Water regulations are too important to be gutted

Re: Proposed bill allows cities to bypass environment laws — Dec. 8

Doug Ford’s government has been accused of being reckless and vindictive. His proposed bill to cut red tape for business and gut existing regulations to protect Ontario’s water and natural features marks a new low even for this government.

Among other things, the legislation would pave the way for developers to ignore measures like the Clean Water Act and the Toxics Reduction Act. The government suggests the measures could save Ontario businesses and corporations as much as $24 million annually.

People whose memories extend to 1989 will recall Elmira losing its water supply after it was poisoned by chemicals that had been dumped by a local chemical plant.

The cost of cleanup for that crisis exceeds $100 million and almost three decades later, the town still can’t use what once was an abundant and pristine water supply.

The economic cost of the Walkerton water crisis in 2000, according to one estimate, was about $64 million and that says nothing about the lives lost and the people who live with serious illness. Blame for that crisis, in part, was placed with Mike Harris, another conservative premier bent on cutting red tape for business.

Laws to keep drinking water safe and our lakes and rivers fit for swimming and fishing were introduced after lives were lost and communities rocked to their core.

Even from an economic perspective, gutting environmental protection is, at best, penny wise and pound-foolish. Bob Burtt

Cambridge