The federal government says finding a fast solution to stop sewage from pouring into the Ottawa River is a priority.
"I'm prepared to say today that this will be a priority for the government of Canada," federal Environment Minister and Ottawa MP John Baird told reporters during an unrelated announcement Monday.
Baird says all levels of governments should be working together to help keep the Ottawa River clean.
The statement comes following the recent discovery that millions of litres of raw sewage were dumped into the Ottawa River near Petrie Island after a valve malfunctioned in the summer of 2006.
"Let's not kid ourselves. What's going to be required is literally tens of millions of dollars to enhancements to the facility to ensure that this doesn't happen again," said Baird.
Mayor welcomes federal involvement
Ottawa Mayor Larry O'Brien says he's happy to hear the federal government is shining a light on the Ottawa River's pollution problems. He says the City will also work to come up with some cash to help keep the river clean.
"Our citizens would demand nothing less," said O'Brien, adding that what happened on the Ottawa River also happens elsewhere.
"I think all three partners -- the province, the federal government and the municipalities --need to sit down and make sure that we're all harmonized in terms of where we want to go."
The spill, which closed the beach at Petrie Island for 45 days, was detected on Aug. 15, 2006 but was only made public two weeks ago.
One city employee has since been fired as a result of how the situation was handled.
With a report from CTV Ottawa's Norman Fetterley
