November 28, 2018 Shari…

November 28, 2018

Shari Sookhoo
Environmental Policy Branch
Ministry of the Environment, Conservation and Parks
40 St. Clair Avenue West, Floor 10, Toronto Ontario, M4V 1M2

Re: Extending the moratorium on water bottling permits (ERO #013-3974)

Dear Shari Sookhoo:

Thank you for the opportunity to provide comments on the proposal to extend the current moratorium on the issuance of new or increasing permits to take water for water bottling in Ontario. Conservation Ontario is the network of Ontario’s 36 Conservation Authorities.

Below are comments on the proposed extension of the moratorium. These comments are not intended to limit consideration of comments shared individually by Conservation Authorities.

Conservation Ontario supports the proposed amendment to Ontario Regulation 463/16 to allow for an extension to the moratorium to January 1, 2020. The proposed extension to the moratorium will allow for the continuation of the comprehensive review of the science of water resources in Ontario, and overarching water quantity policy and programs. This review will support the use of sound science to inform water policy and program decisions.

In November 2016, Conservation Ontario submitted coordinated comments supporting the regulation establishing a moratorium on the issuance of new or increasing permits to take water for water bottling (EBR #012-8783). The comments encourage the Province to broaden the scope of the proposed moratorium, and consider Low Water Response programs, Clean Water Act water budget studies, surface water-groundwater interactions and partnering with local Conservation Authorities in proposed research towards water resource management. Conservation Ontario actively participates on the provincial Water Quantity Protection External Working Group, to support the province in better understanding water resource science and in reviewing current policy and programs.

Thank you for the opportunity to provide comments on the proposal to extend the current moratorium on the issuance of new or increasing permits to take water for water bottling in Ontario. Should you have any questions about this letter, please contact Chitra Gowda at extension 225, or Bonnie Fox at extension 223.

Sincerely,
Chitra Gowda
Source Water Protection Lead