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Partners FOR the Saskatchewan River Basin is now accepting nominations for the Fred Heal Conservation Award. The award was established in memory of Fred Heal, the former executive director of the Meewasin Valley Authority and the driving force behind the establishment of PFSRB.
Fred was born in 1940 and raised in Moose Jaw. He furthered his education at the Universities of Saskatchewan (B.Sc., B.Ed.) and South Dakota (Master of Natural Sciences). After teaching in Saskatoon for several years, Fred attended the University of Wisconsin where he received his Ph.D. Associate in Environmental Studies. His career took him to the provincial civil service where he worked in the departments of Environment and Energy, and Economic Development in Regina.
In 1988 Fred moved to Saskatoon to work for Meewasin where he was a key figure in developing Wanuskewin Heritage Park and the PFSRB, as well as serving on the board of many community organizations. He especially valued his association with First Nations people and their cultures.
"The Fred Heal Conservation Award will recognize a community, organization or business that has taken direct initiative in preserving and/or enhancing the health of the Saskatchewan River Basin."
Award Criteria (click here for further information)
The organization will:
- Have developed and implemented a program or policy that results in direct benefit to the health of the basin;
- Show measurable results from the initiative;
- Show continued dedication toward environmental sustainability
The award will be presented at the Conference & Annual General Meeting in October.
Award Application Form (word document)
An application form has been developed to help make the application process easier. Should you have any problems with this form, please contact us.
Previous Recipients
The Delta relies on strong partnerships for its protection, like the one formed by Manitoba Conservation, Saskatchewan Environment, and Ducks Unlimited Canada, the 2006 winners of the Fred Heal Conservation Award. Working together, these organizations have implemented several initiatives to ensure the survival and sustainability of the Saskatchewan River Delta.
The recipient of the 2005 Fred Heal Conservation Award developed a strategy to benefit the North Saskatchewan River and simplify its own operations in the process. Petro-Canada spearheaded a project that used treated wastewater from the City of Edmonton’s Wastewater Treatment Plant.
Wastewater from the Edmonton Treatment Plant is incrementally treated, creating high quality wastewater for industrial use, and piped down a 5.5 km pipeline to the Strathcona County refinery. Petro-Canada uses this wastewater to produce a new generation of low-sulpher diesel fuel. This project is two pronged: reducing direct water use from the North Saskatchewan River by Petro-Canada while reducing wastewater entering the N. Saskatchewan River.
According to Ed Wittstock, Manager of Infastructure, Oil Sands, “Using treated wastewater means our plant will not have to draw additional water from the North Saskatchewan River, which is an example of the three principles that guide Petro-Canada’s corporate water usage policies: conservation, protection and recycling.”
2003
This year Partners FOR the Saskatchewan River Basin recognized the Town of Banff with the Fred Heal Conservation Award.
Banff ’s commitment toward environmental sustainability and stewardship has been demonstrated by an upgrade to their wastewater treatment plant. The Town of Banff and Parks Canada worked together to set their own effluent discharge criteria. Much stricter than the existing requirements, the Town of Banff Wastewater Treatment Plant now produces the highest quality effluent in Alberta .
At the 2003 awards ceremony, the Chair of PFSRB Board of Directors, Ray Fast stated, “It is hoped this project will encourage the wider application of environmentally responsible treatment technologies and a greater appreciation of caring for the rivers of the Saskatchewan River Basin and beyond.”
The Fred Heal Conservation Award recognizes a community organization or business that has taken a direct initiative in preserving and/or enhancing the health of the Saskatchewan River Basin .
2001
The 2001 Fred Heal Conservation Award was presented to BP Canada Energy Company in recognition of the volunteer time and financial contributions that this company has made to the establishment of the Pearce Estate Park Interpretive Wetlands in Calgary. This Interpretive Wetland Project is being developed through a multilateral partnership between Alberta Sustainable Resource Development, the City of Calgary, BP Canada Energy Company, and the Sam Livingston Fish Hatchery Volunteer Society. When finished the 36 acre Pearce Estate Park Interpretive Wetland will showcase aquatic habitat common to southern Alberta, and serve as a valuable educational tool for school children and other park visitors. The concept includes a series of winding creeks, ponds and bogs to trace the path of a typical foothills stream from source to outlet. It is estimated that the total project will cost about 1.5 million dollars.
BP Canada Energy Company has made this project its signature project, contributing more than $225,000 to date.
2000
Lamb-Weston Inc., the leading international processor of frozen potato products was the recipient of the 2000 Fred Heal Conservation Award.
Lamb-Weston's objective was to build the largest potato processing plant in Western Canada without harming the environment. Completed in April 1999, its Zero Discharge Processing Facility, located near Taber Alberta, demonstrates a commitment toward environmental sustainability and stewardship.
The facility employs 200 people and produces nearly 10 million kilograms of frozen french fries. Rather than releasing 4.5 million litres of effluent per day into the Oldman River, it is reused on over 2800 acres of agricultural land. Solid waste material is utilized as process by-product and marketed to local cattle feedlots as a nutritional supplement. Silt, removed in the silt clarifier, is decanted and applied to land as a soil amendment. The Lamb-West processing plant is an industrial leader in environmentally sound management of its wastewater. With the possible exception of thermal electric plants or coal mines, no other industry of this size in Alberta has completed a zero discharge project.
1999
The first Fred Heal Conservation Award was presented to Manitoba Hydro at Partners FOR the Saskatchewan River Basin's 1999 Recognition Reception in Edmonton, Alberta.
Brendan Carruthers, Environmental Education Specialist, accepted the award on behalf of Manitoba Hydro. Over the years Manitoba Hydro has implemented a number of programs that demonstrate their commitment to environmental sustainability.
Since 1993, the Manitoba Hydro Environmental Partnership Fund has provided $50,000 annually to support community based environmental education initiatives throughout Manitoba. In 1995, the Manitoba Hydro Forest Enhancement Program was established to assist community based non-profit organizations. This program provides $3560,000 annually and has already funded 212 tree planting, forest education and forest research projects
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