Ontario Green leader joins call to extend bottled water permit moratorium

Ontario's Green Party leader has written an open letter to Environment Minister Jeff Yurek, calling on him to extend the province's moratorium on new and extended water-taking permits for bottled water companies.

The moratorium is set to expire January 1, 2020. It was put in place after Nestlé purchased a well near Guelph that the township of Centre Wellington had wanted. 

The province has said it's using the moratorium time to review its water-taking policies.

But Ontario Green Party Leader Mike Schreiner says the result of that review hasn't yet been made public, and that "time is now becoming of the essence" for the public to weigh in before the moratorium expires.

"My hope is that all of this is released and we have time for public input prior to the expiration of the moratorium," said Schreiner, who is also MPP for Guelph.

"If we don't have time for proper public consultation, then I surely recommend that the ministry extend the moratorium."

The Township of Centre Wellington and the water advocacy group Environmental Defence have issued their own requests to the province to extend the moratorium.

Better water laws needed, Schreiner says

Schreiner said the province should also enact stiffer water protection laws before lifting the moratorium. For example, he said the process for issuing water-taking permits should take into consideration the cumulative effect of other permits in the area.

"You can only stick so many straws into the aquifer before we may start running out of water supply," he said.

He said he would also like to see a clear prioritization schedule in law that would give municipalities and private wells priority status for taking water.  

"Minister, we can develop science-based regulations that are fair for industry and put water for public use at the top of the priority list," Schreiner wrote in the open letter.

"Until these measures are in place, we must extend the moratorium on new water bottling permits."

Ministry: 'We will engage'

In an email to CBC, Andrew Buttigieg, press secretary for Environment Minister Jeff Yurek, said the ministry is currently considering its options while reviewing the province's water-related policies and programs "to ensure they protect vital water resources while keeping Ontario open for business."

"We will engage with the public, stakeholders and Indigenous communities for input on provincial water taking rules that ensure the safety of secure, reliable sources of water," Buttigieg said.