As a resident of Hamilton,…

As a resident of Hamilton, Ontario, I urge the Province to keep water and wastewater systems under full public control, not under the authority of corporate boards as proposed in ERO 025-1098 and Bill 60. Moving water governance away from elected, accountable municipal councils to corporate bodies governed by the Ontario Business Corporations Act represents a move toward corporatization, not genuine public interest.

Privatizing water and wastewater services poses serious risks to affordability, accountability, and community oversight, as proven by Hamilton, Ontario’s past experience. When Hamilton turned to a private operator to manage its water system in the 1990s, residents endured sewage spills, increased costs, reduced maintenance, and loss of local control—problems that took years and significant effort to reverse once services were returned to public management, and that our community is still repairing today.

Hamilton’s experience demonstrates the dangers of this path. Privatization brought weakened oversight, increased costs, and severe service failures. Decision-making by corporate boards would make water management less transparent, distant from the public, and driven by financial goals instead of clean, safe, and affordable service.

The proposed changes in ERO 025-1098 to shift water services to public corporations raise the same concerns. This proposal falls short of comprehensive review and input, which could open immense risks. Risks to public health, the environment, and our drinking water sources need to be well reviewed and understood. This model also risks raising household bills, eroding accountability, and paving the way for privatization—whether or not ownership is technically public. Once profit becomes a factor, the public’s voice is diminished, oversight becomes weaker, and costs can escalate. Ontario should learn from Hamilton’s cautionary tale—essential public services like water must remain under public ownership and control to ensure the long-term interests of communities and the environment are protected.

If the bill is to move forward without robust consultation, I urge the government to amend Bill 60 to prohibit private ownership or operation – no issuing of private shares, outsourcing of core functions, or private financing. Specifically, I implore the government to add explicit language to the Bill to prohibit any kind of privatization, now or into the future. Privatization of public utilities are case studies of failure all over the world. We must not fall into this trap and we must ensure public water services remain in the public realm.

The Ontario government must not repeat the mistakes made in Hamilton and elsewhere; water is not a business. Strengthening infrastructure is crucial, but it must remain fully public, under local control, with strong public oversight, stakeholder input, and a prohibition on private ownership or operation. Water is a human right and belongs to our communities—not shareholders.