Nine years after community pressure blocked water privatization, Vancouver’s new drinking water treatment plant has opened, and is delivering “the very best water in the world”.
The June 2001 decision to keep the new Seymour Capilano filtration plant public was a
major victory that rippled across the country, giving fresh energy to other anti-privatization fights.
CUPE organized on the ground with community allies, including the Council of Canadians, to raise awareness about the problems of privatization – including the trade dangers.
It was the trade implications that proved to be the tipping point for the Greater Vancouver Regional District - and sparked broader trade concerns with other municipalities.
At the time, the GVRD said CUPE’s campaign was a ‘catalyst’ in its decision.