As we look back at the Window on Ottawa event, just two weeks ago, I was going to title this piece “Rear View Window”, but that is the complete opposite of the Window on Ottawa concept. The “Window” is always a reference to the front windshield – looking forward to where the federal government is going with regard to our industry.  This year’s event certainly followed that format and perhaps exceeded expectations. You will find a fuller description of the sessions later in this e-Bulletin, but I wanted to highlight a few key discussions from the event.

Our first “Lunch and Learn” webinar was this week, if you missed out we’ll make the recordings available to our members soon! In the meantime we’ve still got three great topics scheduled!

June 28: Wastewater Updates
Environment and Climate Change Canada will update on new proposed amendments to the Wastewater Systems Effluent Regulations. 

 July 5: Canadian Food Inspection Agency
CFIA will provide updates on new Amendments to the Fertilizers Regulations and actions they are taking to reduce PFAS/PFOS in biosolids.

 July 12: Cybersecurity
Public Safety Canada and the Canadian Center for Cybersecurity will update attendees on tools and programs to help secure your utilities cyber infrastructure. We’ll also hear about cyber incidents and actions and lessons learned.

The Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) is initiating the process to implement an interim standard for domestic and imported biosolids contaminated with per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) or “forever chemicals” sold in Canada as commercial fertilizers. The CFIA intends to implement an interim standard of less than 50 parts per billion of Perflurooctanesulfonic acid (PFOS) for all domestic and imported biosolids intended for use as commercial fertilizers.

Proposed Regulations Amending the Wastewater Systems Effluent Regulations under the federal Fisheries Act, would allow eligible owners and operators of wastewater systems (regulatees) another opportunity to receive an extension (transitional authorization) to upgrade their system.

On May 26, 2023, the Honourable Jean-Yves Duclos, Minister of Health, announced funding to support individuals and the health sector to adapt to climate change.

 As part of the Government of Canada's National Adaptation Strategy and the Government of Canada Adaptation Action Plan, the Honourable Jean-Yves Duclos, Minister of Health, announced that Health Canada will invest up to $43 million over the next five years to fund programs that will support the health sector and people in Canada to adapt to a changing climate. The National Adaptation Strategy has been open to provinces, territories and National Indigenous Organizations for final comment and will soon be finalized. The final Strategy will help the government to address the impacts of climate change that people in Canada are already experiencing and set in motion the transformations we need to build a stronger, low-carbon health care system.

Statistics Canada has been asked by the Government of Canada to develop a Census of Environment that will provide a robust picture of Canada's ecosystems and their benefit to our well-being and the economy. It will catalogue ecosystems in Canada, tracking their size and condition over time and measuring the ecosystem services provided such as clean air, food and recreation. This important program will inform decisions that will help protect, rehabilitate, enhance and sustain our environment and provide the information needed to understand the benefits of Canada's ecosystems. 

Statistics Canada will be further engaging with Canadians in 2023-2024 through virtual group discussions.

Water Canada

The Prime Minister, Justin Trudeau, has highlighted another step forward with the Budget 2023 investment to protect Canada’s freshwater supply by establishing a new Canada Water Agency.

Located in Winnipeg, Manitoba, the Canada Water Agency will work with provinces, territories, Indigenous Peoples, local authorities, scientists, and other partners to find the best ways to keep our water safe, clean, and well-managed for everyone. As the Prime Minister announced, one of the first priorities of the Agency will be to begin the work of modernizing the Canada Water Act to reflect the changing reality of fresh water in Canada, including the impacts of climate change and the importance of Indigenous rights. As stewards of these lands and waters for millennia, consultation and cooperation with Indigenous Peoples is critical.

Thank you to all our members and contacts who attended the Canada Water Summit in Ottawa last week. It was a great event with some truly compelling technical and panel sessions and great networking. 

Registration, Exhibitor and Sponsorship opportunities are all available for the NWWC. We’ve also recently updated the website with the schedule of events and the preliminary program is now online! We’ve got a great lineup of speakers, and a very full two and a half days of technical presentations.

Watch for updates on our social events and plans for our utility leadership stream coming soon!

FCM

Reducing carbon emissions is an important step toward developing healthier, more resilient communities of the future. This guidebook can help your municipality establish greenhouse gas reduction targets to help drive your local climate action plan.

The guidebook provides specific examples to help you:

• Understand target-setting methodologies and principles
• Assess factors influencing local carbon emissions
• Choose an achievable target and select a meaningful time frame

On June 1, 2023, the Task Force to Advance Wastewater Infrastructure Projects to Protect Lake Winnipeg held its inaugural meeting. The task force will focus on ensuring the ongoing three-phase upgrade project to the City of Winnipeg’s North End Water Pollution Control Centre—the city’s oldest and largest sewage facility—will be completed by the 2030 provincial deadline.

Among other things, the bill provides for new regulatory powers allowing the government to prohibit, or limit, certain uses of the water coming from a waterworks system. The government can also apply conditions or prohibitions on the sale and distribution of water in various types of containers or packaging, including single-use packaging. 

On April 6, 2023, the Honourable Bernard Davis, Minister of Environment and Climate Change, released a new Drinking Water Safety Action Plan for Newfoundland and Labrador. The plan identifies 37 actions targeting improvements to the management of drinking water systems in the areas of governance, infrastructure, risk management, regulatory frameworks, outreach, and research and innovation.

BNN Bloomberg

Earlier this year, a new beer appeared on the menu at Fox City Brewing Company in Forsyth, Georgia. Opened three years ago in a former ice house an hour south of Atlanta, Fox City serves pale ales, stouts and other microbrews. The new addition, called Revival Lager, stands apart from anything it’s made before — and from nearly every other beer on tap in the U.S. Fox City’s menu calls it a “light, crisp, eco-friendly lager made from highly repurposed and recycled water.” This is a delicate way of saying that it’s made from treated sewage. 

Canadian Water Network (CWN) is pleased to receive funding from the Public Health Agency of Canada (PHAC) and Indigenous Services Canada (ISC) to deliver a wastewater-based surveillance program in partnership with the National Collaborating Centre for Infectious Diseases (NCCID).

Water Canada

The Honourable Steven Guilbeault, Minister of Environment and Climate Change, and the Honourable Jean-Yves Duclos, Minister of Health, has announced the publication of the draft State of Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances (PFAS) Report.

The Guardian

Background levels of toxic PFAS “forever chemicals” in the ground and air may be much higher than previously thought, federal testing of spatially random soil samples from across New Hampshire suggests.

The Village of Burk's Falls is a vibrant and thriving community of 981 residents, offering a great quality of life and lifestyle. 

The Village of Burk’s Falls offers residents safe and clean drinking water that has been treated and tested to ensure it meets provincial standards while providing residents with excellent quality drinking water.