Evidence of meeting #17 for Environment and Sustainable Development in the 41st Parliament, 2nd Session. (The original version is on Parliament’s site, as are the minutes.) The winning word was watershed.
A recording is available from Parliament.
4:15 p.m.
Conservative
March 25th, 2014 / 4:15 p.m.
Conservative
Stephen Woodworth Conservative Kitchener Centre, ON
Thank you very much, Mr. Chair. My thanks to the witnesses for attending here today. There's a lot of food for thought.
I'd like to begin with the historical perspective that you present, Mr. Murphy. I understood you to say that 30 years ago there were 80 areas of concern and that those have now been reduced by 50 to a remaining 30. Is that correct? Do you know, of the remaining 30, how many will likely be delisted within the next five to ten years?
4:15 p.m.
General Manager and Secretary Treasurer, Quinte Conservation Authority
We have a target of three years. We hope to have the Bay of Quinte off the list by 2017.
4:15 p.m.
Conservative
Stephen Woodworth Conservative Kitchener Centre, ON
Okay, that's Bay of Quinte. Do you have any knowledge of the wider list?
4:15 p.m.
General Manager and Secretary Treasurer, Quinte Conservation Authority
They're all over the place. Every area of concern is on a different timetable; they're dealing with different problems. Obviously, some are more difficult and bigger. The other areas are on different schedules. I think we have been prompted through the years that the sooner the better.
4:15 p.m.
Conservative
Stephen Woodworth Conservative Kitchener Centre, ON
Surely. And of the 80 points that were begun, do you know what the rough proportion is between U.S. and Canada in areas of concern?
4:20 p.m.
General Manager and Secretary Treasurer, Quinte Conservation Authority
With the Bay of Quinte, it's 100% local, provincial, and federal government involvement, no U.S. involvement.
4:20 p.m.
Conservative
Stephen Woodworth Conservative Kitchener Centre, ON
But of the 80 targets, how many were Canadian and how many were American? Do you know?
4:20 p.m.
General Manager and Secretary Treasurer, Quinte Conservation Authority
They were all local targets set up by the Bay of Quinte remedial action plan. They are similar targets to those developed with the United States. There's a similar theme through all of the areas.
4:20 p.m.
Conservative
Stephen Woodworth Conservative Kitchener Centre, ON
Okay. You expect, then, that this will be completed within the next three years?
4:20 p.m.
General Manager and Secretary Treasurer, Quinte Conservation Authority
That's what we're telling everybody, and we think it's a very realistic target.
4:20 p.m.
Conservative
Stephen Woodworth Conservative Kitchener Centre, ON
Have you seen any slowing of momentum in the Bay of Quinte projects in any recent period, or is it still continuing full steam ahead?
4:20 p.m.
General Manager and Secretary Treasurer, Quinte Conservation Authority
No. We're probably getting better involvement from the public. We are getting better-educated municipal governments, and we're still getting full support from provincial and federal agencies.
4:20 p.m.
Conservative
Stephen Woodworth Conservative Kitchener Centre, ON
So when you mention possible concerns, you're really looking ahead to that period at the completion of the three years. At this point in time you're satisfied that everyone is pulling their weight?
4:20 p.m.
General Manager and Secretary Treasurer, Quinte Conservation Authority
Yes, based on the economic climate that we're dealing with. The Bay of Quinte area has been very fortunate. Funding from all levels has been adequate to get us where we are, and I think to take us where we're going.
4:20 p.m.
Conservative
Stephen Woodworth Conservative Kitchener Centre, ON
Am I correct that the Government of Canada is the co-lead on the Bay of Quinte remedial action plan?
4:20 p.m.
Conservative
Stephen Woodworth Conservative Kitchener Centre, ON
How important has the Government of Canada's role been as co-lead?
4:20 p.m.
General Manager and Secretary Treasurer, Quinte Conservation Authority
Extremely important. We have access to a lot of the staff expertise.
4:20 p.m.
Conservative
Stephen Woodworth Conservative Kitchener Centre, ON
What will be the end result when the Bay of Quinte is delisted? What does that mean for the residents in that area, and the tourists that you mentioned also?
4:20 p.m.
General Manager and Secretary Treasurer, Quinte Conservation Authority
The largest impact will be public relations. I think historically, for the last 25 years, it's been, “Don't talk about the water quality. Don't talk about the situations that exist in the Bay of Quinte.” There were rumours everywhere about the fish being polluted and that you couldn't eat them. All of those are now gone.
4:20 p.m.
Conservative
4:20 p.m.
General Manager and Secretary Treasurer, Quinte Conservation Authority
So now it's time to start bragging, but not to give up. We can't stop. We have to keep going.
4:20 p.m.
Conservative
Stephen Woodworth Conservative Kitchener Centre, ON
Thank you.
I have a question for Ms. Fox. I was interested in your mention of targets for the nearshore, and I immediately leapt to the assumption that you were talking about phosphorus targets, but I don't know if that's the case. I'd like to know what, if any, work has been done to come to an appropriate agreement about targets to this point.
4:20 p.m.
Manager, Policy and Planning, Conservation Ontario
We have a representative on the nutrient management annex subcommittee for the Great Lakes Water Quality Agreement, and they are charged with coming up with the phosphorus targets. They've created a task group around that. I believe our representative on that is from the Grand River Conservation Authority. So coming up with the phosphorus targets is in progress.
I didn't specify phosphorus targets, because perhaps there are other things that need to be targeted to improve conditions in the nearshore. But the immediate priority is certainly phosphorus.
