Provenzano: The environment is a personal concern

NEWS RELEASE

CHRISTIAN PROVENZANO LIBERAL CANDIDATE SAULT STE. MARIE & AREA

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SAULT STE. MARIE - Addressing pressing environmental issues needs to become a priority in Canadian politics, says Christian Provenzano, Liberal candidate for Sault Ste. Marie.

Says Provenzano: “Environmental issues are of great personal concern to me. We need to protect our air and water quality and preserve the great natural beauty we have locally. I want to make sure we take the steps to ensure that future generations aren’t negatively affected by issues like climate change and the loss of freshwater.”

The Liberal party’s platform contains numerous environmental initiatives.

One focus area is renewable energy.

By reintroducing the Renewable Energy Power Production Incentive, the Liberals plan to quadruple Canada’s low-impact renewable energy production to 10 percent of Canada’s total electricity output by 2017.

“I don’t know of any community in North America that has embraced renewable energy as whole-heartedly as the Sault Ste. Marie area,” says Provenzano.

“Not only does investment in renewable energy benefit the environment, it also helps create new, well-paying jobs. Sault Ste. Marie is positioned to thrive in the energy-efficient economy of the future. Our plan to boost investment in renewable energy with the RPPI will help attract even more clean technology companies and jobs to the Sault Ste. Marie region.”

The Liberal platform also calls for a Canadian Freshwater Strategy to address challenges such as groundwater contamination, drought and flooding, and better water consumption efficiency.

The strategy will invest between $100 and $125 million annually to restore threatened areas in the Great Lakes and St. Lawrence regions, support efforts to clean up Lake Winnipeg, and advance research into protecting freshwater ecosystems from invasive species.

Says Provenzano: “Locally, we know the importance of protecting freshwater. We’ve seen the great strides that have been made to improve the water quality of the St. Marys River over the last 25 years.”

“We also have many experts on invasive species working at several local organizations. By providing more funding to them, Sault Ste. Marie can take an even greater leadership role in addressing the impact of freshwater invasive species like the sea lamprey, spiny water flea and Asian carp.”

“There are a host of environmental challenges we need to address. It won’t be easy, but residents of the Sault and area have shown what can be done when there is will and commitment. With your support, I want our community to show the rest of Canada the way forward to a future that is greener, more sustainable and more prosperous,” concludes Provenzano.

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