TORONTO- Ontario’s new drinking water regulation is meaningless
without the staff and resources to enforce it, says the Ontario Public
Service Employees Union.
The union was responding to the provincial government’s release
today of a long-promised drinking water regulation.
“It takes expert and qualified staff, not just the government’s
deep desire to get out of a political crisis, to enforce this new
regulation,” said Doug McDougall, OPSEU chair of the Ministry of
Environment’s Employees Relations Committee. “The Harris
government should immediately hire more staff on a permanent basis and
bring back the specialized water inspection teams that used to inspect
all water treatment plants in the province.”
The Harris government has slashed the Ministry of Environment’s
staff by 42 per cent and its operating budget by 39 per cent over the
past five years. According to the government’s business plan for
2000-2001, the Ministry’s operating budget is to be cut by a further
nine per cent.
“What else will suffer in terms of environmental protection, as
Ministry staff work hard to safeguard the province’s land, air and
drinking water with ever-shrinking resources?” said MacDougall.
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For more information: Doug MacDougall 705-235-1512/ 705-268-2339
