Successive governments have made promises, passed legislation, but we need specific funding and action on the Lake Simcoe Strategy.

Add your name now, it is time to clean up the Lake.

Past Events:

Turning the Tide - World Water Day 2022

Where our government has failed, communities are winning local campaigns to protect wetlands, clean up degraded ecosystems, and protect water are gaining momentum and forcing important victories as more and more people realize not only is our water at risk, but they can help protect it. Join me on World Water Day, Tuesday March 22nd at 2pm for an exciting announcement as we bring water protectors and advocates from across the province together to Turn the Tide on water protection in Ontario.

Know Your Rights Workshop

Water Extraction and the Environmental Registry of Ontario

Our water belongs to all of us. Join myself, Environment Hamilton, and the Wellington Water Watchers on Tuesday, June 15th at 7PM over zoom to learn more about the Environmental Bill of Rights and proposed changes to how water is extracted in Ontario. We will be focusing on how to use the Environmental Registry of Ontario to have your voice heard on this important proposal: https://ero.ontario.ca/index.php/notice/019-3532.

Nestle Waters wells in Wellington County may have a new owner (Triton Water Canada Holdings, Inc.) but the public opposition to extracting ground water for private profit has not gone away. Exercising our environmental rights for water justice is something all of us can do to ensure water is for life not profit.

We Need to Save not Pave our Wetlands

In the absence of provincial leadership it has become paramount that citizens, environmental groups, and conservation authorities take responsibility for protecting our water. Thank you to the Hamiltonians raising their voices in support of our watershed

World Water Day 2021

Monday March 22 was World Water Day 2021 – Valuing Water. How do you value water?

Ontario contains about one-fifth of the world's fresh water it is our responsibility to protect our water for future generations. Despite this incredible bounty of water, access to it is deeply unequal. In Ontario, 30 percent of First Nations communities have drinking water advisories. Multiple First Nation communities have lived under boil water advisories for decades.

Here in Hamilton, we witnessed the devastating impact of 24 billion litres of sewage leaking into our beloved Cootes Paradise. We know first hand how important it is to protect our water and our natural heritage.

For decades, Nestlé Waters — the world’s largest water bottler — has bought up access to public water across North America to turn our most precious public resource into a private commodity. This buys them the ability to deplete our water tables, harm our ecosystems, produce billions of single use plastic bottles – all while pocketing millions in profits.

Water is a human right, it should not be withheld, negotiated away behind closed doors, or exploited by corporations for profit.

Take Action to protect our Water here: www.sandyshawmpp.ca/protectourwater

Water is For Life Not Profit

Did you know water bottling companies like Nestlé only pay Ontario $503.71 per million litres of our groundwater extracted? While they pocket massive profits, the surrounding communities deal with the environmental impact. Earlier this month at my Water is Life Town Hall we heard directly from Six Nations community members who don’t have regular access to clean drinking water. We all need to come together and demand the government protects our water from corporate profit.

Emergency Environment Town Hall

This past week there has been a whirlwind of developments relating to environmental issues in our community. As an MPP I believe the best results come when our communities are informed and involved in the decision making process. Join me next Thursday over zoom to learn more about these issues and help protect our environment.

This government is ramming through Bill 229 - with schedules that put species at risk in more danger and undermine conservation authorities’ ability to protect our watersheds - with minimal consultation. Join me to learn about the issue and ensure your voice is not ignored.

Community members like yourself should have the ability to weigh in on important decisions about our environment. Yet Bill 229 isn’t the first time this government has ignored Ontarian’s voices. Also this week, the Auditor General of Ontario released reports detailing Ontario’s compliance with the Environmental Bill of Rights. It concludes that under this government overall compliance has worsened and that your environmental rights have been violated! Tune in to learn more about your environmental rights and how to use and protect them.

Please join me and environmental leaders in our community in understanding these developments and pushing for real action to protect our environment and tackle the climate crisis.

Know Your Rights Workshop: Water Extraction and the Environmental Registry of Ontario (July, 2020)

Our water belongs to all of us. Join myself, Environment Hamilton, and the Wellington Water Watchers on July 28th to learn more about the Environmental Bill of Rights and proposed changes to how water is extracted in Ontario. We will be focusing on how to use the Environmental Registry of Ontario to have your voice heard on this important proposal: https://ero.ontario.ca/notice/019-1340

Beverly Swamp

From Cootes Paradise to the Beverly Swamp we need to be making decisions that put our protected environmental lands and our water first. Along with MPP Peter Tabuns, I have sent a letter to the Minister of Energy asking him to direct the Ontario Energy Board to make the climate crisis, local environmental impacts and the economic impact on ratepayers part of the basis for assessing whether this pipeline should proceed.

Here is the letter:

Water Is Life Town Hall (February, 2020)

Faced with a climate crisis, it is all the more important that Ontarians radically rethink our relationship with water. We are therefore inviting the community to join us discussing issues of water insecurity and protection at our Water is Life Town Hall. Join MPP Sandy Shaw and special guest MPP Sol Mamakwa at The Westdale for community discussion on the water crisis in many First Nations communities. MPP Sol Mamakwa has repeatedly called for action on the drinking water crisis in First Nations Communities. Join us to learn more about the crisis and what actions are needed to protect our water. We will also be joined by Kelsey Leonard, Indigenous water scientist. We are eager to hear your concerns and ideas, and we hope you will join us. Nibi Bimaadiziwin. Water is life.

"An unforgettable evening- Chief Arvol Looking Horse of Standing Rock shared his remarkable knowledge with us -Our responsibility to water connects and unites us. Water is Life"

"We need to transform the way with which we value water. We have to start to think about how we connect to water"

- Dr. Kelsey Leonard

Know Your Rights Workshop: Water Extraction and the Environmental Registry of Ontario (December, 2019)

Join MPP Sandy Shaw, Environment Hamilton, and Wellington Water Watchers this Saturday for an informative and action oriented workshop on the Environmental Bill of Rights and the current open proposal to extend the moratorium on water bottling permits: https://ero.ontario.ca/notice/019-0913. Without this extension the current moratorium would expire on January 1st of 2020. By attending you will learn more about the Environmental Bill of Rights and what power you have under this legislation as well as information about the nearby Nestle Water Bottling operation in Aberfoyle. The goal of this workshop is to provide information on how to comment on the proposal to extend the moratorium and demonstrate as a community we care about water protection.

"Huge thank you to everyone who came out to learn about their water rights and reflect on our responsibility to the Water. Special thanks to Rob from Wellington Water Watchers and Lynda from Environment Hamilton for their expertise. Our water belongs to all of us!"

Recognizing Water Protectors at Queen's Park

Thank you to Indigenous voices - our water protectors - leading the way on critical water issues facing all of us in Ontario.

Sandy Shaw MPP, Hamilton West–Ancaster–Dundas

#WaterisLife