I live in rural Eastern…

I live in rural Eastern Ontario. I am deeply, deeply concerned about the proposals to loosen controls water takings for construction site dewatering activities and foundation drain.

This proposal is entirely undemocratic as it does not take in the citizens and our concerns about what is happening to the land around us.

I am very concerned that studies MUST be done to fully understand the impact of water taking on EACH individual site. Water flows. That's what it does. If you do something to one part of the water table, you affect underground streams and movements that MUST be taken into account. People and wildlife live downstream from lakes where water is taken.

We must continue to allow public consultation on new permits. Input MUST continue to be part of the granting of water taking permits

Personally, I think it is essential that Conservation Authorities be restored as stakeholders in the consideration and granting of permissions for water taking in any area. After all, they are CONSERVATION authorities. They are supposed to help look after and steward the land. Not sell it off.

Citizens MUST be given an opportunity to review changes. The government must not allow the industry to self-regulate aggregate extraction and water management. We all know how well that would go. It would ultimately destroy our rural way of life, our lands poisoned and our livelihoods imperilled, as we are sold out to the highest bidder. This is a government that is showing itself to have no respect for people.