KAMLOOPS, B.C. –
March 16, 2010 -- On behalf of Canada's
Environment Minister, the Honourable Jim
Prentice, Cathy McLeod, Member of Parliament
for Kamloops—Thompson—Cariboo, today announced
an investment of $78,420 into three local
environmental projects in British Columbia.
“These investments will
ensure the diverse habitats and species
at risk within our region are protected
and given a chance to become vibrant once
again,” said MP McLeod. “I am pleased to
see such strong environmental stewardship
at the community level.”
“Protecting biological
diversity will help ensure that Canadians
can benefit from Canada’s natural beauty
for years to come,” added Minister Prentice.
“These projects are another example of our
government taking action to conserve, protect
and restore Canada’s environment.”
The B.C. Ministry of
Environment will receive $28,500 for two
different projects and the Grasslands Conservation
Council of British Columbia will receive
$49,920.These initiatives will increase
protection of species at risk and their
habitat in the Kamloops—Thompson—Cariboo
region and are funded through Canada’s Habitat
Stewardship Program for Species at Risk.
Habitat loss and degradation
are among the greatest threats to biological
diversity in Canada. The Habitat Stewardship
Program for Species at Risk, managed by
Environment Canada in partnership with Fisheries
and Oceans Canada and Parks Canada, is a
key initiative in meeting commitments under
the federal Species at Risk Act. Projects
under this program help protect species
at risk in a number of ways, including invasive
species removal, habitat restoration and
enhancements, ecosystem inventories and
mapping, and community outreach and education.
“The B.C. Government
is committed to protecting species at risk
and anything we can do to protect valuable
habitat is important work,” said B.C. Environment
Minister Barry Penner. “B.C.’s Conservation
Framework is the tool this province developed
to prevent species and ecosystems from becoming
at risk while also maintaining the diversity
of native species and ecosystems.”
In 2010—-the International
Year of Biodiversity—the Government of Canada
encourages Canadians to seek opportunities
to take action toward conserving biodiversity.
Your actions, large or small, will help
to protect the abundance and variety of
life that is part of our natural heritage.
For further information
on the 2010 International Year of Biodiversity,
please visit the Web gateway of the 2010
International Year of Biodiversity, at http://www.cbd.int/2010/,
as well as the Web site of the Canadian
Biodiversity Information Network, at http://www.cbin.ec.gc.ca/.
Additional information
about the Habitat Stewardship Program is
available on Environment Canada’s website,
at http://www.cws-scf.ec.gc.ca/hsp-pih.
+ More
Government of Canada
delivers on wastewater rules: proposed regulations
released today
OTTAWA, Ont. -- March
19, 2010 -- Environment Minister Jim Prentice
today announced that the proposed Wastewater
Systems Effluent Regulations have been published
in Canada Gazette, Part I beginning the
formal 60-day public comment period.
“Last month, I released
a public-consultation draft of the regulations
because we wanted to hear back from Canadians.
And today with the Canada Gazette posting,
we are again listening to Canadians and
working to make the proposed wastewater
regulations law. These are concrete steps
we are taking to make sure that Canadians
continue to enjoy water that is clean, safe
and plentiful for generations to come,”
said Minister Prentice. “
The Government of Canada
is taking the lead in proposing regulations
for municipal, community, federal and other
wastewater systems, which include standards
for national wastewater effluent quality
and provide regulatory clarity for rules
on reporting for more than 3,700 Canadian
facilities. For those not already meeting
the effluent quality standards, there is
a proposed phase-in approach. For higher-risk
wastewater effluent discharges, facilities
will have up until 2020 to upgrade, whereas
others would have until 2030 or 2040 depending
on level of risk associated with existing
effluent quality and environmental considerations.
“We are committed to
continue working together with provinces,
territories and municipalities to make this
a reality,” said the Minister. “These regulations
will help us conserve and protect Canada’s
water quality. And I am happy to point out
that this collaborative spirit and progress
speak to the theme of “Clean Water for a
Healthy World” that is the global focus
of the upcoming World Water Day on March
22.
The regulations are
the principal instrument that Environment
Canada is using to implement the Canadian
Council of Ministers of the Environment
(CCME) Canada-wide Strategy for the Management
of Municipal Wastewater that was endorsed
in 2009.
The Government of Canada
is partnering with provinces, territories
and municipalities to make significant investments
in water and wastewater infrastructure.
Under Government of Canada infrastructure
funds, including the Building Canada, Green
Infrastructure, Stimulus and Gas Tax Funds,
over $3.25 billion has been spent or committed
for wastewater and water infrastructure.
Such projects are a top priority for these
funds.
Canadians can now access
the proposed regulations at http://www.gazette.gc.ca/rp-pr/p1/2010/2010-03-20/html/reg1-eng.html
For more information, please contact:
Frédéric Baril
Press Secretary
Office of the Minister of the Environment
