October 6th, 2016

Horwath pushes the government to protect Ontario’s water supply

Today Ontario NDP Leader Andrea Horwath pushed the Liberal government to do more to protect Ontario’s long-term water sources.

“We need an Ontario Water Strategy to ensure that there is a sustainable supply of clean water for people today, and for generations to come,” said Horwath during Question Period.  “The Premier seems to think the way to protect Ontario’s water is simply to charge water bottling companies more to take it. That’s not good enough, that simply means that our water goes to the highest bidder, instead of ensuring that it's there for the people of Ontario for drinking, growing food, and sanitation needs in the future.”

Horwath met last week with Guelph City Councillors and local residents who are concerned about water-taking and about the sustainability of clean water sources both in their community and across the province.  They were supportive of the NDP proposal to create a comprehensive water strategy and disappointed that their MPP, the President of the Treasury Board Minister Liz Sandals, dismissed their concerns as being based on ‘misinformation’. 

“People deserve a real strategy that puts the public interest first, that's based on the idea that all Ontarians should be able to access clean water that is based on sustainable, long-term planning, and NOT based on commodifying one our most precious resources,” said Horwath.

The NDP has committed that if elected in 2018 it will conduct a full review of the Permit-To-Take-Water system, and will create a comprehensive, evidence-based Ontario Water Strategy to ensure sustainable access to clean water for all Ontarians in this generation and for generations to come.