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Champion Country, Tuesday, March 30, 2004-15 Chanipion e, CH praises Ontario' s water protection plan IM5tDY iUMHAM FAINE vAnother season over Glen Eden Adventure Centre's Danielle Charlton and Josh Rivette pack away sorne of the more than 300 pairs of snowboardlng boots In the centre's rentai shop as skllng and snow- boardlng season came to a close last week. Province's White Paper gets big thumbs up Conservation Halton la applauding the Ontario govemment's recent actions to make water source protection mandatory througbout the province. On Febniary 12, the Ontario govemment releaaed its White Paper on Watershed- Based Source Protection Planning, which outlined a detailed approach to getting water source protection plans underway. The White Paper will be used as a basis for consultation on the proposcd frame- work for water source planning. The paper also describes thse legialative franework and timing for thse procesa along with addrcssing water-taking issues. "We support the development of a source protection plan for our watershed," said Conservation Halton (CH) CAO T1heresa Maguire-Garber. "Water source areas such as creeks, headwaters and wetlands that arc connect- cd to ground water need to be prosected to ensure thse quality and quantity of our drinking water." Even though many residens in the watershed get their driskig waser from Lake Ontario, Ms Maguire-Garber aaid aIl our creeka eventssally end up in the lake. -lThis is a pro-active, longz-tenn plan that is thse firat stcp of a multi-barrier approach to safe drinking water and healtby natural eco-systema," ase said. CH said it's committed to working together with aIl stakeholdera in the devel- opmnens of a water source protection plan. Ontario conservation authorities offer a framework for municipalities to make col- lective decisions on a watershed basis. "There arc tbree key areas that need lo be dctenssined for water source protection," said Robert Edmondson, director of Watershed Management Services. "Tbese include tIse teclinical aide with auch tbinga as level of analysis and tools rcquired, how it will be donc and by whom, and wberc tIse fuinding will corne from." CH part of meetings The Ministry of thse Envirornent held public meetings on Uic WIsite Paper in Marcb. CH was invited to participate Marcb 2 in a meeting hcld in Kitchener. During tIse past tbrce montbs, Conservation Ontario, tIse organization represcnting Ontario's 36 conservation autborities, bas been serving on govem- ment committeca on tbis issue. The Ministry of dic Environent is expecting legisîstion to be introduced after public consultations this spring and passed by falI. For morc information on water source protection planning, calI CH at (905) 336- 1158.g sit til-THI , 'tindin Miltoil S moi. liti. 10:00 ain. - Bao 1 - and Colf, on U'é www, the sanctuary, ca/mil ton WARNING: Chtirch has 1-)eeîi knom ii to dainage your licalth Ilowever atithentic Christianity could change N-our lite...