Mayor’s
Water Scheme Withdrawn
Toronto
City Councillors voted to scrap the Mayor’s plan to create an arms
length water board at a special joint meeting of Policy & Finance and
Works Committees on Tuesday November 19th. The Councillors
voted almost unanimously to abandon the plan in the face of the
community’s wide opposition. Instead, they voted to recommend to Council
a proposal put forward by the City’s Water Advocate Irene Jones (Ward
6).
If approved next week at City Council’s last meeting of the year (Nov.26), the revised plan would see the creation of a new committee made up of seven councillors (including the water advocate), reporting directly to council, that would be solely responsible for water and wastewater issues. The newly proposed committee would also have two advisory committees: a technical and a citizens committee. This effectively keeps water and wastewater as part of the City’s infrastructure and under the direct control and accountability of elected politicians.
At Tuesday’s special joint meeting it was clear that the Mayor and the water board promoters on City Council failed to sell their plan to the public. They were unable to contain the public’s fear that by creating the Toronto Water Board, it would lead to the eventual privatization of the system.
In a surprise deputation at the joint meeting, Wade Rathke, the community leader who successfully fought the privatization of the New Orleans water services told the horror story of how their water board tried to privatize their water system. Mounting public opposition forced the New Orleans water board last month, in a landmark decision, to reject all private bids. Toronto City Councillors acknowledged that they had been lobbied by United Water, one of the three multinational corporations involved in the New Orleans privatization bid.
The reversal of the Mayor’s water scheme can be attributed to the direct participation of Toronto’s residents. Thousands and thousands of Torontonians signed petitions, delivered flyers, called and met with their Councillors, e-mailed City staff and made their voices heard.
Proponents
of the Water Board acknowledged that it was the public's persistent and
vocal opposition to the plan that made them change their minds. Concerns
about accountability, privatization and safety were received, loud and
clear, at City Hall. “Councillor’s did not expect the level of public
opposition and rage to their idea. There were also concerns that the water
board was becoming a key factor in next year’s municipal election
campaign” said John Cartwright President on the Toronto and York Region
Labour Council.
Contact
info: Patty C. Barrera 416.571.2139.