“The government is proposing…

“The government is proposing to give big water users “greater flexibility and streamline the process to apply for a permit to take water,” allowing them to transfer their water-taking permits from one company to another, without going through a proper permitting or renewal process. This would make it even easier for industrial actors—like water bottlers—to take our water”.

July 30, 2025

To Whom It May Concern:

These changes will remove 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.

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.

The resulting problems will be:

Stripping municipalities of their power to determine what is best for their community;
It will violate Indigenous Rights by eliminating consultation with Indigenous Nations;
Will allow big corporations to buy access to groundwater like they do real estate;
Worse of all it will eliminate an opportunity to reassess environmental impacts; and
Prioritize private convenience over public and environmental safety. As such MY personal health and safety.

I totally reject the proposed changes to permits to take water regulations;
New owners must apply for a new permit through a public, scientific, and Indigenous-informed review process;
The duty to consult Indigenous Nations as required by provincial and constitutional law must be upheld and water treated as a public trust and right to access and NOT any private company’s asset.

Water bottling is an irresponsible use of water. Water quality and quantity is already threatened in Ontario due to overuse and pollution. Water bottling is non-essential and hosts a list of problems and risks, such as discouraging investments in public drinking water systems and infrastructure, such companies increase plastic pollution, and contribute to the climate crisis due to reliance on oil and gas to produce the plastic bottles and the energy to pump the water.

I am completely against the provincial government and it’s prioritizing industry over people and the environment. This is an attack on our most precious public asset and necessity of LIFE FOR WHAT? Ontario does NOT need more easy taking of our ground water for bottling that is totally unnecessary
and for a dirt cheap price system and all for PROFIT. This is stealing from the future generations just to make a FEW people very RICH at once again, the Ontario’s people LOSS.