CCME Talks Strategy in Whitehorse

Meeting yesterday in Whitehorse to discuss issues such as climate change, federal, provincial and territorial environment ministers recognized the work done to date in developing the Canada-wide Strategy for the Management of Municipal Wastewater Effluent by the Canadian Council of Ministers of the Environment (CCME).

The strategy sets out a framework to manage discharges from more than 3,500 wastewater facilities in Canada, many currently in need of repair and upgrading. It provides an agreed-upon path forward for achieving regulatory clarity for owners of municipal wastewater facilities. Performance standards will increase protection for human health and the environment on a national basis. Bilateral agreements between the federal government and provinces and territories will ensure one-window regulatory delivery of the strategy.

A number of jurisdictions have endorsed the Strategy and are ready to begin implementation.

Ministers also received an update on water-related CCME initiatives, which have been an ongoing focus for the Council. Progress was provided on the Council’s water-related priorities, which include water monitoring and climate change, water valuation and groundwater, as well as longstanding activities related to water quality. As a follow-up to the 2008 Council of the Federation meeting, CCME has recently initiated a study on water conservation and scarcity in the context of Canada’s changing climate. Ministers agreed to develop a strategic national vision that captures existing water priorities.