Session: 38:2
Date: 31-May-2007

WATER QUALITY

Ms. Laurie Scott (Haliburton-Victoria-Brock): My question is to the Premier. People have been saying for years that there must be something in the water at Queen's Park, and yesterday we found out there were concerns that might be true. Over a month ago, the London Free Press reported test results that showed elevated levels of lead in the water. The government said they didn't believe it. When it was reconfirmed, they said it was restricted to London. When it was reported in Hamilton, they said that maybe communities should test the water, but it was up to them. They said they didn't have the power to compel mandatory testing, but then, some weeks later, they found the power and issued a directive for woefully inadequate testing in 36 communities across the province. It's as if the Keystone Cops are running the Ministry of the Environment.

My question for the Premier is, why did it take so long for this government to recognize there was a problem, and why, even when they did do something, was it so inadequate?

Hon. Dalton McGuinty (Premier, Minister of Research and Innovation): To the Minister of the Environment.

Hon. Laurel C. Broten (Minister of the Environment): Let me assure this House that I am not going to take any advice, when it comes to ensuring that we have safe, clean water in this province, from the party that left a legacy of issues with respect to water in this province. Let me assure the members that the Ministry of the Environment has been working very closely with communities since this very important issue arose in the community of London.

On April 20, immediately upon learning about the situation, the chief drinking water inspector, our primary adviser on water matters in the province, became involved. We provided drinking water inspectors to the community of London. On April 26, we engaged and put forward a new document from the federal government with respect to how we might be better able to improve our standards right across this country. And every single day we have been working to resolve this issue.

Ms. Scott: I wonder, when the minister answers like that, why she hasn't brought in the regulations for Bill 175 that would get the municipalities to take inventory and stock of the infrastructure that delivers the water to these houses. Here's what the testing order from the government states: Select 20 single-family homes. "The samples must be taken after a timed five-minute period of moderate flushing." Now here's what the proposed guidelines from Health Canada say. It's not just me; Health Canada says the initial sample should be "taken at the consumer's cold drinking water tap after the water has been stagnant for at least six hours"-no flushing. The initial sample should be taken at 100 monitoring sites.

The proposed guidelines have been posted by the McGuinty government on the Environmental Bill of Rights registry for consultation. The chief drinking water inspector even referred to them in his letter of April 27, 2007, to the municipalities. My question for the minister is this: It's a serious issue. Why wouldn't the government follow the stricter guidelines so that we can get a more accurate picture of what's going on with the water in the province? It's a simple question.

Hon. Ms. Broten: My primary responsibility is to protect the health and safety of Ontarians. That's exactly what we're doing. We're undertaking, in accordance with the order of the chief drinking water inspector, a test case around the province to determine the extent of the problem and identify solutions. We are working with experts that we have retained, North-America-wide experts who are giving us advice, and we are out there looking to determine what communities have lead issues, what communities have corrosive water, what communities have high pH levels. That's the type of information that the experts we've retained to assist us to get to the bottom of this issue tell us they need. That's the information we will have available to us by June 6. Let me tell you, we will get to the bottom of this issue by seeking advice from experts around the world.

Ms. Scott: The substance of the issue here before us is serious concerns about the quality of tap water in communities across the province. The tests, once they were ordered, don't even meet the new guidelines that are up for consultation. They don't meet the standards used in the United States. We now know that we're affected here, but the order from this government only requires testing in private dwellings. What about our schools, our hospitals and our other public institutions?

Will the minister take this seriously, order testing of the water in line with the proposed Health Canada guidelines, and will she do the same thing for our schools and hospitals?

Hon. Ms. Broten: I can tell you once again that we are taking advice from the most renowned experts in North America, who are helping us understand the circumstances that we have found in the community of London. We are working to collect results that will help them give us the best advice possible. I can tell you that the steps we are taking are being recognized as the prudent and responsible steps to take.

Let me give you a quote from another water expert, Anastasia Lintner of Sierra Legal Defence Fund: "We commend chief water inspector Jim Smith for responding to the potential threat to drinking water by issuing a mandatory order for lead testing in a range of communities. Such action is important to ensure transparency and accountability to the public in respect of drinking water concerns."

I will work with those water experts across the province and continue to take their advice, and we will get to the bottom of the issue that we have found in London.