First Nations rights and title. Many water-hungry and/or water polluting industries (such as fracking, pipelines, mining, and fish farms) are being proposed or currently operating on the territories of First Nations across the province.
Demand 4: Create an approval process for groundwater withdrawals that includes public consultation, incorporates community input into the final decision, and respects a community's right to say "no" to projects that abuse or pollute water.
When it comes to incorporating community input, while the new act does require that the applicant give notice to those that will be affected by the licence/amendment, it does not require that notification be given to other people in the watershed. Wider notice should be given as certain projects could impact other people's drinking water, for example.
Demand 5: Include strict pollution controls, strong conservation regulations and stringent monitoring.
Though in some ways the new act is moving in the right direction, there is significant concern that the government lacks the resources and internal capacity to implement and enforce its regulations and monitoring. The government really should be doing their own assessments in the first place and not asking industry for this info as they have a vested interest in having the licence issued.
Demand 6: Charge industry proper fees for their use of raw and municipal water takings.
Many critics are concerned that the new legislation won't charge enough to large-scale water users (like Nestlé or the fracking companies). There is concern that the government, in wanting to please big industrial users, will not charge the appropriate fees so that it can actually afford to enforce the law and protect our waters.
Demand 7: Ensure a process to revoke permits where industries are polluting or abusing water.
The new act will allow the province to limit water use if a significant water shortage is declared. However, the province has not clearly spelled out who and what gets precedence in a drought situation (or other situations of scarcity). And unfortunately that leaves too much up to the discretion of government regulators, who have shown on many an occasion that when it comes to competing water needs, Industry wins at the expense of the environment and local communities.
The legislation does not recognize water as a human right or public trust.
Demand 3: Recognize Indigenous title and jurisdiction to watersheds as well as secure free, prior and informed consent protocols within the Water Act alongside policies to monitor and sustain groundwater.
The new Water Sustainability Act fails to adequately recognize First Nations rights and title. Many water-hungry and/or water polluting industries (such as fracking, pipelines, mining, and fish farms) are being proposed or currently operating on the territories of First Nations across the province.
Demand 4: Create an approval process for groundwater withdrawals that includes public consultation, incorporates community input into the final decision, and respects a community's right to say "no" to projects that abuse or pollute water.
When it comes to incorporating community input, while the new act does require that the applicant give notice to those that will be affected by the licence/amendment, it does not require that notification be given to other people in the watershed. Wider notice should be given as certain projects could impact other people's drinking water, for example.
Demand 5: Include strict pollution controls, strong conservation regulations and stringent monitoring.
Though in some ways the new act is moving in the right direction, there is significant concern that the government lacks the resources and internal capacity to implement and enforce its regulations and monitoring. The government really should be doing their own assessments in the first place and not asking industry for this info as they have a vested interest in having the licence issued.
Demand 6: Charge industry proper fees for their use of raw and municipal water takings.
Many critics are concerned that the new legislation won't charge enough to large-scale water users (like Nestlé or the fracking companies). There is concern that the government, in wanting to please big industrial users, will not charge the appropriate fees so that it can actually afford to enforce the law and protect our waters.
Demand 7: Ensure a process to revoke permits where industries are polluting or abusing water.
The new act will allow the province to limit water use if a significant water shortage is declared. However, the province has not clearly spelled out who and what gets precedence in a drought situation (or other situations of scarcity). And unfortunately that leaves too much up to the discretion of government regulators, who have shown on many an occasion that when it comes to competing water needs, Industry wins at the expense of the environment and local communities.
Poodwaddle World Clock
This clock estimates many human activities such as births and deaths, but also shows the depletion of our natural resources.