Winnipeg Free Press

Winnipeg Free Press (Newspaper) - April 22, 1981, Winnipeg, Manitoba James press Winnipeg free press wednesday april 22, 1981 3 municipal Geyser a passer by glances at a Watermain Gusher at Osborne Street and York Avenue yesterday. During the first three months of this year there were 220 to 240 Watermain Breaks per month about seven a Day. But the worst appears to be Over works and operations director Rod Mcrae said yesterday. Filmon Calls for Public input to help develop toxic waste disposal network by Ritchie Gage environment minister Gary Filmon stressing the need for Public input says it May be 1986 before a toxic waste disposal network is operating in Mani Toba. The minister said the delay is Neces sary to explain the scheme to Manito bans at Public meetings expected later this year. No dates have been set but he said a schedule will be drawn up. Public input is an important aspect in acceptance of the disposal network he told a press conference yesterday. Hospital gets the White Cross Guild has presented the health sciences Centre with 000 to finance research projects and other Hospital services. The donation is the largest Ever made by the Guild to the Hsc and was raised through Hospital gift shops Beauty shops Flower sales vending machines baby photography Raffles and other functions during the past year. Last year Guild volunteers provided hours of service of which hours were donated by youth Volun Teers who replaced adults during school holidays and weekends. He said Manitoba urgently needs a waste disposal network and a series of decisions will have to be made to arrive at a process to ensure a proper system. Filmon said that under a tentative timetable policy decision and Public information sessions would dominate the first year followed by site selection in year two. In the third year Environ mental Impact statements would be prepared and construction could begin the next year. The minister said he is not anxious about the Public not accepting the proposed network but the backyard syndrome is prevalent everywhere now he said. He said the government could have imposed the project on Manitoban As a necessary step in controlling toxic wastes. It might go ahead quicker but we want to ensure Public meetings slated he said a series of meetings will be arranged later this year so the Public can ask questions and understand what the waste disposal network Means. Larry Strachan director of Provin Cial environmental waste programs said areas of Manitoba have been designated As Likely Sites for a Plant to neutralize the waste chemicals. The major areas Are in the Southwest Agri cultural areas. He said the major concern is protect ing the water table in the event of any Brandon la prarie Winnipeg 50 100 pm preferred site area map shows preferred locations for a Plant to neutralize toxic waste chemicals in Manitoba. Accidents in transporting the chemical wastes to disposal Sites. Preferred areas Are set out in a report prepared for the four Western provinces Ontario the Yukon North West territories and Federal govern ment. In Manitoba those areas include Melita and Virden in the Southwest and the Stuart Burn area Southeast of Winnipeg. Strachan said heavy Clay Content in the soil in those areas was a Factor in their selection. Other possible Sites included Strath Cona Argyle and an area Northwest of Portage la Prairie in the Lakeview area. More possible Sites Are located West of Brandon near Kenton and Len Ore All in agricultural Rural areas. Filmon said there Are problems now with some illegal dumping of Chemi cals but the province has about 50 health inspectors to enforce regulations and some prosecutions have resulted. He said chemicals Are currently stored and shipped out of the province at great Public expense. Agency faces scrutiny the City s jurisdiction Over Hie pro Grams of its own non profit Winnipeg housing and rehabilitation Corpora Tion will be examined by the City s Legal department. Civic environment committee or dered the Legal review yesterday and asked the planning department for a report on what the corporation has been doing since it was revived dec. 4. 1979. Committee chairman Jim Ernst said yesterday the corporation does t appear to have been doing much in the is months since its revival. Ernst also questioned the Corpora Tion s objectives when Hrc chair Man coun. Harold Macdonald appeared before committee. Although Macdonald said the object lives construction and repair for Sale and rental to Low income groups were in line with those approved by City Council Ernst questioned whether the corporation had authority to rent. Opposed to revival x recalling his opposition to reviving the cop ration Ernst said the stated goals at that time involved Only the Sale of houses not rental. If the corporation rents it is in Competition with the Manitoba housing and renewal corporation s subsidized rental program for Low income people without the Money to subsidize the rents Ernst said. Clun. Bill Chornopyski a ski agreed recalling that last year the City gave up its Flora place lord Selkirk towers and Burrows Keewatin subsidized rental premises. Now we re going Back into the