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It's Not An April Fool Prank

April 1st, 2010

Unless a last minute bolt of common sense strikes from above, last night Environment Canada ended a program that has saved taxpayers millions and has resulted in environmental enhancement in Atlantic Canada. Ridiculous as this may seem, it is not an April Fool’s prank.

In response to growing concern in the 1990s of Canadians over environmental degradation the Progressive Conservative government of the day created Canada’s Green Plan. In the Atlantic region, Environment Canada created the Atlantic Coastal Action Program (ACAP).

For its day, the approach was almost revolutionary. Environment Canada would work with communities so that they had the tools to identify their environmental priorities and to create and implement solutions.

This turned into a unique partnership that has saved taxpayers millions and its achievements have surpassed the wildest dreams of its originators. This assertion arises from independent review of the program.

Gardner Pinfold Consulting Economists, likely the highest regarded firm of its type in Canada, have undertaken two reviews of this program that yielded similar results. They concluded that if Environment Canada had tried to fulfill its mandate in Atlantic Canada using traditional approaches, it would have cost the Canadian taxpayer more than $70 million over five years, ten times more was spent working directly with communities.

Furthermore, they found that every Environment Canada dollar attracted an additional three dollars in environmental spending from a wide variety of private and public sector agencies. In a period when government finances are strained, these rates of returns are impressive.

In one five year period, they found that Environment Canada invested six million dollars over a five-year period in 14 community organizations. The groups attracted another $17 million dollars in investment and paid the federal government eight million in payroll taxes. The federal government was turning a surplus of two million dollars on the investment by Environment Canada.

Not only was the program fiscally successful, its environmental achievements exceeded even the wildest expectations. In the Annapolis Valley more than 500,000 square meters of aquatic habitats have been improved, municipal treatment facilities have been upgraded and hundreds of homeowners have participated in pollution prevention and energy conservation programs.

The Clean Annapolis River Project (CARP) was the first community organization invited to participate in ACAP. Its achievements have attracted national and international attention. CARP contributes more than a half of a millions dollars annually to the local economy of which slightly more than 10 per cent comes from ACAP.

ACAP is mired in bureaucratic inertia that even direct intervention by Members of Parliament from throughout Atlantic Canada has not stirred. Provincial concerns are being ignored.

To add insult to injury, a similar program in Quebec has been extended without any explanations from the bureaucrats. Interestingly, these are some of the same individuals who have pompously proclaimed that they are proud to serve all Canadians!

Regardless of the criteria, the loss of this program makes absolutely no sense. Unless a ministerial bolt of common sense strikes, this exceptionally successful program is dead. This is not an April Fool’s prank.

Comments are always welcome and can be addressed to stephenhawboldt@annapolisriver.ca