All Talk, No Action (Yet)

While somewhat encouraging, today’s Ontario Budget 2010 announcement wasn’t very helpful for the water sector.

The Province announced $32 billion in “job-creating stimulus” and reaffirmed the plan for a Water Opportunities Act, but we have yet to see what percentage of that amount will be directed toward the initiative. “The clean-water sector already employs some 22,000 people in good, well-paid Ontario jobs selling Ontario-made water technologies and services around the world,” reads the speech. “Ontario is well placed to become a global leader in this industry.” Essentially, it’s what we’ve already heard.

At a conference on national water strategy in Montreal today, the proposed Act—and what it might mean on local, national, and global scales—was a hot topic. Dr. Zafar Adeel, director of the UNU-INWEH, brought it up during the opening panel on international water issues. “I think this is the kind of leadership that is needed,” he said. “There’s a local demand, but there’s also a global opportunity and enlightened self-interest,” adding the oft-quoted stat that $480 billion is the projected growth for the global water market.

Despite all the signs, leadership is still waffling. In discussion following the panels, I spoke with a few water stakeholders, asking them about today’s announcement. Most said the same thing—they’re waiting for the Province to release numbers and a specific plan before they get too excited.

I’m inclined to agree, though the momentum surrounding this water talk is never far from mind. My press package for the conference included a release centred on an “important” address from Federal Environment Minister Jim Prentice tomorrow. A little leadership from the feds would be nice, too.

More from the conference to come.