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Smiths Falls opposes bill re-instituing water boards |
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Written by Maureen Pegg
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Tuesday, 09 March 2010 |
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Smiths Falls will let the province know it’s not happy with potential ramifications of a private members’ bill that’s just received second reading. Bill 237 would see, among other things, the province create a provincial water board to oversee municipal water and sewer activities.
Mayor Dennis Staples says the move would be a “step backwards” for the town. He said at one time Smiths Falls had a separate water commission administering its water services. The town disbanded the commission a decade ago and took over managing water and sewer services. The new system, Staples says, is efficient. The Council of Canadians has weighed in on the topic claiming Bill 237 would result in unelected commissions controlling water utilities, reporting to a provincial agency, but costs would be downloaded to municipalities. Smiths Falls CAO Wayne Brown said requirements for municipalities with less than 25,000 households wouldn’t be able to have their own water boards. He said Smiths Falls, Carleton Place and Perth, would have to have a joint commission – a county system managing their water and sewer utilities, he said. The private member's bill is currently being reviewed by provincial committees. |
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