Remember the zany idea of building a dam across the top of James Bay, filling the bay with fresh water and sending it through canals to the thirsty U.S.?
Well, now Quebec is again eyeing water exports as a way to make big bucks. The government put out a 59-page “discussion paper,” saying it’s time to adopt an overall strategy to ensure good management of water supplies and “the maximum profit for Quebec.”
Coming in December is a conference on water management in Montreal.
Water is becoming an attractive commodity. Sales of bottled water are on the rise, and business wants to sell fresh water in bulk to countries with water shortages. The discussion paper says only 3 per cent of Quebec’s annual replenishment of water is used. It also says water supplies, now run by municipalities, could be privatized.
