The Water Act was tabled for second reading in the P.E.I. Legislature on November 29. As debate continues, and in the absence of further public consultation, it is important for MLAs to hear from us. The Coalition has identified several ways in which the act could be improved:

1. Enshrine that water is a right.
2. Make the fracking ban a real ban
3. Use the right names for the terms: precautionary principle, intergenerational equity
4. Do not allow municipalities to to exceed limits on water withdrawals
5. Put the moratorium on high capacity wells in the Act
6. Recognize Indigenous title and jurisdiction to watersheds in the Water Act. 

What can you do? 

• COMMENT AND SHARE: watch at home and comment on social media (Legislative Assembly website, Legislative Assembly Facebook), commenting on Citizens’ Alliance social media and sharing with your contacts
• CONTACT YOUR MLA and ask him or her to strengthen the bill with the five improvements, (above)    MLA contact information  They are the only ones who can improve this now.

The actual bill (looking at the last pages goes over the reasons for each section, if you want to start there): Water Act government website

The Environment Minister and staff have worked really well consulting with Islanders, and Official and Third Party Opposition Members very engaged — that’s noted and appreciated! — it’s these last slight modifications which will really make this bill shine and make P.E.I. lead in water protection.  And with P.E.I. so dependent on its groundwater, this is something to push for.