Town of Erin accepts annual donation from Nestl Waters Canada

Town of Erin councillors have decided to accept an annual donation from Nestl Waters Canada, despite concern from some residents about the company's motives.

Nestl Waters Canada will give the municipality a voluntary levy based on the amount of water it pumps from the well the company owns in Hillsburgh, in the northernpartof the municipality.

The levy amountsto 50 cents for every 1,000 litres, but will at the very minimum be a$25,000 donation each year.

• Nestl Waters offers Town of Erin money for community benefit fund
• Town of Erin to discuss Nestl Waters' voluntary levy proposal Tuesday night

"Council saw fit to accept this contribution to help reduce the burden upon taxpayers who currently fund the vast majority of our community improvement projects," Mayor Allan Alls said in a release sent to CBC News after the decision Tuesday evening.

The money will directly benefit residents, he said, and is in line with past practices. Between 2001 and 2009, the town received a voluntary levy from Nestl in amounts ranging from $7,954 up to $31,957.

• Why one U of Guelph groundwater researcher says accepting money from Nestl is OK

That money was used to build a skate park and buy playground equipment at Barbour Fields.

"Nestl appears to recognize that if they want to have a positive presence in our community, then offering the town a contribution, as they did during previous terms of council, is the right thing to do," Alls added.

Some residents who appeared at the meeting Tuesday night askedcouncillorsto defer a decision until they could get more public input. Council declined.

New rules for water bottling companies

The province is creating new rules around water bottling companies, including increasing how much they are charged for water taking permits, from $3.71 for a million litres to $503.71 for the same amount.

• Ontario proposes to boost water bottler fee by $500 per million litres taken
• Amid drought, environmentalists want Nestl to stop water taking in Aberfoyle, Ont.

Alls said it will be the role of new provincial legislation to hold water bottling companies accountable for the plastics and cans they produce and the new rules will be "a positive step forward in helping to protect our local environment."

The statement also noted the province is "the only legislative body with the authority to prevent Nestl's continued operations in the town."

That comment is why Wellington Water Watchers board chairman Mike Nagysaid he feels there's a need to continue to lobby the province about water bottling companies.

"This confirms that our campaign to phase out permits for water bottling in Ontario is on the right track," he said. "Wherever this industry goes it creates conflict and division because outdated regulations allow it to make outrageous profits from selling public water."

'Community comes first'

Critics had argued the funding was a way for the company to pay the Town of Erin for its water.

Resident Liz Armstrong was one of those who appeared before council. In a release from Wellington Water Watchers on Wednesday, she questionedNestlWaters' motivation.

"If Nestle were sincere they would have paid a voluntary levy consistently for the last 17 years it has operated in the town," Armstrong said.

"It is tempting to think they are only doing it now because the Ontario government is reviewing regulations for permits to take water and because its own permit in Hillsburgh expires this summer."

The company said the levy, also called a community benefit fund,was its way of giving back to a community it has been part of for 17 years.

Andreanne Simard, natural resources manager with Nestl Waters Canada, said the partnership between the company and the town will mean more community infrastructure.

• Nestl says it wants to partner with Centre Wellington on Middlebrook well

"As responsible residents, friends and operators, we aim to make our communities better places to live. That's because community comes first," Simard said in a statement Wednesday morning.

"We look forward to being part of the Erin community for many years to come and remain committed to environmental excellence and sustainable water use."