Regina fights to keep water public

The latest fight against privatization of our vital municipal services is heating up in Regina, Saskatchewan. After more than 24,000 people signed a petition calling for a referendum on plans to privatize the construction of a new wastewater treatment plant, citizens of Regina will vote on September 25 on whether to keep the city’s wastewater system in public hands or to turn it over to private control in a 30-year public-private partnership (P3). The campaign to say “Yes” to public water in the referendum is being led by Regina Water Watch (RWW), a coalition of concerned citizens dedicated to ensuring Regina’s water resources remain entirely in public hands. The Regina Chapter of the Council of Canadians has been an active member of RWW since it was founded, and Council of Canadians National Chairperson Maude Barlow will be speaking at a public forum in Regina on September 11. Forcing municipalities across Canada to privatize their public services by making P3s a condition to receive federal funding is a key strategy of the Harper government. In late 2011, residents in Abbotsford, B.C. voted overwhelmingly to reject federal funding tied to the privatization of their municipal water system. For more news and information on the campaign to keep Regina’s water public, visit: reginawaterwatch.ca. This information originally posted by the Council of Canadians

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