Mr. Speaker, I am honoured to speak on the merits of Motion No. 69.
For much of human history, we have used lead for its high density, low melting point, ductility, and relative inertness against oxygen corrosion. In the 20th century, lead has been commonly used in a variety of products. From paint to pipes, the uses seemed endless, but that was before we understood the unfortunate effects that lead has on a person's health.
Before the 1950s, lead was commonly used in the pipes that make up our drinking water systems due to the malleability of the metal, which made it easy to bend and shape, and its resistance to corrosion. It was at this point that most of the piping that brings water to homes was being constructed with lead-based pipes.
These vast and complicated systems of water distribution were efficient and economical. There was no issue until scientists became aware of the danger that this material can have on the everyday water use. However, even once the industy knew, it was still behind in limiting the use of these dangerous pipes.
The National Plumbing Code of Canada did not recognize lead as a harmful material until it was too late, allowing lead in home plumbing until 1975, and as a solder until 1986. This has allowed for hundreds of thousands of homes being built with water infrastructure that is dangerous to the residents.
The issue with replacing these lead pipes is not that we are unwilling, but that these pipes are mainly located beneath privately owned property. Thus, the responsibility to replace these pipes rests on the shoulders of the property owner and not the municipality. As a result, many of these pipes are lying unnoticed underground, contaminating the water supplies of countless Canadians. The cost to Canadians is enormous. Contractors who remove the piping charge thousands of dollars to do so, due to the large undertaking of these projects.
We are aware of the dangerous effects of having lead in our water supply. In children, lead exposure can cause anemia, behavioural problems, slow growth, and a lower IQ. In adults, it can lead to kidney failure, high blood pressure, and sterility in both men and women.
There is a reason we do not use lead in our pipes anymore. We are no strangers to the dangers of lead exposure. This is why lead has not been in use for this purpose since the 1970s, and why most old pipes have been replaced.
The problem we face with the removal of lead pipes is that while many municipalities are working to replace old plumbing with new and safer plumbing, in most cities, the responsibility to replace lead pipes under private property falls to the homeowner. This can cost as much as ten thousand dollars plus.
The majority of homes still getting water from these pipes are old homes, dating back to the 1950s and 1960s, in older cities, like Toronto, Ottawa, Montreal, Edmonton, and Vancouver, just to name a few. Often these homes have not had their pipes inspected in decades. Many people are not even aware of the type of piping that services their homes. Many of these homes are in low-income neighbourhoods, where the massive price tag is far beyond anything they can afford, leaving residents to live with the contaminated water.
Safe drinking water is a necessity for all Canadians. While many provinces have testing standards for drinking water, unfortunately, it is not uniform across all provinces and territories.
In Toronto, the provincial government took a temporary break from testing for lead and will not resume it until 2017. The City of Toronto has started treating its water with phosphate to prevent the corrosion of the lead pipes that causes contamination. However, because Ontario is not currently testing the waters for lead, we do not know if it is working.
In Montreal, despite the fact that the city has had a plan since 2006 to remove the 69,000 lead pipes throughout the city, only roughly 8,000 have been dealt with so far.
On top of this, more often than not, homeowners are not even aware of what they are drinking. Certain cities, like Calgary and Edmonton, send annual notices to homes serviced by lead pipes, reminding them of the danger and that they can get it fixed. It is a friendly notice that they have an issue which must be dealt with in a timely fashion.
Additionally, many places will help homeowners get their water tested for lead contamination. However, we need to make sure that this is happening all over the country, and that every Canadian who is currently being serviced by lead pipes is aware of their options to replace their water system or filter for their drinking water.
When Matt and Mandy Pisarek moved into an old home in Toronto's Beaches neighbourhood, the last thing they thought they would have to worry about was their drinking water. It was only by chance that they discovered that despite the fact that all the pipes on their street had been replaced in the late seventies, the plumbing under their house was still leaching dangerous levels of lead into their water. With Mandy pregnant, and both of them soon to be parents, they were concerned for their child's safety. They explored every option. Unfortunately the $10,000 price tag was just too much for them, and Matt decided they would buy a filter to protect his wife and child from the dangers in their faucets.
This story is not unique. Thousands and thousands of Canadians do not know whether or not their water is safe to drink, and are exposing themselves to the unfortunate effects of their old plumbing.
This motion will help the federal government, provinces, territories, and municipalities to collaborate and come up with solutions that will ensure the best possible solution to the lead pipe problem. We need to recognize that there is a problem with the way this country looks at safe drinking water, and we need to fix it. The motion proposed by the member opposite from Hamilton East—Stoney Creek is imperative to developing a national strategy for removing lead pipes from water supplies. We need to work with provinces and territories all across the country to make sure that all Canadians have safe drinking water in their homes.
Most municipalities have taken action to ensure they conform to the standards laid out in 2009 surrounding the removal and replacement of lead pipes, but there are still places where this issue has taken a back seat. Residents in these communities are being needlessly put at risk and they do not even know it.
Additionally, many experts argue that Canada is still far behind the United States when it comes to tracking lead levels and legislating safe specifications for drinking water. This is unacceptable. The U.S. is still dealing with the water crisis in Flint, and yet we still are struggling to keep up with them. We can do better; we must do better for all Canadians.
We need to be working to ensure that all Canadians are able to tum on their faucets without fearing for the health of their children and themselves. We know the risks of lead contamination, and we know that Canadian families deserve better than this. It is our responsibility to protect the people of this nation, not only from threats abroad but from the unassuming threats at home, or in this case, in and under their own homes.
With the Liberal government committing to spending so much on infrastructure, I hope that it will support this motion that seeks to improve infrastructure and protect public safety at the same time. The safety of all Canadians is something we can all agree on, and I hope that everyone will support this motion.
