The National Strategy for Critical Infrastructure continues to provide the overarching vision for enhancing the resilience of Canada’s critical infrastructure. Each of the strategic objectives of the National Strategy contributes to helping Canada better prepare and respond to threats and hazards.

Building on our success last year at the joint Wastewater Management Conference and Central Canadian Symposium on Water Quality Research, CWWA and CAWQ are teaming again to host the 49th Central Canadian Symposium on Water Quality Research and Wastewater Management Conference. The continuing collaboration will help build relationships between researchers and water and wastewater professionals.

Join drinking water professionals from across the country for the 16th Canadian Conference on Drinking Water, taking place from October 26–29, 2014 at the Hilton Lac Leamy in Gatineau, Quebec (National Capital Region).

Darcy Janzen, the lead water treatment operator for EPCOR in Taber, Alberta has written an illustrated children book "Where does it come from?" which explains the water treatment process to young readers, illustrating not only the complex process required to deliver safe drinking water, but also the incredible importance of water to our society and environment.

Quality Urban Energy Systems of Tomorrow or QUEST, a national non-profit organization actively working to make Canada a leader in the design, development and implementation of Integrated Community Energy Solutions, have announced the winners of the 2013 Community Energy Builder Awards at the annual QUEST 2013 Gala Dinner & Awards Ceremony in Markham, Ontario.

The Canadian Council for Public-Private Partnerships (CCPPP) has announced that Sudbury's Biosolids Management Facility won the 2013 Chuck Wills Award, one of the organization's National Awards for Innovation and Excellence in Public-Private Partnerships. The award is presented to outstanding municipal P3 projects in memory of the former CAO of the City of Windsor, who was a tireless supporter of P3 and a CCPPP Board member.

CWWA is pleased to announce the retirement of Kenneth J. Brothers, Commissioner of Public Works from the Niagara Region, Ontario. Ken served actively the Association for many years being involved in the development of several activities and acted as President of CWWA during 1995–1996.

We wish Ken a happy and comfortable retirement.

Much anticipated amendments to the Fisheries Act came into effect on November 25, 2013. The most substantial of these amendments is the repeal of the prohibition against the harmful alteration or destruction ("HADD") of fish habitat, and its replacement with a new prohibition against "serious harm" to fish and fish habitat.

Environment Canada is currently consulting on several proposed changes to the NPRI. Changes include lowered thresholds and several substances.

Environment Canada has published a notice regarding their annual reporting requirements for greenhouse gases. The Notice requires any facility with GHG emissions that meet exceed a 50,000 tonnes of carbon dioxide emissions threshold to report their GHG information to Environment Canada on or before June 1, 2014. New for this reporting year are revised "Global Warming Potential" values that are used to calculate if you meet the threshold and in calculating reported values. Reporters are now also required to report the facility latitude and longitude.

Health Canada has released a new version of the document "Guidance for Providing Safe Drinking Water in Areas of Federal Jurisdiction." The new Guidance is the second version and gives clear, consistent guidance on how to implement the Guidelines for Canadian Drinking Water Quality in areas of federal jurisdiction, in federal facilities and/or in First Nations communities. It is written for employees who make decisions at the policy and management levels, as well as for those who run drinking water systems on a day-to-day basis.

In the winter of 2014 Statistics Canada will be conducting the Survey of Drinking Water Plants. This survey is a census of public drinking water plants serving communities of 300 or more people.

The Government of Canada signed, October 10, 2013, the Minamata Convention on Mercury — a global agreement to reduce mercury emissions and releases to the environment. The convention is a legally-binding treaty negotiated under the auspices of the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP). Its primary objective is to protect human health and the environment from human sources of emissions and releases of mercury and mercury compounds.

The 2013 Fall Report of the Commissioner of the Environment and Sustainable Development that was tabled in the House of Commons, November 5, 2013, points to "a wide gap between the government’s commitments and the results achieved" in protecting nature and promoting sustainable development.

The Council of the Federation (COF) Excellence in Water Stewardship Award recognizes outstanding achievement, innovative practice and excellence in water stewardship in Canada. Each province solicits nominations for the Award.

