Canada: Dissent against Water Grab

The Ford government just announced their decision: their moving forward with their proposal to gut Ontario’s permit to take water system.

An announcement of the final decision was made today on the Environmental Registry of Ontario: Ontario is moving forward with their dangerous proposal to gut the water-taking permit process. 

The response from the Ministry of Environment, Conservation, and Parks tried to quell the worries of the 3,343 individuals, organizations, and Indigenous groups that submitted comments opposing the changes. They said our worries are unfounded, but the changes speak for themselves. MECP is:

• Streamlining renewal applications for permits to take water
• Creating exceptions for the bottled water industry
• Allowing applicants to apply to renew expired permits
• Empowering the Director to issue interim permits to continue previously approved water takings for up to one year while applications for renewal are being considered

This is a gross miscarriage of the duty to steward our collective waters sustainably and responsibly. Join us in calling on the Province to rescind this decision to deregulate water takings, in favour of building a more robust and transparent system.

Background

In 2021, we won several changes to Ontario’s Permit to Take Water system which helped guide the regulations to be more mindful of frivolous water uses, community consent, and sustainable water-taking.

Now in the wake of Bill 5, we are being confronted with Ford’s next agenda and the Permit to Take Water System is officially being de-regulated.

Ford’s water grabbing agenda is becoming more clear and it includes gutting Ontario water-taking regulations. The Ontario government is moving forward with radical changes to the way water-taking is permitted in Ontario. 

Despite what provincial officials are saying, the changes are a dramatic form of deregulation that will create a water-taking systems that operates with less scrutiny, environment considerations, public input, and duty to consult Indigenous nations.

In its worst form, this could functionally privatize public waters and create perpetual water-takings.

Over 3,300 people submitted their comments against the proposal.

Will you join us again?

🚨 TAKE ACTION with this easy 1-click digital action tool calling on the Province to rescind this water grab! 🚨

We cannot condemn Ontario waters to a future of endless water taking. We need you to help counteract this heinous attack on our collective waters.

➡️ Take action with our 1-click tool here to tell the province to reject these water grabbing changes AND make sure to share this link with friends & family before the deadline on Aug. 1st!

Thank you so sincerely for staying vigilant and active with us as we continue the fight to protect our collective future. May the water guide us onwards and may we continue to find our strength in community.

Yours in water protection,
Water Watchers

PS – Need a tax receipt for your donation? Make a donation here on our Water For Life project with Small Change Fund to support our water protection work!