Whereas water is an essential resource upon which all life, including all ecosystems and all local communities depend; And whereas water is a public heritage and a public trust for present and future generations and access to water must not be compromised by commercial operations relating to commercial water bottling or commercial bulk water exports: Therefore be it resolved that the Premier of British Columbia and the Minister of Forests, Lands and Natural Resources Operations and Rural Development be requested to immediately cease the licensing and extraction of groundwater for commercial water bottling andor bulk water exports from aquifers.
Ministry of Forests, Lands, Natural Resource Operations and Rural Development Government acknowledges and thanks local governments for their continued interests in supporting improved watershed and aquifer protection and management. The Province is committed to ensuring that our supply of clean fresh water is sustainable to meet our current and future demand. Since 1996, the bulk removal of water from the province has been prohibited in accordance with the Water Protection Act. The Water Sustainability Act is the primary legislation for water management in British Columbia. It includes measures to protect stream health, regulate the diversion and use of groundwater, and address water use during times of scarcity. Any application for water use, including water bottling, is reviewed to ensure the diversion is sustainable and other existing uses are protected. If a licence is granted, the decision-maker may include terms and conditions to protect water source and stream, or aquifer, health.