To the Legislative Assembly of Ontario:
WHEREAS, groundwater is a public good, not a commodity, and;
WHEREAS, local ecosystems must be preserved for the well-being of future generations, and;
WHEREAS, the United Nations recognizes access to clean drinking water as a human right, and;
WHEREAS, the duty to consult Indigenous communities regarding water taking within traditional territories is often neglected, resulting in a disproportionate burden on systemically marginalized communities during a period of reconciliation, and;
WHEREAS, a poll commissioned by Wellington Water Watchers found that two-thirds of respondents support phasing out bottled water in Ontario over the course of a decade, and;
WHEREAS, a trend towards prioritizing the expansion of for-profit water bottling corporations over the needs of municipalities will negatively impact Ontario’s growing communities;
Therefore, we the undersigned, petition the Legislative Assembly of Ontario to direct the Ministry of the Environment, Conservation, & Parks to prioritize public ownership and control of water over corporate interests and fund the accessibility of free drinking water in public spaces across the province.