same thing we just got out of. I think we need to take one direction not two. We Are either in rental or we re Macdonald said it would mean giving up in Federal Money now Avail Able to the corporation in its 1981-1985 program. Funds for the five year program come from the provincial and Federal governments and it is hoped million can be obtained from the million Core area initiative program. Million budget the total budget of the five year program is which will finance the building acquisition and re habilitation of 212 housing units. All the City has contributed is toward administrative costs. Macdon Ald said the province contributed its 1980 instalment of about seven months ago plus for administration. Although the corporation has Only explored the available property and prepared its program it Hopes to acquire nine City owned Core area houses for each this week and begin renovations on these and a tenth House Macdonald said. Yesterday the corporation asked environment committee to approve the Transfer of four people from the Community improvement Branch of environmental planning to do six months of program management for Hrc. The committee did not Deal with the request pending receipt of the reports it ordered. New immigrants canadians get lessons on consumerism counsellors help out Winni Eggers every year two special federally funded con Sumer department off ices provide in formation and assistance to an Esti mated Winni Eggers a year. Doreen old consumer help officer at the International Centre on Elgin ave nue said she held 57 introductory workshops for More than Immi Grants in 1980. If you were plunked Down in China for the rest of your life and did t know about food and other things you d be in big she said in an interview. The seminars covered such basics about Canada s consumer society As checking for Best before dates facts about Frozen foods the fact Canadian residents Don t have to shop everyday and other local customs. A person trying to Haggle Over prices would get a strange look from the supermarket checkout she said. Other topics include surviving a Canadian Winter filing income tax forms driving choosing an apartment and moving into an apartment. Old said the programs Are geared to trying to prevent problems before they Start. For instance newcomers and Many native born canadians Don t know they have four Days to revoke a con tract made with a door to door Sale Sman so Long As the revocation is in writing she said. Old has also distributed about 30 different types of information sheets then and the a acc office since 1979, she said. And pamphlets printed in English Chi Nese laotian and vietnamese. Some of the same information and consumer advice is available from government offices. But old said most immigrants Are very leery of govern ment offices of government offi hears complaints although the service at the internal Tiona Centre is primarily educational old said she also helps some people with complaints. Landlord and ten ant problems Are the most frequent followed by used cars she said. As Well some complaints turn out not to be really problems at All. Old said she has had to Tell people a warranty on a stove does t cover the Light bulb when it goes. She said she has few complaints from immigrants who have really been swindled but believes most such instances Aren t reported by victims. The consumer help office program funded by the Federal consumer and corporate affairs department includes old s project and one for poor people operated by Tom Andrich. Andrich who works out of the Community consumer credit counselling a acc office in the Royal Bank of Canada building at main Street and William Avenue said he primarily investigates complaints. Many of the approximately 35 com plaints lodged each month involve Wel fare and unemployment insurance departments not providing people with the benefits they feel they Are entitled to he said in an interview. He also handles Ninny landlord and tenant difficulties and said Many of these involve landlords withholding Security deposits. Andrich said he works through the rentals Man s office and does some mediation advocacy work himself. He has also held a few classes on How to shop for food used clothing toys and other items. Andrich said he also provides some people with information on budgeting their personal finances both before and after they be gone through the bankruptcy process. He said it s sometimes difficult get Ting poor people to try and take action about their problems because their position in society makes them feel problem for poor some of the service he provides is available in Federal and provincial con Sumer offices but for the poor approaching a government Agency is Al most like shaking hands with Andrich said. He said the annual budget for his salary and office expenses totals 000 a year the same As for old s project. Sally merchant District manager of consumer services for the Federal con Sumer department said the nationwide consumer help office program started about eight years ago. The International Centre office has operated since consumer help officer Doreen old explains laundry symbols on clothing labels to new immigrant ;