EDMONTON - A report by the Parkland Institute suggests Alberta shouldn't consider expanding water markets.

The public policy researcher says doing so would harm the environment, restrict the public's access to water and disadvantage First Nations communities.

The report says Alberta's existing water framework is already flawed and it doesn't make sense to look at the resource only with an economic eye.

Jeremy Schmidt, the report's author, suggests the province needs a more flexible plan that can respond to future uncertainties.

He says the one-size-fits-all market approach the government is considering doesn't fit the bill.

The province is preparing to announce its plans for public input on the future of water allocation — consultations that were first promised over two years ago.
 

This article was published by the Winnipeg Free Press. The full article is available on the Winnipeg Free Press website.