The changes will remove the…

The changes will remove the necessary checks and balances, including environmental review and consultations with the public, Indigenous Nations, and municipalities. Water is not something to be transferred to benefit private corporations. The impacts of water extraction vary depending on the location, purpose, and operator. This is why it is essential to have a comprehensive permitting system in place and to require new owners to re-apply for a permit. Without this process, the full extent of the environmental impacts are unknown and communities are left in the dark without the ability to express their concerns.

I urge the ministry to:

Reject the proposed changes to permits to take water regulations;
Require new owners to apply for a new permit through a public, scientific, and Indigenous-informed review process;
Uphold the duty to consult Indigenous Nations as required by provincial and constitutional law; and
Treat water as a public trust, not a private asset.