By Abdul Matin Sarfraz / Canada’s National Observer / Local Journalism Initiative Despite strong public opposition, the Ford government is moving ahead with changes to Ontario’s long-standing rules for water use that critics say will weaken public oversight and eventually suck Ontario dry. The provincial environment ministry says the changes will “streamline” permit renewals by allowing companies to take over existing permits if they draw water from the same location, in the same amount and for the same purpose. Companies can also assume permits previously cancelled, revoked or expired. Under the previous rules, any company taking more than 50,000 litres of water a day from lakes, rivers, streams or groundwater — for farming, gravel mining or bottling — had to file a new application, undergo public review, an environmental assessment…
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