Bottled Water Kicked-out of Canadian Campuses: ten post-secondary campuses commit to protect public water

For Immediate Release
Thursday, February 3, 2011

Bottled Water Kicked-out of Canadian Campuses: ten post-secondary campuses commit to protect public water

Kingston, ON—Grades from 2010 are in, and bottled water received an “F” on Canadian campuses. Students, staff and faculty are demanding an end to the sale of privatized bottled water on Canadian campuses and are asking college and university administrations to instead promote investment in accessible public water infrastructure.

“Campus cash-ins by companies on bottled water are expiring,” said Water Access Group Member Professor Steven Moore. “Queen’s University became the tenth Canadian post-secondary institute to commit to end the sale and distribution of bottled water on campus, sending the industry a clear message that campuses are backing the tap.”

Queen’s University’s Water Access Group will be working with The Queen’s Sustainability Office to implement a concrete action plan for ending the sale of bottled water on campus by September 2012, including a website to be hosted at http://www.queensu.ca/sustainability.

“The movement to ditch the bottle and back the tap, has made it to over 75 Canadian campuses, 10 of which have now committed to going bottled water free,” added Elly Adeland of the Polaris Institute.

Other campuses to go bottled water free include the University of Winnipeg, Brandon University, Memorial University of Newfoundland, and the University of Ottawa.

“Campaigning to get bottled water off our campuses is about more than just sustainability,” added Noah Stewart of the Canadian Federation of Students. “It’s about fighting the privitisation of our public colleges and universities.”

On March 10, 2011, campuses, schools, workplaces, and communities will join the Canadian Federation of Students, Sierra Youth Coalition, the Canadian Union of Public Employees, Development and Peace, and the Polaris Institute in the countdown to Canada’s second Bottled Water Free Day.

- 30 -

For more information, please contact:

Steven Moore, Queen’s Water Access Group, 613-379-5958

Elly Adeland, Polaris Institute (613) 237-1717 x104