Changing regulatory…

Changing regulatory amendments to give proponents greater flexibility and a streamlined process to apply for a permit to take water is not really about flexibility and cutting red tape. It is just another opportunity for developers, aggregate companies, and businesses to flout the law- leaving the residents who are near the locations of the projects in the lurch- to deal with the fallout of dry wells or limited water access.

Proponents are already allowed to keep their projects moving, except in cases where a business has been sold or closed or a new license is needed. Water taking permits are not like a desk or filing cabinet that should just be transferred to a new owner without looking at the nature of the business; or in this case, the decisions that have been made through legislation to stop the water taking for bottled water.

Water is a finite asset. Now, with less snow melt, fewer wetlands (courtesy of the your government), and more extreme hot weather, is not the time to make it easier for companies to take water for water bottling purposes. We do not need companies that create white-label products for major supermarkets and big box chains. We do not need Canadian water crossing the border in plastic bottles for the US market.

Elbows Up, Mr. Ford! Not everything is a good business opportunity for Canada!