News Release

For immediate release                                                October 19, 2001

ECBC AND N.S. ENVIRONMENT AND LABOUR DEPARTMENT
SIGN AGREEMENT ON ENVIRONMENTAL INDUSTRY DEVELOPMENT 

SYDNEY, N.S. -- The development of environmental industries on Cape Breton Island is the focus of a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) signed today by Enterprise Cape Breton Corporation and the Nova Scotia Department of Environment and Labour. 

The two parties formalized their cooperative efforts through the MOU which is designed to bring about more efficient use of their fiscal and human resources through the sharing of information and collaboration of effort. 

The MOU document was witnessed by Rodger Cuzner, Member of Parliament, Bras d’Or - Cape Breton, and signed by Rick Beaton, Vice President, Enterprise Cape Breton Corporation and David Morse, Minister, Nova Scotia Department of Environment and Labour.

The overall goals of the MOU are to develop business opportunities and community economic development opportunities related to environmental projects on Cape Breton Island and to improve information sharing and access to programs and resources of ECBC and the Department of Environment and Labour. 

The construction of a new water treatment plant at Birch Grove is an excellent example of how the MOU will bring the two parties together to help commercialize innovative environmental technologies. Besides providing over $320,000 in infrastructure funding, ECBC and the Department of Environment and Labour provided the company with the support it needed to prove its technology and demonstrate its capabilities to potential buyers, like the Cape Breton Regional Municipality, which purchased the new treatment plant for Birch Grove.

"The MOU's strategic and cooperative approach to developing environmental industries and business opportunities will help bring about economic activity and long term job opportunities," said Rodger Cuzner, Member of Parliment, Bras d’Or- Cape Breton, on behalf of Robert G. Thibault, Minister of State for Enterprise Cape Breton Corporation and the Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency." As well, with the Rawdon Technologies project, the Government of Canada is pleased to offer its support to this innovative company and its improved water treatment process."

“The Birch Grove project is just the beginning of many successful future collaborations we expect to have with ECBC,” said Morse. “We are confident that this strategic and cooperative approach will benefit many environmental industries, and will improve the economy of Cape Breton Island.”

Through the MOU, the Department of Environment and Labour will provide technical information related to cost-effective environmental solutions which are suitable for commercialization. The Department will also share knowledge of priority environmental issues, share market intelligence and its knowledge of private sector capacity. Activities that will take place through the MOU include the provision of technical specialists to participate in or lead projects jointly supported by ECBC and the Department, participation in demonstration projects, and the continuing development of a close working relationships with private sector firms in the environmental industry sector. 

ECBC's role as defined by the MOU is to share expertise and information related to economic development opportunities related to environmental industries, and to share expertise in program development and delivery. ECBC will participate as a funding partner in projects that are of mutual interest to ECBC and the Department where this action is warranted and within its program constraints. 

Enterprise Cape Breton Corporation offers programs in support of economic development initiatives and is responsible for delivering ACOA' s programs in Cape Breton and the Mulgrave area.

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FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION CONTACT:

Marcie Stanley                                          Valerie Bellefontaine
ECBC Communications                              Environment and Labour
Tel: (902) 564-7876                                    Tel: (902) 424-4790
Fax:(902) 564-3825                                    Fax: (902) 424-0644
                                                                E-mail: bellefva@gov.ns.ca