NOT ENOUGH VOICES AT STRATEGY TABLE

On By peifsnIn Government Policy, Holding Ponds, Irrigation, UncategorizedLeave a comment

Boyd Allen, Published in the Charlottetown Guardian, January 5, 2022

In July 2020 the legislature passed a motion placing a moratorium on construction of new agricultural holding ponds. This motion passed by a 15 to 10 margin but was non-binding. This translates into government not being obligated to honour the motion’s intent if they choose not to.

It appears that these holding ponds are set to become an integral part of proposed drought contingency plans, a key component to the forthcoming irrigation strategy.

I use the word “appears’ because there is no way of discerning whether they are or are not. This strategy is being put together within the senior ranks of the provincial departments directly involved. There was the opportunity for Islanders to anonymously offer online comments on the proposed strategy, but this portal was slammed shut on Dec. 13. Organizations actively engaged in the Water Act process made several attempts to meet with the minister and/or department officials to talk about this irrigation strategy. These requests have so far not even been acknowledged.

Continue reading “NOT ENOUGH VOICES AT STRATEGY TABLE” →

Agroecology as a Basis for Irrigation Strategy

On By peifsnIn Government Policy, Irrigation, UncategorizedLeave a comment

By Trudy White, Iris

One would expect that any irrigation or soil improvement strategy being developed for our Island would be grounded in the most current scientific knowledge on soil health and would address the very serious issues of declining soil biodiversity and pesticides in soil, water, and sediment.  Yet this irrigation strategy discussion document does not even mention the words biodiversity or pesticides.

Science clearly tells us that protecting and restoring soil biodiversity is critical for soil regeneration and resilience and also for sustaining our water cycle.  But the document fails to mention “increasing biodiversity” even in its sections about Improved Environmental Benefits or Soil Health.

Continue reading “Agroecology as a Basis for Irrigation Strategy” →

PEI Chapter of Council of Canadians Responds to Irrigation Strategy

On By peifsnIn Government Policy, Irrigation, UncategorizedLeave a comment

There is no vision nor much hope offered (in this Irrigation Strategy document) for the protection of PEI’s water and land. As Islanders, like the rest of the world, we face the most serious crisis in history – the climate crisis – yet, we are presented with a document that ignores the crisis and gives a ‘license’ for the continuation of an industrial model of farming controlled by very powerful corporate interests.  A model of farming by all accounts that is not sustainable and is doomed – and a major contributor to the climate crisis. 

Continue reading “PEI Chapter of Council of Canadians Responds to Irrigation Strategy” →

Guiding Principles for an Irrigation Strategy

On By peifsnIn Government Policy, Irrigation, UncategorizedLeave a comment

By Don Mazer, on behalf of the Coalition for the Protection of PEI Water

The Irrigation Strategy (IS) document is the culmination of what began as the exemplary process of public consultation that resulted the Water Act. This process reflected widespread public opposition to ending the moratorium on high capacity (HC) wells. It is ironic that the outcome of this extended process was a plan to enable the return of HC wells.  It is unfortunate that this decision seemed to be based almost entirely on the will of the minister,  who seemed to require little evidence, and had little interest in meaningful consultation with citizens or even his own standing committee.

The result is an ‘irrigation strategy` that offers limited opportunities for meaningful input from Islanders. This document should have been the result of a public process that engaged citizens. Rather, it was developed quietly and internally by the department and its bureaucrats and whomever they chose to consult with. This did not include our group, the Coalition for the Protection of PEI Water. Our coalition includes a broad range of environmental, watershed and socially concerned groups and individuals. From the first days, we have been deeply involved in the process of developing the Water Act, and acknowledged by a previous Minister in the legislature for its important contribution to the Act.  We are concerned why a group like ours with such a longstanding commitment to PEI water would not be included in such consultations.

Continue reading “Guiding Principles for an Irrigation Strategy” →

A Framework for Water Governance

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By Gary Schneider, Environmental Coalition of PEI and member of the Coalition for the Protection of PEI Water

The province’s new Irrigation Strategy is a document that all water users – not just those who use irrigation in whatever form that takes – should take a long, hard look at.  The development of the Water Act started out as an exemplary template for meaningful public participation.  Unfortunately, over time, the process has become less and less transparent and responsive.

