A new report says cutbacks in the Ontario government have led to a shortfall in monitoring for water pollution. The Great Lakes Radio Consortium’s Karen Kelly has this report:
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A new report says cutbacks in the Ontario government have led to a shortfall in monitoring for water pollution. The Great Lakes Radio Consortium’s Karen
Kelly reports.
The study was released by the Canadian Institute of Environmental Law and Policy.
It looked at Ontario’s pollution program for surface and groundwater over a five-year period. And it found the number of pollution discharges, spills and leaks doubled between 1994 and 99, while the number of investigations dropped. But ministry spokesman John Steele says things have changed over the last couple of years.
“Our enforcement figures are very, very good right now. I think there are about 200 additional staff of which about 150 are involved in the enforcement.”
Steele says the number of cleanup orders issued to industry increased by more than 300 percent in the last two years. But the study’s authors say the province releases little information about water pollution to the public. For the Great Lakes Radio Consortium, I’m Karen Kelly.