We have until February 5th to let Minister Yurek know your thoughts on this, the final step in the development of the framework to manage water in this province.

This final step can be reviewed on the Environmental Registry called the Proposed Implementation of Updates to Ontario’s Water Quantity Management Framework ERO#019-2017. It makes some progress with regards to integral steps in developing a framework, however it falls short and is even a step back with respect to several important criteria:

  1. Insufficient engagement of First Nations. There is a legal duty for the Crown to consult with First Nations on water rights. Ontario DOES NOT have the authority to make decisions about or mediate water rights of First Nations.
  2. This proposal supports revoking the hard won protection of applying drought time restrictions on permits for water bottling. Which means, that as summer rolls around and residents are required to adjust their water usage when drought conditions arise, there is no longer the legal requirement for water bottling companies to cut back on their water taking in those drought conditions

Please take a moment now to submit your comments below, before the February 5th deadline to submit comments on this flawed proposal.