HomeMy WebLinkAboutHuron Expositor, 2006-09-13, Page 7News
Local farmers pleased with provincial support
of changes proposed to Clean Water Act
The Huron Expositor • September 13, 2006
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Proposed changes to the
Clean :Water Act - Bill 43 -
which would see $7 million
put towards creating an.
assistance program, has
farmers pleased that their
recommendations have been
supported by the provincial
government.
In a press release from the
Ontario Federation of
Agriculture (OFA) president
Ron Bonnett, he said that
for months farmers and
their organizations have
been presenting opposition
to specific aspects of the pro-
posed Act.
"While farmers agreed on
the need to protect munici-
pal drinking water sources
from contamination, the
proposals contained in Bill
43 fell short of the govern-
ment's. intended mark," he
said in, the release.
With the proposed
changes, farmers now see
the Act as a support pro-
gram rather than an
enforcement program, says
Huron County Federation of
Agriculture president Nick
Whyte.
He added that the $7 mil-
lion will hopefully be in planning.
place to compensate farmers Bonnett said that the gov-
for the additional costs they . ernment has indicated that
will have to put out to coin- there will be more funding
cide-with the government's in the future once local
regulations. municipalities move forward
"Bill 43 is a fairly exten- with source water protection
sive piece of legislature
and certainly to comply
there's going to be a sig-
nificant cost to farmers,"
said Whyte.
He added that farmers
are hoping the new pro-
posals will also mean
that they have more
input inthe govern-
ment's decisions with
regards to regulations.
"We hope it (the Act) is
administered in a way
that makes it more user
friendly," he said.
A press release from
the Ministry of
Environment says the
proposed $7 million
would . include $5 million
towards supporting early
action to protect land
and water surrounding
water wells and close to
municipal water intakes
and $2 million towards
supporting local educa-
tion and outreach related
to source protection
Accessibility in Huron East
reviewed by council
Enforcing the handicapped parking spots that already
exist would be a good first step in creating more accessi-
bility in Huron County, Mayor Joe Seili told Huron East
council at its Sept. 5 meeting.
A resolution from the Huron County accessiblity advi-
sory committee is asking the council and its lower tier
municipalities to create guidelines and bylaws to accom-
modate side -loading vehicles.
"They want more traffic spaces and larger ones to
safely offload," said Seili.
The resolution stresses the impor-
tance of an increased number and
variety of parking spaces for "per-
sons with varying abilities."
"If we enforce the ones we have
now, that'd be a good step. We have a
problem with that all over. I've seen
people get out at the bank (after
parking at a handicapped spot) and
walk in with no problem," he said.
Seaforth Coun. Joe Steffler agreed,
saying handicapped parking spots on
Seaforth's Main Street are often
abused.
"They should spend the day in a
wheelchair and it wouldn't happen
again," said McKillop Coun. Sharon
McClure.
"There's a penalty for you," agreed
Deputy -Mayor Bernie MacLellan.
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plans and have a better
understanding of the even-
tual costs.
He added that the govern-
ment has also proposed a -
special advisory panel made
up of agricultural, munici-
pal and small business rep-
resentatives to advise on the
most effective ways to spend
public money to ensure safe,
clean water- which was also
initially recommended by
the OFA.
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