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Municipalities could wind up with a $45-billion hole in their coffers because of some newly proposed waste water regulations that were designed to crack down on pollution, warns an analysis by the Canadian Union of Public Employees.
“Introducing and upgrading equipment and infrastructure will have a significant financial impact on all municipalities,” said the briefing note prepared by policy experts at the labour union which has about 600,000 members across Canada.
The proposed federal regulations are designed to tackle water pollution by cracking down on municipalities that dump raw sewage into bodies of water without any treatment. The government has released a draft version of the regulations.
CUPE and municipalities across Canada have said they agree with the regulations, but believe existing federal and provincial funding programs will not cover the costs.
The note also suggests the government’s proposal doesn’t set standards for infrastructure capable of withstanding changes in the climate and an expected increase in extreme weather events.
“Erratic climate events like sudden thaws, floods, more intense storms and changes in rain/snow patterns will put a strain on waste water systems,” said the briefing note. “The new infrastructure must take this into account. New waste water systems cannot be built based on the climate patterns of the 20th century.”
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