Quebec's Water Crisis: Parties Urged to Act

0:00It's March 22, I'm Corey, with the story. This is Canada News Today, driven by AI. Quebec's political parties face growing pressure to prioritize funding for municipal water infrastructure in their platforms ahead of the next. Provincial election. On World Water Day, March 22, leaders from Montreal, Quebec City, the Federation of Quebec Municipalities, and RESTO Environment held a press conference calling for urgent action to tackle chronic underfunding. They highlighted how Quebec mirrors a global water crisis, flagged by the United Nations, with aging pipes totaling nearly 100,000 kilometers pushing the province to a breaking point. A massive maintenance deficit of $45 billion threatens essential services from hospitals to local economies. Municipal officials stressed the real-world fallout, including nearly 30,000 housing units stalled in recent years, due to overburdened systems. Quebec City Mayor Bruno Marshawn pointed to Calgary's ongoing restrictions, like three

1:02minute showers, as a warning of what could hit here, without preventive steps. Experts warned that, without stable funding and flexible mechanisms, communities risk long-term disruptions to public safety and growth. Leaders from the group's urged parties to commit to concrete investments now. The message is clear, investing in water infrastructure isn't optional, it's essential to safeguard Quebec's future before a crisis forces tough.