The Ontario government today announced a proposed six-month extension of the moratorium on water bottling permits, ending April 1, 2021. The current moratorium, which originally took effect on December 16, 2016 and was previously extended on December 21, 2018 and again on December 23, 2019, prohibits new permits for water bottling facilities to take groundwater, prevents existing water bottling facilities from increasing their draw beyond what is authorized in their current permit, and precludes new or amended permits for pumping tests to identify sources for bottled water. This extension to the moratorium is being proposed to allow the government “time to thoroughly review and consider the feedback received on our proposed enhancements to Ontario’s water taking program, as well as to further consult with the public, stakeholders and Indigenous communities on how we can implement those proposed enhancements before the moratorium ends”.

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August 28, 2020