Huron Expositor, 2006-12-17, Page 2December 27, 2006 • The Huron Expositor
News
Farmers want representation as committee
forms to discuss source water .protection
Susan H u n d e r t m a r k
As names are gathered to create a
Source Protection Planning
Committee, local farmers are fear -
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ing difficulties with yet -to -be
released regulations from the
provincial Clean Water Act. -
Farmers asked for more than the
three proposed seats on the 16 -
member committee being formed to
steer the development of a source
protection plan for the Ausable
Bayfield and Maitland Valley water-
sheds at a stakeholders' meeting
held in Clinton recently.
"Agriculture has the same con-
cerns you do and farmers have the
biggest stake in this. We're getting
hit very hard," said one farmer.
"Those of us in agriculture have
gone through several plans and ini-
tiatives and the fears and concerns
of agriculture are that this is our
livelihood,'-' said another farmer.
In anticipation of the regulations
being released in the new year, pro-
ject manager Cathie Brown told
those in attendance that a short list
of names is being gathered to sug-
gest a committee chair to the
Environment Minister and commu-
nity stakeholders area being invited
to submit names for committee
membership.
Discussion centred around the
qualities the committee's chair
should possess, including "neutrali-
ty as number 1 in importance."
"We really want to find the right
person. The short list has been very
difficult to generate," she said.
"We want someone with a big
knowledge base who can work with
all sectors and has a lot of credibili-
ty in the community," added
Ausable Bayfield communications
specialist Tim Cumming.
Other proposed representatives
on the planning committee include
five municipal representatives,
three agricultural representatives,
two environmental representatives,
and one each from a landowner
group, business and tourism, the
health unit and the public at large.
Along with the main planning
committee, community members
will be able to get involved on six
regional working groups, a munici-
pal sub -committee and through an
interactive website -at sourcewater-
info.on.ca.
"You can sign up as a member and
participate in a discussion forum.
We want to get the dialogue going,"
said communications specialist
Ryan Conway with the Maitland
Valley Conservation Authority.
So far, Brown said there are 30
expressions of interest to get
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involved in the working groups and
"there's more space to sign on."
While farmers expressed concern
about the potential expense of
changes that need to be made to
farms to keep water clean, Brown
said the costs won't be known until
the regulations are released.
"Everything for the good of a soci-
ety has a price tag," she said,
adding that everyone is contributing
to those costs by wasting water and
putting contaminants into the water
system.
"We will be putting forth a plan of
what's practical - that's why we
have all the working groups. We can
push this forward with a flavour
that fits us," she said.
While there are over 55,000
parcels of land in the study area,
Brown said only 5,000 properties
will initially be affected and those
a're properties in the vicinity of a
municipal well.
"We want to make sure we're not
creating a panic," she said, adding
that urban areas will -be just as
affected as farmland.
"It's not all farm related. It could
just as easily be a gas station that
need s a double -lined tank," she
said.
Huron East council
continues farm tax
deferral despite
more stable prices
From Page 1
But, he added that with the CAIS (Canadian
Agricultural Income Stabilization) program paying
farmers for 2003 right now and 2004's payment expect-
ed before Christmas, farmers are still having troubles.
"They're (farmers are) not the only ones slow in pay-
ing," he said.
McKillop Coun. Bill Siemon said he sold corn at
cheaper prices in August than the Dec. 4 levels.
"Not everyone could afford to wait and sell now," he
said.
MacLellan argued that the municipality does lose
$20,000 off of its budget by deferring the farmland tax
payments.
"We curse the provincial capping system every year
but we're capping ourselves. If it looks like prices are
up, it's time to take it (the tax deferral) off. We should
put it back in hoping prices will be good for farmers,"
said MacLellan.
There are 7,700 taxable properties in Huron East, of
which 1,700 have farmland assessment attached to
them.
Knight said he's still getting calls from other munici-
palities asking about the tax deferral program.