Tweed presents changes to
Navigable Waters Act

Ottawa- June 13, 2008  – Earlier this week, Merv Tweed, Member of Parliament for Brandon-Souris, presented the Navigable Waters Protection Act (NWPA) Report to the House of Commons. 

“The committee has put forth eight recommendations to the House in order to update this 126 year old legislation,” said Tweed, Chair of the Commons Committee on Transport, Infrastructure and Communities.

In February, the government requested that the House of Commons Standing Committee undertake consultations to review the NWPA.  This Act, which was written in 1882, is one of the oldest pieces of legislation in Canada.

“Any waterways currently defined as navigable waters will not change,” said Tweed.  “The committee has concluded certain parts of the legislation regarding work procedures, inspections and environmental concerns need to be addressed.”

This is the first stage in the process in dealing with changes to the NWPA.  Once the Committee receives the government’s proposed amendments they will be undertaking further consultations.

“I would like to commend the committee for their hard work reviewing the NWPA,” said Tweed.