Across Canada, people are taking a stand in support of public water and against the privatization of our water resources. It is time to unite and get rid of bottled water.

We would love for you to join the Coalition for Bottled Water Free Communities (made up of the Canadian Federation of Students, the Sierra Youth Coalition, the Council of Canadians, the Canadian Union of Public Employees and the Polaris Institute) in the countdown to Canada's third Bottled Water Free Day! On March 15, 2012, campuses and communities across Canada will be mobilizing to take action to kick the bottle and back the tap! We want you to be a part of it!

The Council of Canadians is pleased to learn that the Town of Ajax has become a Blue Community by passing a resolution banning bottled water, recognizing water as a human right and promoting publicly owned and operated water and wastewater systems.

Ajax is the fourth community in Canada and second in Ontario to join the Blue Communities Project launched by the Council of Canadians and Canadian Union of Public Employees.

The community adopted the resolutions after receiving a letter from 13-year-old water warrior, Robyn Hamlyn, who was inspired to take action after seeing the film Blue Gold, featuring the work of Council of Canadians chairperson Maude Barlow.

Victoria, the capital city of British Columbia, is poised to become Canada's next Blue Community.

On Thursday, June 16, 2011, City Councillor Marianne Alto introduced a Blue Communities resolution to the Committee of the Whole. Since the Committee recommended approval, city council will vote on the resolution on Thursday, June 23.

March 10 is Bottled Water Free Day. People all across Canada and the world are taking a stand in support of public water and against the privatization of our water resources.

Nestlé Waters Canada has applied to renew its permit to withdraw water in Aberfoyle, Ontario. It has requested an unprecedented 10-year extension on its current permit of up to 3.6 million litres per day, an equivalent of nearly one and a half Olympic size swimming pools per day and a total of up to 1.314 billion litres per year.

Bottled water has harmful impacts on our environment. With climate change and Canada's dwindling water sources, we need to preserve our water sources for our use and future generations use. Water is a human right, global commons and public trust. Water should not be used for private gain.

Thursday, Feb. 24, 2011

Dear friends,

Nestle is trying to reverse London’s ban on the sale of bottled water on city property. They wrote a letter to Mayor Joe Fontana requesting a reversal of the ban. The letter was on the agenda of the Community and Neighbourhoods Committee Meeting on Tuesday, Feb. 15. Nestle was present as a delegation. City council will vote on the matter on Monday, Feb. 28 at 5 p.m.

What Londoners can do:

Dear friends,

Nestle is trying to reverse London's ban on the sale of bottled water on city property. They have written a letter to Mayor Joe Fontana requesting a reversal of the ban. The letter is on the agenda of the Community and Neighbourhoods Committee Meeting today at 4:15 p.m. (Tuesday, February 15). Nestle will be presenting as a delegation.

For those in the London area, please write or call your councillor to tell them you still support the bottled water ban. Please attend the meeting and show the new C&N Committee that there is interest in the community about this topic. The public is not permitted to ask questions.