Help Victoria become a Blue Community

2011 June 16, by Chapter Council

Help Victoria become a blue community!

Update: 16-June

The Governance and Priorities Committees of the Whole (consisting of the Mayor and full council) voted today to sponsor the Blue Community resolution for the June 23rd Council Meeting! The vote and discussion were overwhelmingly positive, let the Mayor and City Council know that you appreciate their efforts to designate Victoria a Blue Community.

Actions

1. Let the Mayor and Town Council know that you support Victoria becoming a blue community. Click here to email mayor and council.
2. Attend the council meeting at Victoria town hall June 23rd at 7:30 PM and let the council know that you want Victoria to be a Blue Community. Here is the facebook link for the event.
3. Share this with as many people you can, the town council needs to know that there is community support for your efforts.
4. Learn more about blue communities below.

What is a Blue Community?

A blue community

1. Recognizes water as a human right
2. Promotes publicly financed, owned and operated water and wastewater services
3. Restricts and bans the sale of bottled water in civic facilities and at municipal events.

Marianne Alto of the Victoria City Council will be introducing resolutions to declare the City of Victoria to be Canada’s second blue community after Burnaby, BC.

The Resolutions are:

Resolution One

WHEREAS water belongs to no one and is the responsibility of all

WHEREAS
water is essential for human life and thus its management needs to be
governed by principles that enable reasonable use, distribution and
treatment

WHEREAS public health depends on equitable access to clean water

WHEREAS
public ownership and operation of drinking water and wastewater systems
have improved access and quality over the past century

WHEREAS
public operation of water services is a) cost effective and efficient,
b) transparent and accountable to the public and users, and c) flexible
and responsive to changing technology, priorities and community needs

BE IT RESOLVED THAT the City of Victoria recognize the human right to water

BE
IT RESOLVED THAT the City of Victoria promote and support public and
non-profit ownership and operation of water supply, water treatment and
wastewater treatment services in our community, and

BE IT RESOLVED
THAT the Victoria City Council lobby the federal government to fulfill
its responsibility to support municipal infrastructure by investing in a
national water infrastructure fund that would address the growing need
to renew existing water infrastructure and build new systems.

 

Resolution Two

WHEREAS the City of Victoria enjoys a high quality of tap water

WHEREAS
the production and use of plastic single serve water bottles has
unnecessarily added tonnes of plastic to our recycling efforts and
landfills

BE IT RESOLVED THAT the City of Victoria expand its
existing policy banning the use of single serving bottled water at City
Hall events to a ban of the sale of bottled water at City hall, at city
facilities and at civic events, and

BE IT RESOLVED THAT the City of Victoria promote the quality, safety and use of its tap water.

I hope you will come out and support Marianne Alto and the council as they debate on Victoria becoming a blue community.