August 20, 2018

Over 15,000 demand BC Premier Horgan & FLNR Minister Donaldson protect BC’s water from food giant Nestlé

VANCOUVER, B.C. — As British Columbia declares a state of emergency due to wildfires, a petition from SumOfUs, an international consumer group, is calling on Premier John Horgan and Minister of Forests, Lands, Natural Resource Operations and Rural Development (FLNR) Doug Donaldson to conduct a review of British Columbia’s water rates in order to protect the area from corporations like Nestlé, who continue to pay just $2.25 for one million litres of the province’s groundwater. The petition, which has been signed by over 15,000 people after launching last week, argues that, “Nestlé and other corporations continue to rake in massive profits while BC residents deal with water restrictions to combat the ever-increasing drought conditions.”

View the Petition here:

https://actions.sumofus.org/a/tell-premier-horgan-to-protect-bc-s-water-from-nestle-s-profiteering/?

“During his campaign, Premier Horgan promised to conduct a review of British Columbia’s water rates to protect the area water from companies like Nestle— companies who have demonstrated their corporate greed time and again,” said SumOfUs Campaign Manager, Angus Wong. “That is why we are petitioning Horgan and  FLNR Minister Donaldson to ensure that promise is kept intact. While BC residents deal with water restrictions to combat the ever-increasing drought conditions, Hogan and Donaldson sit on their hands and do nothing to rein in Nestlé and other corporations that continue to rake in massive profits mining precious water resources.

“Now is the time for the BC government to take action. Every year, Nestlé makes billions off selling pristine groundwater, while sucking communities around the world dry. While BC sees more and more extreme heat and fire events, protecting our water from corporate profiteering is more important than ever before. The NDP government campaigned on a progressive environmental mandate, but have yet to come through on their promise to review water rates and protect BC’s water from Nestlé’s greed. We are facing a growing outcry, and that could be the pressure leaders like Horgan needs to take immediate action,” concluded Wong

SumOfUs has been working to protect British Columbia’s water from Nestlé for years. Close to 400,000 SumOfUs members signed a viral petition that pushed the issue of water protection to the forefront in BC and forced the previous corporate-backed Liberal government to take action on water rates in BC.

View the petition the 2016 petition here:: https://actions.sumofus.org/a/bc-bottled-water