British Columbia’s Ministry of Environment released, October 18, 2013, government proposals for a new Water Sustainability Act to be introduced during the spring 2014 legislative session. The proposed Water Sustainability Act will make improvements in a number of key areas, most notably in new measures to regulate and protect groundwater.

Last month, Alberta released its Draft South Saskatchewan Regional Plan 2014-2024. The draft uses a cumulative effects management approach to balance economic development opportunities and social and environmental considerations; and establishes monitoring, evaluation, and reporting commitments to assess progress. Comment deadline is January 15, 2014.

Ontario’s Bill 6 Great Lakes Protection Act, 2013 (tabled February 25, 2013) passed second reading October 9, 2013, and was referred to the Standing Committee on Regulations and Private Bills.

Ontario’s Ministry of Energy announced, October 8, 2013, that the province is implementing 18 recommendations made by the Ontario Power Authority (OPA) and the Independent Electricity System Operator (IESO) to improve the process for the siting of large energy infrastructure projects. According to the government, the new rules will ensure large energy infrastructure is located in the right place from the start, improve municipal engagement and public consultation, and ensure greater predictability for the energy sector.

Access the OPA/IESO action plan

New regulatory proposals to promote compliance with the Ontario Underground Infrastructure Notification System Act, 2012 were posted on the EBR Registry, October 31, 2013. The act is designed to channel requests from excavators regarding the location of buried infrastructure through the "Ontario One Call" (ON1Call) call centre. All non-municipal owners and operators of underground infrastructure were required to join ON1Call as of June 19, 2013. Municipalities are required to join before June 19, 2014.

Launched October 11, 2013 by the World Business Council for Sustainable Development (WBCSD), this tool offers an easy-to-use resource designed to help cement companies manage their water use more efficiently and sustainably. Once a site location is entered, the tool automatically identifies a water stress area and its biodiversity hotspots, and will generate maps and charts of the company’s operations.

In the pursuit of new and more significant energy efficiency savings, the American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy (ACEEE) has published several reports outlining some of the innovative ways utilities can help their customers reduce energy waste through program design and new technologies.

CWWA welcomes our newest members:

Associate – Academic & Other Member
University of Manitoba

Associate – Private Sector Member
SNC-Lavalin Inc. (QC)

Calgary Herald
The province says it’s prepared to spend at least $116 million on erosion control and flood mitigation along rivers in southern Alberta in the wake of last summer’s disaster.

Leader-Post
Three project teams have been shortlisted for the construction of the city's waste water treatment plant project.

Gigaom
A Canadian startup has built its first European plant to retrieve phosphorous — a key ingredient in fertilizer — from sewage and wastewater and turn it into fertilizer to grow more crops.

Canada.com: The Courier-Islander
A community water supply that's separate from BC Hydro's system from John Hart Lake will provide a safer, more reliable drinking water source for the City of Campbell River, Council and BC Hydro reps agree.

Mondaq
The Government of British Columbia released its long-awaited legislative proposal for the new Water Sustainability Act. It invited stakeholders to review the proposal and submit comments before the new legislation is introduced in the spring 2014 legislative session.

High River Online
$50,000 worth of water conservation rebates has been used in Okotoks this year.

Vancouver Sun
They’re billed as a fresh, clean alternative to toilet paper – but waste-water utilities across Canada say personal wipes are creating putrid sewage clogs that are costing Canadian ratepayers at least $250 million a year.

CNW
The Canadian Energy Efficiency Alliance (CEEA) is thrilled to announce the results from the Eco-City Community Challenge, their national energy efficiency program designed to educate Canadians on the benefits of energy conservation to both our economy and environment. Over 1,300 Canadian cities and 41,000 Canadians participated, registering a total energy-savings of 47-million kilowatt-hours (kWh)/year, which translates into a whopping $5.6-million in potential cost-savings for consumers.

Edson Leader
It isn’t a new practice but the Town of Edson is selling wastewater from the sewage lagoons to Shell Canada and other companies for the purposes of hydraulic fracking. Town public works officials initiated a pilot project in 2012 for the sale of wastewater from the lagoon.

City of Charlottetown News
The City of Charlottetown’s Water and Sewer Utility Department encourage homeowners to take advantage of the Voluntary Metering Program and have water meters installed in their homes. Since 2010, the Utility has been encouraging voluntary metering and so far over 600 customers have taken advantage of this program.