ACTION ALERT: Say no to the corporatization of Ontario's water services!

February 17, 2010

Dear friends,

The Ontario legislature will be debating Bill 237 on Thursday February 18. If passed this bill would severely undermine the ability of municipalities to maintain public control over water and wastewater infrastructure. Water and waste water services would be operated by corporations run by unelected boards of directors who would report to a centralized provincial water board that would be unaccountable to the public.

All costs would be downloaded to Ontario users who will see steep rate hikes as a result of full cost recovery measures promoted by this bill.

Please see the Council of Canadians statement at www.canadians.org/water/documents/bill-237-statement.pdf.

Bill 237 can be read at: www.ontla.on.ca/web/bills/bills_detail.do?locale=en&Intranet=&BillID=2262.

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Send a letter to your MPP by choosing your riding below:

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Compose your letter in the box below.
Dear Member of Provincial Parliament, I am writing to let you know that I strongly oppose Bill 237. If passed, this bill will result in the forced corporatization of municipal water and wastewater services, a loss of public control and steep increases in tariffs for Ontarians. It would absolve the provincial and federal governments of their responsibilities to address Ontario's water and waste water infrastructure deficit, which is currently estimated at $37 billion over 15 years. Residents of Ontario already pay for essential services through progressive taxation. The federal and provincial governments have a duty to ensure that public funds are adequately transferred to municipalities for the public delivery of these services. Access to water and sanitation is a fundamental human right. Water and waste water services must be managed by governments who are accountable to the public not by arms-length corporations regulated by an unelected provincial board. I urge you to vote against Bill 237. Sincerely,
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