I am a licensed Water…

I am a licensed Water Resources Engineer and, based on my professional experience and knowledge of the complicated issues that arise in water use allocation, I oppose these changes to the permitting system for water taking activities. The proposed changes will prevent decisions about water use from being examined openly and transparently to ensure they meet our environmental and economic goals, but it will also make it more likely that cumulative impacts will harm our water systems. In Ontario, many people rely on groundwater for their drinking sources, and protecting our water supply from contamination and pollution is of paramount importance. Allowing Permits to Take Water to be transferred, even if the new owner maintains a few similarities in takings, does not allow for a full consideration of risks involved in the process. It also does not allow for the new activity to be evaluated with the current state of the water in the area, so activities that would not be permitted at the current moment will be 'grandfathered' in, further straining the water resources in an area.

The proposed changes are also in violation of the Duty to Consult on all projects that impact Indigenous people. It is vital that Ontario do it's part to ensure that Indigenous people have a full role in making decisions on water activities that impact them.

Water is a public good, and harm to water harms us all. Please do not change the permitting system to allow perpetual harms to our water, or to remove transparency and consideration from the use of our water resources. This is bad policy and bad governance.