The Mayor of Buchans says no progress can be made on addressing new federal wastewater regulations while the federal government treats municipal leaders and staff like common criminals.
Derm Corbett made clear the kind of impact the new regulations will have during an emergency meeting called by Municipalities Newfoundland and Labrador.
All seven of the province’s MPs were in attendance at the Holiday Inn yesterday as municipal leaders from across the province outlined their concerns meeting regulations that are both financially and physically impossible to meet by deadlines imposed by Ottawa.
Some councils have already been served with papers demanding they comply with regulations or face crippling fines or even jail time.
Corbett indicated that the approach being taken is adding insult to injury.
Mayor Derm Corbett of Buchans says this isn't a joke.
He says their volunteer council spends 24 hours a day chasing broken pipes. They can't even start a conversation about treating wastewater. pic.twitter.com/j1LagIB1CV
— Andrew Hawthorn @ VOCM (@HawthornVOCM) September 6, 2019
He says he and his council have no interest in sitting at the table with anyone who considers them law breakers. He’s served 16 years on council, 12 of them as mayor, and hasn’t taken a nickle for it. He says Ottawa needs to look at them as hard-working muncipal leaders.
It’s not just rural communities that are facing difficulties meeting the regulations.
The capital city region has a new, sewage treatment plant on the South Side, but needs to put in more infrastructure to meet the new rules.
St. John’s Mayor Danny Breen says the regulations require that the city build a secondary wastewater treatment plant at tremendous cost to taxpayers.
He says they’re required to spend another $250-million on a new secondary treatment plant. On top of paying part of the capital costs, the city and taxpayers will have to pay the operating cost which will add another $100-mission to $150-million to the water tax bills of property owners.
