Council of Canadians Hamilton chapter activist Mary Love presenting to the City of Hamilton’s Board of Health on Monday. Photo by Ute Schmid Jones.
The City of Hamilton’s Board of Health has voted to ban bottled water in municipally-run community spaces.
CBC reports, “Hamilton’s board of health has voted to ban the sale of sugary drinks and bottled water in its arenas, rec centres and other facilities. …The board – comprised of all city councillors – voted 6-3 Monday in favour of the ban. Aidan Johnson, Ward 1 councillor in Hamilton’s west end, sided with student and adult presenters who said bottled water is unnecessary and a scourge on the environment.”
The Hamilton Spectator adds, “Johnson said banning bottled water would benefit the climate, reduce the amount of water and energy needed to create a bottle of water, and help to eliminate plastic. About 80 Canadian municipalities have restricted the use of bottled water. The City of Toronto imposed a ban on bottled water that included parks, recreation facilities and civic centres.”
Hamilton City Council will vote on this motion on May 23.
In April of last year, the Hamilton chapter also presented to the Board of Health in support of Johnson’s proposed ban on local groundwater extraction for non-agricultural commercial activity. Then in June of that year Maude Barlow spoke at a Hamilton chapter organized public forum on water issues along with Johnson.
If you live in Hamilton, please be sure to contact your city councillor to express your support for the bottled water ban prior to the May 23 vote.
