The lead organizers of the Canadian National Ground Water Association are encouraging water well contractors, manufacturers, suppliers, scientists and all those involved in ground water to step up and serve.
As of October, the new association is officially incorporated to represent a united water well drilling industry in Canada.
The new association will provide that united voice to the federal government, help co-ordinate standards across the provinces, share data with the Geological Survey of Canada to have a say in where funds are allocated and exchange key information among members.
“We’ve got the incorporation papers; we just need to put together the nuts and bolts,” Craig Stainton told Ground Water Canada.
A set of bylaws to govern the association must be created by October 2020, a year from the date of incorporation. These bylaws must meet the requirements of the NFP Act (Canada Not-for-Profit Corporations Act). They must be ratified, or approved, by the membership, which would most likely happen at an annual general meeting yet to be determined, Stainton said.
First a membership must be established and the first nuts and bolts to go together must be that of membership.
For that to happen, members of the industry must come forward and make some decisions.
“We want people with passion for the industry and passion to create a united ground water industry from coast to coast to coast,” Stainton said.
Canadian attendees of the National Ground Water Association’s Groundwater Week, which takes place Dec. 3-5 in Las Vegas, are invited to meet on Thursday, Dec. 5, to explore the next steps in creating the association. Everyone interested is invited to meet in Room N223/224 of the Convention Center from 8 to 9:30 a.m. on Thursday, Dec. 5.
At that meeting a working board of directors will be formed and over the coming year they’ll meet remotely through conference calls or possibly at the University of Windsor, which has graciously provided the new association’s headquarters, Stainton said.
DELEGATES NEEDED!
Stainton has another message for those heading to Vegas.
“If you are an NGWA member, I encourage you to stand up and be recognized as a delegate,” Stainton said. For those who aren’t sure they’re eligible call Stainton at 519-245-7194 or email executivedirector@ogwa.ca and he will help confirm your eligibility through the NGWA.
Businesses and individuals who are members of the NGWA – whether through the Ontario Ground Water Association, the British Columbia Ground Water Association or as individual Canadians – are eligible to serve as delegates (with NGWA membership) and have a say in the direction of the organization.
The delegates meeting is on Wednesday, Dec. 4, from 5:15 to 6:15 p.m. All may attend, but to be a delegate you must register before the meeting and only delegates may vote.
Registration times:
- Tuesday, Dec. 3, 2019, from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m.
- Wednesday, from Dec. 4, 2019, 10 a.m. to 4:45 p.m.
For more information, visit the delegates page on the Groundwater Week website.
CONNECT THROUGH THE APP
The Groundwater Week app is now available. You can also find it in the App Store: search for “Groundwater Week” and the 2019 will appear for download. The app is a useful way for those attending to connect – either by searching for “Canada” in the search field or by searching for a specific colleague’s name.
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