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Federal Environment Minister, Jim Prentice, announced last week new regulations for wastewater treatment facilities in Canadian municipalites. This will impact about 3,700 installations in 10 provinces and the Yukon, 1,000 of which will need investments between $10 billion and $13 billion.

As we can read on the Toronto’s Sun website, ”municipalities that fail to obey the new regulations will be fined up to $300,000 for a first offence and up to $1 million for a second offense. There’s no new money, which means cities must fund upgrades the way they normally pay for infrastrucutre or they could try to tap into what’s left of the infrastructure stimulus money.”

To read full article, click here.

Le chevronné journaliste Denis Lessard du quotidien montréalais La Presse suit le premier ministre du Québec M. Jean Charest dans sa mission économique en Inde, qui se déroule du 31 janvier au 6 février 2010.

Il signe ce matin un papier intitulé “Charest en Inde: «On doit profiter d’un marché en pleine expansion»” dans lequel le premier ministre explique pourquoi il a entrepris cette mission et ce que représente l’Inde son taux de croissance économique dépassant les 10% pour les entreprises québécoises.

H2O Innovation participe à la mission du Québec en Inde.

Denis Lessard signe également un autre texte dans l’édition de ce lundi 1er février dans lequel il expose les raisons qui motivent des entrepreneurs québécois tels que Bombardier et CAE à faire affaires en Inde. En voici un extrait :

“Selon Simon Prévost, président des Manufacturiers et exportateurs du Québec, l’Inde reste, pour bien des gens d’affaires québécois, plus rassurante que la Chine ou d’autres pays émergents.

Ancienne colonie britannique, l’Inde a pu compter sur un système d’éducation solide qui a produit des chercheurs de pointe en informatique et en biologie, notamment.

«En partant, il y a 6% de la population, surtout chez les décideurs, qui parle anglais. C’est loin d’être le cas en Chine», résume-t-il. Le problème de la corruption est aussi bien moins présent que dans d’autres pays, en Russie notamment.”

Yesterday, the American Water Works Association recommended to its members to get implicated in recovery efforts following Tuesday’s devastating earthquake in Haiti by making a donation to agencies such as Catholic Relief Services and Mercy Corps.  

In a press release published yesterday, AWWA Interim Executive Director Paula MacIlwaine says: ”As a water community, we are all keeny aware of the water-related crises the earthquake will introduce. Access to safe drinking water is frequently among the first threats to survivors in impacted areas. The threat of waterborne disease may persist as the emergency response concludes and the reconstruction effort begins”.

As an AWWA member, H2O Innovation supports the Association’s efforts and encourages everyone who can to make monetary donations to contribute to the rescue and recovery efforts.

To read AWWA’s full press release, click here.

The American Membrane Technology Association will be holding a Technology Transfer Workshop in San Juan, Puerto Rico from January 19^th to 21^st 2010. The main topic to be discussed is membrane treatment in the Caribbean. As we can read on AMTA website, attendees will learn about basic overview of various membrane technologies including introduction to MF/UF/NF/RO, membrane systems in the Bahamas, integrated membrane systems including residuals management post-treatment and blending, “Green” water treatment topics that include energy footprint reductions, the future of membrane technology as well as highlights of local membrane facilities.

To see the workshop’s full program schedule, click here.

A recent story by the New York Times reports that as many as 20% of the United States water treatment systems have not respected regulations and laws governing water quality standards over the last five years.

From the New York Times analysis of federal data we can learn that, while some infractions were one-time events, for many these infractions have lasted years. Years during which municipal drinking water was contaminated, a situation that could be linked to the development of health issues including cancer.

The story continues by outlining the necessity that laws and regulations be enforced for utilities to comply to them. Let us add that adequate funding must also be provided for utilities to operate properly. A situation that the present Obama administration has understood as it has made it clear that safe water and proper funding of water infrastructure is one of its priorities.

Un article paru dans La Presse Affaires ce matin annonce la création de Écotech Québec, une nouvelle grappe industrielle dans le secteur des technologies propres.

”Écotech Québec veut créer un «momentum» autour des entreprises de la province-il y en aurait déjà près d’un millier- qui développent des technologies capables de lutter contre les changements climatiques ou d’améliorer la qualité de l’environnement. «Notre but est que le Québec devienne un développeur de technologies et un exportateur sur les marchés mondiaux» a déclaré hier Denis Leclerc, ancien vice-président au développement durable chez AbitibiBowater, qui vient de prendre les rênes du nouveau vaisseau en tant que président et chef de la direction d’Écotech Québec.” (citation de l’article de La Presse Affaires publié vendredi le 11 décembre 2009)

Selon le journaliste Philippe Mercure, la venue de ce regroupement suscite beaucoup d’enthousiasme car le marché est en pleine expansion. Il déclare justement que les technologies propres auraient surpassé les biotechnologies aux yeux des investisseurs de capital-risque, et ce, au niveau mondial. De plus, il considère que la crise économique a étrangement favorisé ce secteur vu que plusieurs pays ont tenu compte du développement durable dans leur plan de relance économique.

Le Devoir en parle également dans son édition papier aujourd’hui. Pour lire l’article complet de La Presse Affaires en ligne, cliquez ici.

La suite du dossier sur les technologies propres sera publiée demain dans la Presse Affaires.

The Quebec cleantech industry has officially launch its industrial cluster alliance yesterday. Branded as Écotech Québec, the alliance of firms, government bodies, NGOs and associations aims to help companies commercialize clean technologies developed in Quebec, mobilize the industry, increase its international competitiveness and position the province as a North American center of excellence in clean technologies.

The cluster should increase awareness of the cleantech industry as an important industry in Quebec, as cleantech companies attract more and more investors and entrepreneurs.

The Montreal Gazette has a piece on the launch of Ecotech Quebec its in December 11 print edition.

A Canwest News Service story publisehd today talks about a recent report issued by Statistics Canada about Canada’s drinking water quality being excellent. The report summarizes the findings of Statistics Canada’s first-ever survey of drinking water plants in the country.

Statistics Canada’s survey is a must read for all interested by water quality in Canada. It can be read here.