I am writing to express my…

I am writing to express my strong opposition to the proposed legislative and regulatory changes under the Fighting Delays, Building Faster Act, 2025, specifically those concerning the transfer of water and wastewater jurisdiction from the Region of Peel to the lower-tier municipalities of Mississauga, Brampton, and Caledon, and the creation of a new water and wastewater public corporation framework.

While I support efforts to accelerate housing and infrastructure development, I believe this proposal undermines the very principles of public accountability, affordability, and long-term sustainability that are essential to essential services like water and wastewater. Rather than streamlining delivery, these changes risk fragmenting oversight, increasing costs for residents, and opening the door—however incrementally—to privatization.

The current regional model under Peel Region has provided coordinated, cost-effective, and publicly accountable water and wastewater services across municipal boundaries for decades. Water systems do not respect political borders; they function best under integrated, regional management that ensures economies of scale, equitable investment, and consistent environmental and public health standards. Breaking up this system will likely lead to duplicated infrastructure, administrative inefficiencies, and inconsistent service levels—especially in smaller or less affluent communities like Caledon.

Moreover, the introduction of a “public corporation” model governed by the Ontario Business Corporations Act raises serious concerns. While the government describes this as a “public” entity, structuring essential utilities through corporate frameworks—subject to ministerial designation and future regulatory discretion—creates a pathway toward commercialization and potential private involvement. The proposed legislation grants the Minister broad authority to dictate governance, fees, and operational mandates, reducing local democratic control and insulating decisions from public scrutiny.

Most troubling is the explicit prohibition on reversing this transfer in the future. By amending the Municipal Act to prevent municipalities from returning water and wastewater services to regional oversight, the province is locking communities into a rigid structure that may prove unworkable or inequitable over time—without allowing for democratic correction.

I firmly believe that the provincial government has both the capacity and responsibility to ensure affordable, publicly owned, and democratically accountable water services. Instead of dismantling successful regional systems, Ontario should strengthen provincial oversight to control rate increases, ensure capital investment equity, and protect water as a public good—not repackage it within corporate structures that prioritize efficiency over equity.

I urge the Ministry to withdraw these specific provisions related to water and wastewater restructuring. If the goal is to “build faster,” let us do so without compromising the integrity, affordability, and public ownership of essential services that communities rely on for generations to come.