Ontario township becoming focal point for world concern over water rights
The central western region of Ontario is becoming a major focal point in what is becoming a global concern over who controls fresh water resources.
For years local residents in the township of Centre Wellington have been concerned over the activities of the global corporate giant Nestle.
The corporation owns wells around the world, and currently operate two in the region and recently bought a third which the municipality which wanted to acquire in order to ensure water supply for its growing population.
Mike Nagy is the volunteer chairman of the non-profit Wellington Water Watchers.
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The Nestle purchase of this third well has the potential to add a permit to extract another million or so litres of water per day, in addition to the over 4 millions of daily litres from its other sites.
Due to public outcry, the provincial government has enacted a moratorium on new applications for water extraction for packaging purposes, as well as on any test pumping, and any expansion on existing extraction permit amounts.
Although there was serious concern about Nestle’s two current permits to extract water in the region, that grew when Nestle expressed interest in the Elora “Middlebrook” well, and were heightened further when Nestle quickly acquired the well when the township tried to buy it. While most think Nestle outbid the township, that seems not to be the case.
A Toronto Star article in October 2016 reported that Nestle didn’t outbid the township. Without revealing the amount Mayor Kelly Linton told the paper the township offered more money, but Nestle had first right of refusal on their offer, and simply removed the conditions they had originally included.
Nestle has since indicated it wants to work with the Township on the Middlebrook well. What that means is uncertain. Nagy says it is clear people don’t want any corporate packaging firm to have any involvement with the Elora Middlebrook well, or the other wells for that matter, and said the Centre Wellington Mayor should not enter into any type of private-public partnership. “We don’t want any strings attached to our wells”, says Nagy.
A recent poll commissioned by the non-profit citizens group Council of Canadians shows a majority of Canadians are also against the purchase of the well and control of water by corporate interests.
Performed by Oraclepoll Research earlier this month, the survey of 1,200 Ontario residents indicated that over two thirds (68%) wanted the provincial government to oblige the company to sell the well back to the community Over two thirds (69%) also support a phase –out of all water bottling permits in the province
“People across Ontario are calling for a permanent phase-out of all bottled water takings. People do not want companies like Nestlé to profit from water,” says Maude Barlow, National Chairperson of the Council of Canadians. “The poll shows that Ontarians understand very well that water is a human right and that the drinking water of local communities should be prioritized over commercial water bottling companies.”
Nagy says his group will work to stop Nestle from extracting any water at the Middlebrook site, and stop a renewal of the permit for their Aberfoyle well. They also hope to work with the province in the development of new rules to cope with the extraction of water for bottling purposes.
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