MOTION ON NOTICE

2. Approval of GVRD Liquid Waste Management Plan (File: 3753)

At the Council meeting of October 30, 2001, Councillor Bass submitted the following motion. Councillor Puil called Notice under Section 7.2 of the Procedure By-law.

WHEREAS Vancouver is committed to the Livable Region Strategy of the GVRD, which, under its "Protect the Green Zone" strategy, is entrusted to "minimize water pollution from urban development and fulfill Greater Vancouver's role in maintaining environmental quality in the Georgia Basin";

AND WHEREAS the Vancouver Sun of Oct. 26, 2001 reported that Environment Canada's laboratory tests of the outflow from both the Lions Gate and Iona Island sewage treatment plants consistently failed toxicity tests, in marked contrast to the GVRD's own passing tests for these same plants in 2000 and 2001;

AND WHEREAS these two plants, according to the Sun, discharge 257 billion litres of incompletely-treated sewage into the sea around us, and, what is toxic for fishes must ultimately be unsustainable for people;

AND WHEREAS the GVRD has arbitrarily redefined "unacceptable pollution" in terms of measured damage to the environment instead of the standard accepted by the Supreme Court of Canada which concerns the characteristics of the liquid that flows into the environment;

AND WHEREAS, according to the Sun article, the GVRD's claim that it is not polluting would promote a fundamental change in the way pollution is defined in Canada;

AND WHEREAS Council's Planning and Environment Committee was informed last March that the draft Liquid Waste Management Plan does not meet the Environment Canada requirement that GVRD effluent discharges must not violate the Fisheries Act;

AND WHEREAS Council approved the draft regional Liquid Waste Management Plan before being made aware of the Environment Canada tests conducted between May and October, 2001;

AND WHEREAS the draft Liquid Waste Management Plan has not received approval by BC Water, Land and Air Protection Minister Joyce Murray who also may not havebeen aware of these failing test results;

AND WHEREAS the Sierra Legal Defense Fund and other organizations have just asked Minister Murray to reject the GVRD's liquid waste management plan because of its failure to provide secondary sewage treatment;

AND WHEREAS Councillor Puil, the GVRD and the GVS&DD are exposing themselves to substantial liabilities under the Fisheries Act, which according to the Vancouver Sun, could amount to $1 million and three months prison per violation;

THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED THAT Council invite Environment Canada Director Brian Wilson to brief Council on these unacceptable test results, on the GVRD's proposed Liquid Waste Management Plan which ignores the court-tested Canadian standard for pollution, on the threat this plan may pose to the environmental integrity of the Fraser Basin; and on actions Environment Canada would take under the Fisheries Act;

AND BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED THAT Council ask the Minister of Water, Land, and Air, Joyce Murray, to withhold approval of the draft Liquid Waste Management Plan (LWMP) until Council has an opportunity to consider the implications of information provided by Environment Canada and reconsider its initial approval of the GVRD Liquid Waste Management Plan.

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