Legislative Action
Governments play a critical role in managing water resources within their jurisdictions. Their actions either affirm or deny peoples’ fundamental rights to water. They create the regulations that control how water is used, processed, delivered, bought, and sold.
Governments around the world are turning their backs on these responsibilities. The peoples’ right to manage and protect water is slowly eroding, and companies who profit off water are making more and more decisions. In North America, bottled water is defined as a ‘product’, freely traded and largely unregulated in comparison with publicly delivered water.
Water activists around the world are fighting for policies and laws that among other objectives put water back in the public’s hands, stop the exports of bulk water, and reign-in the bottled water industry.
Legislative Action
Articles
Nova Scotia becomes First Province to Ban Bottled Water
Posted: April 26, 2010 HALIFAX, NS – At the annual convention of CUPE Nova Scotia, Premier Darrell Dexter announced that Nova Scotia would become the first province in...Read More
Fewer Regulations for Bottled Water Than Tap, GAO Says
Posted: July 10, 2009 SARA GOODMAN, July 9, 2009, New York Times - Bottled water manufacturers are not required to disclose as much information as municipal water...Read More
BOTTLED WATERGATE: FINDINGS EXPOSE MILLIONS IN PUBLIC MONEY SPENT ON BOTTLED WATER
Posted: April 29, 2009 Why is the Federal Government spending as much as $7.2 million on bottled water? HALIFAX/OTTAWA, April 29, 2009 –Montréal Complètement Naya
Posted: July 19, 2010 Daniel Cayley-Daoust* La Presse Le 13 juillet, Naya annonçait qu'elle allait distribuer de l'eau de source Naya en vrac lors des événements de...Read More
Brant County says no to bottled water: The Expositor
Posted: February 19, 2010 Brant County will no longer make bottled water available in any of its facilities. After a lengthy debate, Coun. Shirley Simons won overwhelming...Read More
$30K for tap water facilities: Niagara This Week
Posted: November 16, 2009 Nov. 13, 2009 Paul Forsyth Objections from Canada’s largest supplier of bottled water notwithstanding, city staff say banning bottled water...Read More
Departments buy bottled when tap water available: Environment Canada one of the big spenders
Posted: September 17, 2009Glen McGregor, The Ottawa Citizen, September 17, 2009 - Despite mounting opposition to the use of plastic water bottles, the federal government...
Read More
Exposed: Canada’s Economic Action Plan Props up Bottled Water Company
Posted: August 26, 2009 OTTAWA/ August 26, 2009, Polaris Institute Press Release - Today’s announcement from the Office of the Minister of State, Denis Label, that...Read More
Vancouver may welcome wagon as alternative to bottled water - CBC
Posted: July 16, 2009 Metro Vancouver is considering a stainless steel tank on wheels, known as the water wagon, as an alternative to bottled water. Refrigerated water...Read More
Bottled water sent down the drain: Kelowna Capital News
Posted: May 29, 2009 By Jason Luciw - Kelowna Capital News The supply of bottled water has been cut off from the Central Okanagan Regional District board...Read More
Bottled water, plastic bag industries take B.C. city to task over proposed bans
Posted: May 27, 2009 DAWSON CREEK, B.C. — There is a row growing over recycling, and a northern B.C. city's proposal to reduce the use of bottled water and plastic...Read More
Federal Government Spends Millions on Bottled Water Instead of Infrastructure
Posted: May 20, 2009 Green Party of Canada Press Release, May 20th, 2009 - OTTAWA--The Green Party of Canada is calling on the federal government to avoid the purchase...Read More
Water bottles outlawed at town offices: York region.com News
Posted: May 15, 2009 Whitchurch-Stouffville May 14, 2009 10:29 AM BY SANDRA BOLAN Bottled water will no longer be available at the Whitchurch-Stouffville...Read More
Bottled water banned in Thorold facilities: Thorold Niagara News
Posted: May 15, 2009 The City of Thorold has banned the sale and distribution of bottled water from municipal facilities and are encouraging residents and visitors to...Read More
Bottled water ban surges ahead: Kingston Whig Standard
Posted: May 13, 2009 Posted By JORDAN PRESS May 13, 2009 City hall is one step closer to banning the sale of bottled water in municipal facilities. A committee...Read More
Dollars and water down the drain - EDITORIAL - Thunder Bay Chronicle
Posted: May 5, 2009 Monday, May 4, 2009 Water, water everywhere. But it seems for many Canadians there‘s nary a drop to drink. For consumers that‘s either because...Read More
Gov't spending $7 million on bottled water: report - CTV
Posted: April 30, 2009 Wed. Apr. 29 2009 The Canadian Press MONTREAL -- Ottawa is needlessly spending millions of tax dollars on bottled water, a leading public...Read More
Ottawa's bottled water bill tops $15-million over the past five years: Globe and Mail
Posted: April 29, 2009 MARTIN MITTELSTAEDT Globe and Mail Update April 29, 2009 The federal government has spent $15.7-million over the past five years to slake the...Read More
Federal government spends millions on bottled water: Ottawa Citizen
Posted: April 29, 2009 By Joanne Chianello , The Ottawa Citizen April 29, 2009 OTTAWA — The federal government spent more than $10 million in the last three years...Read More
Town bans bottled water on public facilities
