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EDMONTON – Edmonton City Council is considering a report which recommends handing control over sewage and drainage services to EPCOR.

A report by Price Waterhouse Coopers, to be discussed by council on Friday, recommends moving control and ownership of the City’s 5,000 km of sewer lines to EPCOR, a City owned utility.

The Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE), which represents City and EPCOR employees, says moving the $11 billion asset into EPCOR’s hands means voters will lose control over city assets.

Sewage and drainage services represent over half of the city asset base,” said Alex Grimaldi, President of CUPE Local 30. “Giving that asset to an EPCOR board of directors, who are not directly accountable to the voters, makes no sense.”

Grimaldi said such a large transfer of assets shouldn’t be done without broad public debate.

It’s not right for the city to keep this issue quiet,” said Grimaldi. “These assets belong to the citizens of Edmonton – and if they are being sold off, the owners should have a say in that.”

Grimaldi said CUPE will launch an advertising campaign next week to raise awareness of the issue.

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