Raise Your Voice Against Ford Government’s Move to Weaken Ontario’s Water Protection Regulations

An Action Alert from the Canadian Environmental Law Association (CELA), a long-time defender of a healthy environment for all

Posted October 13^th, 2023 on Niagara At Large

The Canadian Environmental Law Association (is issuing this alert) about the Ontario Ministry of the Environment, Conservation and Parks proposals to exempt certain waste management systems, storm water management, and water-taking from licensing requirements.

These “streamlining” proposals are eliminating critical government and public scrutiny from projects that could have significant impacts on the environment and human health. CELA strong urges the Ministry NOT to proceed with these proposals, and we encourage you to add your voice.

The most important action you can take is to send an email to Ministry staff. Here’s how:

1) Address your email to permissions.modernization@ontario.ca (mailto:permissions.modernization@ontario.ca)

2) Be sure to include all four posting numbers in the body of your email. Those are: ERO #019-6951 (https://ero.ontario.ca/notice/019-6951) , ERO #019-6853 (https://ero.ontario.ca/index.php/notice/019-6853) , ERO #019-6963 (https://ero.ontario.ca/notice/019-6963) , and ERO #019-6928 (https://ero.ontario.ca/index.php/notice/019-6928) .

3) Write your comment. Feel free to use our suggested language below, but be sure to add your own thoughts.

CELA has a number of concerns about the impacts of these proposals. Please feel free to include these concerns in your comments.

We are concerned that:

* There will not be an up-front, detailed review by Ministry staff to assess the potential environmental impacts of the specified operations

* Public participation and appeal rights under the Environmental Bill of Rights, 1993 would no longer apply

* Waste management systems that transport and store waste – in particular, asbestos waste, hazardous waste, and biomedical waste – have the potential to cause serious harm to our health and the natural environment

* Improper management of wastewater and stormwater has the potential to cause serious impacts to freshwater systems and safe drinking water

* Allowing up to 379,000 litres of groundwater-taking per day without a permit threatens aquifers, impacts wells, and strains municipal infrastructure

* Removing the requirement to inform Conservation Authorities about water-taking limits their ability to protect drinking water sources

We have created an action alert page (https://cela.ca/action-alert-environment-ministry-proposes-to-exempt-harmful-activities-from-licensing-requirements/) on our website that contains more information. It’s important that you share your concerns by sending an email by October 30 and urging the government NOT to proceed with these proposals.

Sincerely, Theresa McClenaghan, Executive Director, Canadian Environmental Law Association

For more information on the Canadian Environmental Law Association and its programs, click on – https://www.cela.ca/ .

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