Screening of "Water Makes Money"

When was the last time you thought about the water that flows through your house and nourishes your family? On Tuesday, April 10th at 7pm in the Chinese Bunkhouse, Brittania Heritage Site, members of the public are asked to join CUPE, Council of Canadians, and the Richmond Food Security Society for the screening of “Water Makes Money”. 

Communities throughout B.C. and across Canada are facing pressure to privatize their water and wastewater systems.The disastrous consequences of corporate control of such vital resources to run for a profit is well-documented – from rising prices, declining water quality, limitations on conservation to outright denial of water to those who cannot afford to pay.

Water issues played a pivotal role in the recent municipal elections in Abbotsford. More than 70% of voters voted against a referendum to privatize water from of Stave Lake, replacing Mayor George Peary with political newcomer Bruce Banman in the process. 

“In a world where increasing freshwater shortages are the way of the future, we encourage everyone to get involved in keeping their water and wastewater services clean, green, affordable and in public hands,” declares Zoe Magnus, Privatization Coordinator for CUPE in British Columbia.

Produced by Leslie Franke & Herdolor Lorenz, the “Water Makes Money” describes Europe's disastrous experiment with water and wastewater privatization at the hands of big corporations as well as the wave of remunicipalization taking place as communities fight to keep control of these vital public resources. Examples from Europe and America expand the film into a teaching example for the entire world, providing encouragement that water in the hands of the people is possible.

After the screening a panel of speakers including Zoe Magnus and John Nixon from CUPE and Ava Waxman from the Council of Canadians will take questions from the audience and provide tips on what local communities can do to prevent privatization of their water.