Media Clipping — September 2000, The Gallon Environment Letter

Nova Scotia Oceans and Waterways Provide $11.2 Billion Benefit

The environmental consulting firm, GPI (Genuine Progress Index) Atlantic Inc., conducted a 230-page study entitled, "Water Quality Account", and found that fresh and salt water in Nova Scotia provides $11.2 billion a year in economic benefits. The report found that maintaining good water quality, reducing pollution and preventing overfishing would reap continuous benefits from the water for Nova Scotia. The report, released July 27, 2000, found that the quality of water, due to pollution was declining. The value of the water is found in its drinking water supply, its industrial water uses, and recreation uses, as well as waste treatment, food production, nutrient cycling, erosion control, and other vital ecosystem services. The study marks the first ever assessment in Canada of the full value of a province's water resources, and pulls together vast quantities of published and unpublished information from a wide range of federal, provincial and municipal sources.

The Nova Scotia water quality study is the first in a series of natural resource accounts to be released in the coming months by GPI Atlantic, a non-profit research group that is building the first Genuine Progress Index (GPI) in Canada as a measure of well-being and sustainable development. According to report author, Sara Wilson, "the GDP and other market statistics send the wrong message to policy-makers and the public about the health of our environment, because they count the depletion of natural capital as economic gain. The more trees, water and fish we consume, the faster the economy grows. The more pollution we have and the more we spend on clean-up, the more the GDP will grow. By contrast, the GPI shows that our natural resources provide enormous value to society and the economy, and that we have to use them responsibly if we want to benefit the economy and future generations.Funding for the GPI Water Quality Account was provided by Environment Canada, Halifax Regional Municipality, and the Halifax Regional Water Commission.