News from Groups

Details

18 April 2011

Hits: 13743

MONCTON, APRIL10, 2011 – One year after the opening of the causeway gates on April 14,
2010, the federal government still has to confirm its intentions in regards to the Petitcodiac River
Restoration Project. In the context of the federal elections, Petitcodiac Riverkeeper sent a
questionnaire to each regional candidate to know their positions.

The Petitcodiac River causeway was declared illegal in March 2001 by former federal Minister
of Fisheries and Oceans, Herb Dhaliwal, following the tabling of the Niles Report. This
triggered a comprehensive joint federal-provincial environmental impact assessment in 2002,
completed in 2006, which recommended the construction of a partial bridge to restore the river’s
ecosystem and allow fish passage to comply with the Federal Fisheries Act. The federalprovincial
agreement of 2002 stipulated that the federal and provincial governments would share
the costs of the Petitcodiac River Restoration Project equally.

“The Petitcodiac River Restoration Project, valued at approximately $70 million in total, was
initiated in July 2008 and comprises of three phases: the last phase, the construction of a partial
bridge, should normally be completed in 2013 or 2014. Our federal representatives’ must
commit to do their share” insists Marco Morency, the Petitcodiac Riverkeeper.

The organisation sent the short questionnaire to all candidates of riding covering the Petitcodiac
watershed. The results will be released publicly in the coming weeks. In the last
elections, almost all applicants argued that the federal government should contribute at least 50%
towards the cost of the restoration project.

Details

18 April 2011

Hits: 16070

Interested in the impacts that shale gas and fracking could have on your community?  A number of groups have expressed an interest in forming a caucus to address this issue.  If your group is interested in participating, please let us know by the end of the day on Tuesday, April 19.

Does your group have resources that you’d like to get out to teachers?  The Sustainability Education Alliance will have a booth at the Anglophone high school teachers’ council day on May 6.  If you have English-language resources appropriate for high school teachers that you would like to display, please let Raissa know before the end of the month.

Details

08 April 2011

Hits: 21012

A number of environmental groups met with the Minister of Energy and his staff recently.  Word on the street is that the Minister is interested in moving toward a diverse array of energy options for the province.  But, he still holds firms in his support for the Point Lepreau refurbishment.  If you are interested in reading Mary Ann’s full report from the meeting, please let us know.

Liz Smith, long-standing delegate to the NB Pesticides Working Group, has submitted a report of the Working Group’s recent meeting.  Of note: the provincial pesticide act is now open for revision.  If you want to read Liz’s full report, please let us know.

Are you wondering how groups across Canada can better harness their collective work on water protection?  Well, the Canada Rivers Network is wondering this, and they’re asking you to fill out a survey to help them help you!