One way to get things back on track is to return to sound participatory processes. Any strategy is only as good as its implementation. The water governance body, an independent, arms-length, representative body to ensure proper implementation, is an idea that has been repeatedly brought forward by the Coalition for the Protection of PEI Water and other stakeholders.  The Irrigation Strategy pledges that “In addition to the administration of permits being delivered by a central body, irrigation will also be overseen by a central advisory board.  This board will be tasked with ensuring the continuation of strategy finds the balance between environmental protection and commercial usage.  This board will consist of users, conservation groups, senior government officials and other key stakeholders.”

How do we make this body truly representative?  The provincial Round Table on Resource Land Use and Stewardship had representatives from a variety of sectors – agricultural, tourism, conservation, forestry, aquaculture, municipalities, recreational fisheries, etc.  This body worked together and came up with some great recommendations that have become part of our way of life.  Unfortunately, many others were not fully adopted, or not adopted at all, leading to continued environmental degradation.

Continue reading “A Framework for Water Governance” →

Two steps back on P.E.I. Water Act

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Public engagement holds little traction with the current P.E.I. government

The Guardian (Charlottetown)- 26 Nov 2021

BOYD ALLEN is on the board of the Citizens’ Alliance of P.E.I., a member organization of the Coalition for the Protection of P.E.I. Water.

In May of 2016 the P.E.I. environmental advisory committee released a comprehensive report entitled: Water Act – Public consultation report. It was 58 footnoted pages long including indices and glossary. It collated findings from the first phase of public consultations on the Water Act from July 2015 to January 2016.

This process offered multiple opportunities and methods for private citizens and organizations to present their opinions. The response was extraordinary. There were 50 presentations at the various public community meetings and 12 one on one consultations between the EAC and concerned organizations. Every submission to the EAC during this time was made easily available online.

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General Meeting – Tuesday July 27 at 6pm

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It’s been a long time since members of the Water Coalition have met – and much has happened lately, with regards to the Water Act and the moratorium on high capacity wells. So it seems like a good time to come together, to spend some time reflecting on all of that.

Several members of the coalition, “a core group”, have been making presentations, speaking in the media and writing letters to the editor on behalf of the entire coalition. We want to check in with the rest of the membership, to make sure we are properly reflecting the original goals and purpose of the coalition. And to talk about our membership, which includes environmental and social justice groups as well as individuals.

In- person, Tuesday, July 27 at 6:00 pm at the PEI Farm Centre

Ending the moratorium: Credible science and comprehensive data or empty rhetoric and baseless reassurances?

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Don Mazer and Boyd Allen

Part l.

The Water Act Process: From exemplary public consultation to industry led policy

It took 7 years, but now Prince Edward Island finally proclaimed a Water Act. There are certainly reasons to celebrate this. The Act contains guiding values that recognize water as a common good and a public trust. There is acknowledgment of the precautionary principle and the need to preserve water for future generations.   Yet, how much the Act will help to remedy the poor track record of the Government and its departments in protecting PEI’s waters remains to be seen.

The impetus for the development of the Water Act began at Legislative Standing Committee meetings in 2014. The potato processing industry was pressuring government to lift the moratorium on high capacity wells for agriculture, and many citizens and groups opposed this.

Continue reading “Ending the moratorium: Credible science and comprehensive data or empty rhetoric and baseless reassurances?” →

Nitrates Levels in Drinking Water

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Rural Islanders are at a disadvantage when it comes to clean drinking water

Andrew Lush
published on Tuesday, July 6th, 2021, in The Guardian

Islanders heartily endorse those governments which ensure the personal health and well-being of all of our residents both rural and urban.


Rural residents are at a distinct disadvantage when it comes to clean drinking water.
Nitrate levels in private well water can be disturbingly high, with the P.E.I. government’s own Open Data Portal (data.princeedwardisland.ca) identifying that between 2014 and 2019, eight per cent of samples taken from private wells were above the US EPA safe level, and many more samples exceeded the safe guideline for feeding to babies.

Continue reading “Nitrates Levels in Drinking Water” →

Protecting PEI Lands and Water – It’s Urgent

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Webinar – Monday, June 21 at 7 pm

Corporate control of land, decline in soil health, loss of forest cover, pollution of Island waterways and nitrates and other chemicals in groundwater. The issues affecting land and water are serious and needing attention, yet the Prince Edward Island government seems not to be treating them with any sense of urgency.

Everyone is invited to join a webinar for a discussion of the issues with presentations by Catherine O’Brien (Coalition for Protection of PEI Water) and Doug Campbell (Coalition for Protection of PEI Lands). Monday, June 21 at 7 pm. To register (required): https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_tLBcV8mXRCqu1ZkAR4WRUw

Hosted by the Coalitions for Protection of PEI Lands, and PEI Water.