This consultation was open from:
June 8, 2021
to July 8, 2021
Decision summary
This decision is for the renewal of Permit to Take Water No. 8404-7YBLB2 for Gott Enterprises Inc. and is for water bottling purposes. The new issued permit No. 5457-CC74KJ was issued on September 13, 2022 with an expiry date of September 13, 2032.
Location details
Site address
Lots 22 to 25, Concession 2
Alnwick/Haldimand,
ON
Canada
Site location map
The location pin reflects the approximate area where environmental activity is taking place.
View this location on a map opens link in a new windowProponent(s)
Gott Enterprises Inc.
494306 Grey Road 2
Grey Highlands,
ON
N0C 1C0
Canada
Decision details
After a thorough scientific and technical review, the director has renewed Gott Enterprises Inc. Alnwich/Haldiman water taking for a period of 10 years with no increase in the water taking volume. Water will be taken from fived drilled wells located at Lots 22 to 25, Concession 2, Alnwick/Haldimand, Ontario.
The Permit to Take Water (PTTW) contains strict conditions and safeguards to protect existing water users and the natural environment, including:
- continuous groundwater monitoring in observation and pumping wells
- preparation of annual monitoring reports to review monitoring data and assess for potential impacts
- procedures to investigate and report complaints received
The ministry considered the need to protect the natural functions of the ecosystem, water availability for other users and the use of water for bottling. The ministry is satisfied that the approved PTTW is protective of the environment.
Details of the water taking are as follows:
Source of water: Drilled Well #1B
- purpose of taking: commercial bottled water
- maximum rate per minute (litres): 119
- maximum number of hours of taking per day: 24
- maximum volume per day (litres): 171,100
- maximum number of days of taking per year: 365
- length of time: 10 years
Source of water: Drilled Well #3
- purpose of taking: commercial bottled water
- maximum rate per minute (litres): 53
- maximum number of hours of taking per day: 24
- maximum volume per day (litres): 75,900
- maximum number of days of taking per year: 365
- length of time: 10 years
Source of water: Drilled Well #4
- purpose of taking: commercial bottled water
- maximum rate per minute (litres): 107
- maximum number of hours of taking per day: 24
- maximum volume per day (litres): 154,600
- maximum number of days of taking per year: 365
- length of time: 10 years
Source of water: drilled well #5
- purpose of taking: commercial bottled water
- maximum rate per minute (litres): 53
- maximum number of hours of taking per day: 24
- maximum volume per day (litres): 76,800
- maximum number of days of taking per year: 365
- length of time: up to 10 years
Source of water: Drilled Well #6
- purpose of taking: commercial bottled water
- maximum rate per minute (litres): 186
- maximum number of hours of taking per day: 24
- maximum volume per day (litres): 267,600
- maximum number of days of taking per year: 365
- length of time: 10 years
The ministry is satisfied that the water taking does not interfere with private water supply wells located in the area, nor has the water taking resulted in unacceptable impacts to the environment. The PTTW has been issued with conditions requiring monitoring of local water levels to ensure the water taking remains sustainable. Records shall be assessed annually and reported to the ministry upon request for an amendment or renewal of this permit.
Effects of consultation
No comments received regarding this proposal.
The following municipalities / conservation authorities were notified by email:
- Northumberland County
- Lower Trent Conservation
- Alnwick Haldimand Township
No comments or replies were received from the above municipal / conservation authority stakeholders.
Notification to Indigenous Communities
The following Indigenous communities were notified and provided details of the proposed permit renewal:
- Alderville First Nation
- Mississaugas of Scugog Island First Nation
- Hiawatha First Nation
- Williams Treaties First Nations
- Curve Lake First Nation (FN)
Curve Lake First Nation responded to ministry notification and requested additional information regarding the proposed water taking. Gott Enterprises Inc. and their consultant (AECOM Canada) corresponded with Curve Lake FN on August 24, 2021 and October 19, 2021 to provide the requested information. Further, a meeting was held on January 12, 2022 was attended by Gott Enterprises Inc. and their consultant (AECOM Canada), representatives of Curve Lake First Nation and the Ministry. At the meeting, a presentation on the water bottling operations was presented by AECOM Canada on behalf of Gott Enterprises Inc.
No specific technical concerns with the proposed water taking were raised by Curve Lake First Nation.
The ministry has extended offers to Curve Lake First Nation to meet or provided additional information on the Permit to Take Water Program and the results of the technical studies supporting the end of the water bottling moratorium.
Summary
Over the past years, the ministry has thoroughly reviewed the province’s water taking policies, programs and science tools and held an independent third-party review of the findings on bottled water takings, which was completed by a panel of experts from Professional Geoscientists Ontario.
Ontario has strengthened groundwater protection by:
- Enhancing Ontario’s water taking program through regulatory amendments and providing new guidance to help permit holders to understand the new rules and how to operate within them.
- Giving host municipalities more direct input on allowing bottled water companies to withdraw new or increased amounts of groundwater in their communities.
- Charging a water bottling fee for water bottling companies that take groundwater, effective August 1, 2017
- Hiring an experienced water resources consulting firm, BluMetric Environmental Inc., to assess water resources in the province, in addition to our own ongoing review and analysis of water taking in Ontario.
- Validating the ministry’s findings on water bottling through an independent third-party panel from the Professional Geoscientists Ontario
In Ontario, water bottling facilities must apply for permits to take water from groundwater sources if the facility plans to take more than 50,000 litres of water on any day.
Groundwater is water held underground in the soil or in pores and crevices in rock. It supplies water in wells and some streams, lakes and wetlands.
Ontario is committed to protecting water resources for families now and for future generations. It’s even more important as our population grows, and during hot conditions and periods of drought, which are projected to become more frequent because of climate change.
