At this weekend’s Canadian Chamber of Commerce AGM in Charlottetown, PEI, the Kelowna Chamber of Commerce delegation will call for increased protection of western Canada’s fresh waters from zebra and quagga mussels.
Quagga and zebra mussels pose a serious and costly threat to aquatic ecosystems, salmon populations, tourist destinations, hydro power stations and other infrastructure facilities throughout western Canada.
The rapid spread of invasive zebra and quagga mussels through fresh waters east of Saskatchewan has had devastating impacts on hydroelectric power, marine shipping, fishing and tourism industries. These species have recently spread through waterways in the southwest United States, and now pose an imminent threat to fresh waters in Canada’s western provinces.
The Kelowna Chamber recommends the federal government enact stricter borders control measures to detain, inspect and refuse admission to Canada any vehicle contaminated with zebra or quagga mussels.; and facilitate cooperation among the US states and provinces whose waters are not already contaminated by the mussels.
