First annual Watershed Awards announced

The City of Edmonton has received the first annual national Watershed Award, offered jointly by the Insurance Bureau of Canada (IBC) and the Federation of Canadian Municipalities (FCM).
The Watershed Awards recognize Canadian municipalities that take pro-active measures to reduce their vulnerability to storm and wastewater damage.
The City of Edmonton received recognition on May 29 for its Dual-Use Stormwater Management Facility Project. The project uses a playing field to provide stormwater management and flood control during extreme rainfall.
The stormwater management project is one of many initiatives the City of Edmonton implemented in response to a major 2004 rainfall event.
The rainfall caused $171 million in insured damage, including more than 4,000 flooded basements.
Regional watershed awards were presented to
• British Columbia (District of Central Saanich): Integrated Stormwater Management Plan.
• Prairies and the North (Saskatoon, Saskatchewan): The Superpipe Initiative
• Ontario (City of Toronto; Town of Richmond Hill, co-winners): Basement Flooding Protection Program (Toronto); Pioneer Park Stormwater Management Project (Richmond Hill).
• Quebec (Ville de Saint-Jérôme): The Parc Schulz Retention Pond.
• Atlantic Region (Town of Appleton and Town of Glenwood, joint submission): Wetland Sewage Treatment System for the Towns of Appleton and Glenwood.