TORONTO -- A suggested ban on the sale of plastic water bottles in Ontario is being welcomed by the provincial government, which says it's willing to consider all options that would limit waste.
Environment Minister John Gerretsen said Thursday he isn't ready to take a final stance on the subject, but praised the private member's bill for its attempt to cut back on garbage in the province.
"We are considering ... all efforts to reduce the amount of garbage that's being produced, that will entice us to do more recycling, more reusing and more reduction of material," Gerretsen said.
"Any effort like that should be applauded, but we don't want to make any judgments as to what specific actions we're taking because we're in a consultation process right now."
The bill, introduced last month by Liberal backbencher Kuldip Kular and debated Thursday in the legislature, is meant to reduce waste and energy consumption associated with making and recycling plastic bottles, as well as encourage the use of tap water.
If passed, people breaking the law would face a fine between $500 and $1,500, while corporations would have to pay $10,000 for a first-time offence and up to $25,000 for each subsequent offence.
"The sale of water using this form of bottle undermines some of the basic services offered in our communities: the provision of clean, affordable, fresh water from the taps in our homes and workplaces," Kular said in the legislature.
"Bill 112 does not set out in any way to abolish the bottled water industry."
But Progressive Conservative finance critic Tim Hudak said earlier Thursday he was against the bill, arguing the government needs to stop banning things and instead focus on the province's financial woes.
"The real issues we have in the province today are massive job losses, Ontario becoming a have-not province and getting equalization payments for the first time in history," Hudak said.
"And what do Liberals care about? Bottled water bans. They're out of touch."
Former Conservative Bill Murdoch, sitting as an Independent after he was expelled from caucus for criticizing party leader John Tory, said the bill would have a negative impact on his riding of Bruce-Grey-Owen Sound, home of Ice River Springs, a bottled water company that employs more than 250 people in Feversham, Ont.
The Canadian bottled water industry provides 11,000 direct and indirect jobs for Ontario, Murdoch said, noting that "at this time, we don't need to be losing jobs."
NDP Leader Howard Hampton said his party will likely support the bill because continuing to fill landfills with empty water bottles is irresponsible.
"We either have to return to returnable bottles, or we have to find another way to deal with this," Hampton said.
There are job issues related to the ban, he added, but if the move is from plastic bottles to returnable bottles, "what you lose in one area you should gain in another."
Several municipalities have already voted to eliminate sales of water bottles at city-run facilities, saying they are a hazard to the environment.
School boards in Toronto, Ottawa and Waterloo, as well as city councils in London, Ont., and Vancouver, have all moved to restrict the sales of bottled water.
Toronto is also looking at banning paper coffee cups with plastic lids, and ordering retailers like Tim Hortons to provide 10- to 20-cent discounts to customers who bring their own cups.
Supporters of the ban argue a lot of carbon-emitting fossil fuel is used to produce and transport the plastic bottles, which then end up in landfills.
Environmentalists also say tap water is just as good as bottled water in most Canadian municipalities -- and much cheaper.
Gerretsen said the province takes the health and safety issues seriously, and is meeting with industry groups to address any concerns.
He encourages everyone to drink tap water.
"We have some of the best water in the entire world here in the province of Ontario," he said.
"We're very much blessed with having the Great Lakes here, which is the greatest source of fresh water in the world."
Gerretsen said he doesn't always use reusable coffee cups, but he's been using canvas bags for shopping and doesn't use plastic water bottles.
"We can all do better," he said.
