Water met fire Thursday as the provincial government released its water strategy.
The big-picture strategy drew criticism from the opposition and Ecology Action Centre.
The 30-page Water for Life document explains the importance of water in the province. There are 29 actions outlined including establishing an advisory committee, making big users of water make conservation plans, and monitoring watersheds. “We all take this for granted — water — and we’re in a time that water is certainly important to all,” Sterling Belliveau, the environment minister, told reporters.
But Liberal environment critic Andrew Younger said it’s disappointing because it’s nothing new and there are no timelines attached.
“There’s no money or commitments through legislation,” he said. “This is just an attempt to meet the Dec. 31 deadline imposed by legislation to have a water strategy document done.”
The Ecology Action Centre released a statement saying they applaud the idea behind it, but the document is a “missed opportunity” because there are no targets or funding support.
There was one funding announcement made — Dalhousie University will be given $19,000 to create an inventory on Nova Scotia’s 46 primary watersheds.
