This award highlights the combined efforts of our 50 member groups, partner organizations, and community members who are passionate about protecting our water resources.
NEWS RELEASE
SIMCOE COUNTY GREENBELT COALITION
************************
This week, the Simcoe County Greenbelt Coalition (SCGC) was honored with the Watershed Guardian of the Year Award by the Ontario Headwaters Institute.
We feel privileged to receive this recognition because it highlights the combined efforts of our 50 member groups, partner organizations, and community members who are passionate about protecting our water resources.
With municipal elections coming up on October 26, candidates in your area are seeking your support. The issue raised by SCGC and the Ontario Headwaters Institute is whether we have enough information to make sustainable long-term choices that benefit people, places, and prosperity all at once. That’s why we’ve asked over 300 candidates in the region to take a look at the Community Leaders for a Sustainable Simcoe pledge. This is a public promise to make transparent decisions that factor in water security, local economies, food production, and community health.
So why should you care about water security?
Because chances are a friend, family member or local business you rely on depends on groundwater. In fact, 90% of municipalities in this region depend on groundwater to some extent. Most of us probably agree that we want our tap and well water to stay clean and abundant.
The Ontario Headwaters Institute has raised alarms about deficiencies in how watersheds are managed throughout Ontario and has called for more careful consideration of municipal decisions regarding our water supply. They also identified Simcoe County as one of six areas where watersheds are at risk due to high reliance on groundwater along with limited understanding of how these systems function.
Think of it like managing your household budget. You wouldn’t make big financial choices without knowing your income, expenses, and savings balance. Yet we still have crucial questions about how much groundwater we actually have access to, how fast we’re using it up, and how quickly it gets replenished. It seems reasonable to expect governments to monitor our water supplies just as households keep track of their bank accounts.
Creating more money can be tough. Creating more clean water from underground sources is impossible.
We need municipal leaders who will seek out complete evidence, consider every aspect and plan for all associated costs.
It’s essential for municipalities, residents, and community organizations to join forces in advocating for provincial and federal investment needed to enhance research and monitoring behind those decisions so we don’t jeopardize our water supply.
So before casting your vote in October, engage with your candidates about their stance. What commitments have they made publicly? How do those commitments affect your access to clean water?
************************
Source link
