The Bog
The Bog is where thoughts, opinions, discussion pieces, and action converge. Influential thinkers from the water community are invited to share their insights on current or controversial water topics. Please note that the views expressed herein are those of the authors, and do not necessarily reflect the position of the Alberta WaterPortal.
If you are interested in writing as a guest blogger, please visit our Guest Writer Guidelines page.
Party like it’s 2064… In the midst of the most severe economic crisis of our time, Calgary sits pretty between the Bow and the Elbow, its feathers mostly unruffled, its spirits high. This is the land of plenty. Roots just opened a flagship store near the downtown core, Calgarians are flocking to see the Broadway musical Hairspray, the Stampeders won…
Land-Use Planning for Watershed Health: Can Alberta’s Land-Use Framework Help? Managing the cumulative effects of land-use change is necessary for keeping our watersheds healthy. The problem is that there are few incentives for land-use decision makers to address cumulative effects in land-use planning at a regional or watershed scale (i.e., beyond municipal boundaries). Furthermore, there is no legislation in Alberta that…
Water Use by Alberta’s Upstream Oil and Gas Industry The Canadian Association of Petroleum Producers (CAPP) is the voice of the upstream oil and natural gas industry in Canada. CAPP represents 140 member companies who explore for, develop and produce more than 95 per cent of Canada’s natural gas, crude oil, oil sands and elemental sulphur. Water is an integral…
First Nations Water Opinion by Juli Abouchar, Willms & Shier Environmental Lawyers LLP Across the country year after year, a disproportionate number of First Nations communities have Boil Water Advisories (BWA). The number fluctuates, but as of June 13, 2008, ninety five First Nations communities across Canada were under a BWA. Many of these communities have been on BWAs for…
A Growing Debate – The Value of Water Opinion by Bill Berzins, President of Fossil Water “We never know the worth of water till the well is dry.” Thomas Fuller could very well have been warning Albertans when he coined this popular phrase in 1732. Indeed, as Alberta’s rapid pace of development places new demands on an increasingly scarce resource,…