To help celebrate the launch of its position paper entitled “Water: a Treasure to Conserve and Manage Sustainably for Quebec’s Development,” the Jeune Chambre de commerce de Montréal (Young Chamber of Commerce of Montreal) invited Michel Lamoureux, Executive Director of the ONE DROP Foundation, to present an overview of the Foundation’s activities. For ONE DROP, it was a unique opportunity to share our vision with North America’s largest network of young businesspeople.

Michel Lamoureux delivered his presentation at a conference luncheon attended by Mr. Sammy Forcillo, the City of Montreal Executive Committee member responsible for infrastructure, Mr. Thomas Mulcair, the NDP Member of Parliament for Outremont and Quebec’s former Minister of the Environment, and Ms. Martine Ouellet, Vice-President of the SOS Water! Coalition.

“The ONE DROP Foundation would like to salute the initiative of the Jeune Chambre de commerce de Montréal,” said Michel Lamoureux. “Given its considerable influence, the business community has an important role to play in helping to conserve our natural resources from a sustainable development perspective.”

Among the many findings and recommendations included in its position paper, the Jeune Chambre de commerce de Montréal (JCCM) concluded that exporting water held no economic development potential for Quebec and that doing so would have major environmental repercussions. Instead, the JCCM took a stand in favour of water conservation as the province’s most promising economic development lever. The JCCM also recommended accelerating the implementation of the Quebec Water Policy and encouraged the City of Montreal to set fees for water consumption as a means of reducing consumption.

“Water’s economic development potential for Quebec must be considered from the standpoint of sustainable development. In our paper, we evaluate the possibilities for creating wealth through the reasonable use of our natural resources,” said Pierre-Etienne Simard, President of the JCCM.

The Jeune Chambre de commerce de Montréal is an association of young managers, professionals, entrepreneurs and self-employed workers between the ages of 18 and 40. Founded in 1931, it currently has nearly 1,400 members, making it North America’s largest network of young businesspeople. The association provides young professionals in Greater Montreal and across Quebec with an exceptional forum for exchanging views, enabling them to take part in societal debates and to make a difference in our common future.