The independent third-party review validated our findings that water takings for bottling are managed sustainably in Ontario under existing legislation, regulation and guidance and are not impacting the sustainability of groundwater resources.
Supporting materials
View materials in person
Some supporting materials may not be available online. If this is the case, you can request to view the materials in person.
Get in touch with the office listed below to find out if materials are available.
135 St Clair Ave West
1st Floor
Toronto,
ON
M4V 1P5
Canada
How to Appeal
This instrument decision can be appealed. You have 15 days from September 16, 2022 to begin the appeal process.
Carefully review the information below to learn more about the appeal process.
How to appealClick to Expand Accordion
For instrument decisions published on or after June 1, 2021, please refer to the updated instructions for information on how to appeal a decision.
Appeal process for decisions published before June 1, 2021
If you’re an Ontario resident, you can start the process to appeal this instrument decision.
First, you’ll need to seek leave (i.e. get permission) from the relevant appellate body to appeal the decision.
If the appellate body grants leave, the appeal itself will follow.
Seek leave to appeal
To seek leave to appeal, you need to do these three things:
- prepare your application
- provide notice to the minister
- mail your application to three parties
1. Prepare your application
You’ll need to prepare an application. You may wish to include the following things in your application:
- A document that includes:
- your name, phone number, fax number (if any), and/or email address
- the ERO number and ministry reference number (located on this page)
- a statement about whether you are a resident in Ontario
- your interest in the decision, and any facts you want taken into account in deciding whether you have an interest in the decision
- the parts of the instrument that you’re challenging
- whether the decision could result in significant harm to the environment
- the reason(s) why you believe that no reasonable person – having regard to the relevant law and to any government policies developed to guide decisions of that kind – could have made the decision
- the grounds (facts) you’ll be using to appeal
- the outcome you’d like to see
- A copy of the instrument (approval, permit, order) that you you are seeking leave to appeal. You’ll find this in the decision notice on the Environmental Registry
- Copies of all supporting documents, facts and evidence that you’ll be using to appeal
What is considered
The appeal body will consider the following two questions in deciding whether to grant you leave to appeal:
- is there is good reason to believe that no reasonable person, with respect to the relevant law and to any government policies developed to guide decisions of that kind, could have made the decision?
- could the decision you wish to appeal result in significant harm to the environment?
2. Provide your notice
You’ll need to provide notice to the Minister of the Environment, Conservation and Parks that you’re seeking leave to appeal.
In your notice, please include a brief description of the:
- decision that you wish to appeal
- grounds for granting leave to appeal
You can provide notice by email at minister.mecp@ontario.ca or by mail at:
College Park 5th Floor, 777 Bay St.
Toronto, ON
M7A 2J3
3. Mail your application
You’ll need to mail your application that you prepared in step #1 to each of these three parties:
- appellate body
- issuing authority (the ministry official who issued the instrument)
- proponent (the company or individual to whom the instrument was issued)
Gott Enterprises Inc.
494306 Grey Road 2
Grey Highlands,
ON
N0C 1C0
Canada
Environmental Review Tribunal
Attention: The Secretary
655 Bay Street
Floor 15
Toronto, Ontario
M5G 1E5
(416) 212-6349
(866) 448-2248
OLT.Registrar@ontario.ca
Include the following:
This is not legal advice. Please refer to the Environmental Bill of Rights for exact legal requirements. Consult a lawyer if you need help with the appeal process.
Connect with us
Contact
Client Services and Permissions Branch
135 St. Clair Avenue West
Floor 1
Toronto,
ON
M4V 1P5
Canada
Original proposal
Proposal details
This proposal is to renew existing Permit to Take Water No. 8404-7YBLB2 for Gott Enterprises Inc. for water bottling purposes. Water is taken from five (5) wells located in the Township of Alnwick/Haldimand. Details of the water taking are as follows:
Source of water: Drilled Well #1B
Purpose of taking: commercial bottled water
- maximum rate per minute (litres): 119
- maximum number of hours of taking per day: 24
- maximum volume per day (litres): 171,100
- maximum number of days of taking per year: 365
- length of time: 10 years
Source of water: Drilled Well # 3
Purpose of taking: commercial bottled water
- maximum rate per minute (litres): 53
- maximum number of hours of taking per day: 24
- maximum volume per day (litres): 75,900
- maximum number of days of taking per year: 365
- length of time: 10 years
Source of water: Drilled Well # 4
Purpose of taking: commercial bottled water
- maximum rate per minute (litres): 107
- maximum number of hours of taking per day: 24
- maximum volume per day (litres): 154,600
- maximum number of days of taking per year: 365
- length of time: 10 years
Source of water: drilled well # 5
Purpose of taking: commercial bottled water
- maximum rate per minute (litres): 53
- maximum number of hours of taking per day: 24
- maximum volume per day (litres): 76,800
- maximum number of days of taking per year: 365
- length of time: up to 10 years
Source of water: Drilled Well # 6
Purpose of taking: commercial bottled water
- maximum rate per minute (litres): 186
- maximum number of hours of taking per day: 24
- maximum volume per day (litres): 267,600
- maximum number of days of taking per year: 365
- length of time: 10 years
Supporting materials
View materials in person
Some supporting materials may not be available online. If this is the case, you can request to view the materials in person.
Get in touch with the office listed below to find out if materials are available.
Comment
Commenting is now closed.
This consultation was open from June 8, 2021
to July 8, 2021
Connect with us
Contact
Client Services and Permissions Branch
135 St. Clair Avenue West
Floor 1
Toronto,
ON
M4V 1P5
Canada
Comments received
Through the registry
0By email
0By mail
0