The Coalition for the Protection of PEI Water brings together individuals and organizations  to share knowledge, ideas, resources, skills and time to offer an informed, unified public voice in discussions about water, water policies and water issues in Prince Edward Island. Among our membership are a number of physical, natural, and social scientists. Many groups are listed as members of the Coalition (see our Members page for a full list) – including those concerned with the environment, farming, watersheds, and social justice.

In 2013, the PEI Potato Board & Cavendish Farms asked the PEI government to lift a longstanding moratorium on high capacity wells in the province. Concerned that the voice of community needed to be heard, the Citizens’ Alliance of PEI organized the first meetings that led to the formation of the Coalition. Over the course of the following year, the Coalition mobilized groups and individuals to make presentations to the PEI Standing Committee on Agriculture, Environment, Energy and Forestry, in opposition to lifting of the moratorium.

One of the Coalition’s main recommendations to the committee was the following:

We recommend the establishment of a multi-disciplinary commission to develop a comprehensive, integrated water policy for PEI.

When eventually the Government of PEI announced its intention to develop a Water Act for PEI, the Coalition for Protection of PEI Water regrouped, this time for the expressed purpose of encouraging and supporting public participation in the process leading to the development of the Act. The Coalition has acted on at least three different levels: Communicating with government officials about process & content; Engagement of community groups and individuals, encouraging people to take part in the process and have their voices heard; Using media to convey key messages. Thanks to the enthusiasm and commitment of its members, the Coalition has been very effective in all three areas.