Posted: April 28, 2009 Georgina April 27, 2009 By tracy Kibble The town will not longer sell or provide bottled water on any public-owned facilities where potable...Read More
Region tackles bottled versus tap water debate Region tackles bottled versus tap water debate: Brampton Guardian
Posted: April 23, 2009 Tuesday April 21 2009 By PETER CRISCIONE Peel Region has joined ranks with others municipalities attempting to curb the use of plastic water...Read More
Councillors fume as civic centre flouts ban on bottled water: Toronto Star
Posted: April 23, 2009 Apr 22, 2009 04:30 AM John Spears CITY HALL BUREAU It's hard to kick the bottle, the City of Toronto is discovering – especially when the...Read More
Time to phase out bottled water
Posted: April 6, 2009 HRM encouraged to join other municipalities By JOCELYNE RANKIN and ANGELA GILES On behalf of a coalition of groups from across Nova Scotia that...Read More
Standards 'very lax,' group says: Montreal Gazette
Posted: March 26, 2009 'This should raise alarm bells' By LYNN MOORE, The GazetteMarch 26, 2009 4:06 AM The Canadian Food Inspection Agency regularly learns of...Read More
Few bottled water firms inspected: Windsor Star
Posted: March 26, 2009 Canwest News Service Published: Thursday, March 26, 2009 The Canadian Food Inspection Agency has inspected fewer than six per cent of bottled water...Read More
Stay Connected
BC Municipal Bottled Water Campaign
On May 28th, a joint package of materials was distributed to every municipality in British Columbia. Click here to read the letter sent to municipalities. Click here to see Municipal examples. Click here to read the press release. - Read more
Take the Bottle Water Free Orientation Challenge!
Now is the time to promote a bottled water free orientation/event to your Student Union and PIRG for Fall 2009. Here are two ways you can help: 1) Send Elly the contact info of your campus orientation organizers; 2) Call or meet with your orientation leaders to discuss bottled water free events. If you think you can do either of these tasks, please email Elly Adeland, Water and Energy Campaigner at: Elly@polarisinstitute.org
We will get the ball rolling together!
- Read more
Federation of Canadian Municipalities (FCM) Action on Bottled Water
March 7, 2009 - The Federation of Canadian Municipalities (FCM) adopted a policy to encourage their members to "phase out the sale and purchase of bottled water" on city/town property. Click here to access: FCM Resolution, Polaris Institute FCM Briefing Memo, Polaris Institute Press Release, FCM Press Release - Read more
Ontario Municipal Bottled Water Campaign
On February 20th, a joint package of materials was distributed to all 444 municipalities in Ontario. Click here to read the letter sent to Municipalities. Click here to read the Municipal Examples and click here to read the Municipal Options sent to municipalities. - Read more
Association of Municipalities of Ontario (AMO) Confronts Bottled Water
Click here to read AMO's memo to all its members on bottled water. - Read more
Nova Scotia Campaign to Turn on the Tap and Ditch Bottled Water
On December 12th, a provincial campaign on bottled water was launched in Nova Scotia. Click here to read the press release. Click here for Municipal Examples and click here for Municipal Options on bottled water. - Read more
JOIN THE BOTTLED WATER FREE ZONES CAMPAIGN
Create a bottled water free zone in your classroom, student union, workplace, union local, community centre, City Hall buildings, environmental social justice or faith based group, and more! click here to find out how you can participate in the campaign - Read more
CFS Bottled Water Policy Canadian Federation of Students policy on Bottled Water passed at the May 2008 General Meeting. Click here
FOI Request Template: Accessing Your University's Beverage Exclusivity Contract Click here
Cliquer ici
Alternatives to Bottled Water on Campus Organizing bottled water-free events on campus, such as Orientation Week.
Bottled Water FAQ Take the plunge! Frequently asked questions about policies for phasing out bottled water and re-investing in tap water.
Click here
Cliquer ici
Bottled Water Facts Fact sheets on the environmental, health, social and economic impacts of
the bottled water industry.
L'empreinte ecologique de l'eau embouteillee
Sante
Repercussions sociales
Repercussions economiques
L'empreinte ecologique de l'eau embouteillee
Sante
Repercussions sociales
Repercussions economiques
Municipal Action: Bottled Water Options and Examples Take the Plunge: Materials for Municipal Action on Bottled Water!
For Municipal Options click here
.For Municipal Examples click here
Community Organizing Package This package outlines some useful ideas and tools for building a campaign challenging the bottled water industry in Canada. Click here
San Francisco Executive Directive Use this example in a campaign to encourage your local government to ban bottled water. Click here for a copy
Student awareness to action kit PART 1
A tool kit to challenge the bottled water industry and beverage exclusivtity contracts at school and on campus
Find part 1 of the kit here
A tool kit to challenge the bottled water industry and beverage exclusivtity contracts at school and on campus
Find part 1 of the kit here
Utility Calculator for Vending Machines Calculate the energy consumption of your institution's vending machines
Find calculators here
Find calculators here