Single Use Wipes
Council in Prince Edward County supported a motion from councillor Brad Nieman to remove the word ‘flushable’ from single-use wipes packaging.
Nieman said flushable wipes are a $6 billion and growing industry and are not safe to flush and aren’t biodegradable.
He said to him it’s just a good thing to lobby the federal government to remove the word flushable, because they really aren’t.
Councillors agreed it is an issue that carries a large price tag if a septic gets plugged.
He says these wipes can cost a rural homeowner $15,000-$20,000 for a new tile bed.
Councillor Bill Roberts said he noticed the packaging on one brand of single use wipes stated biodegradable.
Nieman said it is unknown how long it may actually take for a single use wipe to break down, but he noted the wipes do not disintegrate like toilet paper causing septic issues.
Council voted in favour of requesting the federal government review regulations regarding the packaging of single use wipes and forward the motion to the Prime Minister, Premier of Ontario, Minister of the Environment, Conservation and Parks, Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing, the Association of Municipalities of Ontario and local MPs.
Safety on Farms
Council voted in favour of supporting stronger laws protecting farmers, their families, their property and their livestock.
Councillor Phil Prinzen brought forward the motion in support of Bill 156 – Security from Trespass and Protecting Food Safety Act, to ensure the safety of Ontario farm families, employees and animals.
He said while there haven’t been any incidents in Prince Edward County specifically, there have been more incidents involving those opposed to animal agriculture.
The motion stated agriculture is the second largest industry in the province and contributes $13.7 billion annually to Ontario’s gross domestic product.
Councillor Andreas Bolik was in support of the motion stating Bill 156 sharpens existing laws, but also adds transportation into the mix to prevent the interaction with animals while they are in transport trucks.
Council passed the motion.
Supporting local wine
The provincial government is expanding the sale of alcohol and council in Prince Edward County want to make sure Ontario wines are properly represented on the shelves.
Councillor Bill Roberts brought forward a motion seeking support for VQA wines so the industry can continue to provide economic benefits to the province.
He told those around the horseshoe that in one outlet, there were only three VQA wines out of 40 on the shelves, and in another location in Perth, there were no Ontario wines at all.
Councillor Stewart Bailey suggested the County have a 100% County wine outlet. He told council there is an LCBO in Toronto that is 100% South African so why couldn’t it be a possibility.
Councillor Andreas Bolik felt the motion was a great idea simply because it provided an opportunity for local wineries to grow their business and make it more accessible.
During the comment portion of the meeting, Prince Edward County Winegrowers Association Chair Carolyn Granger told council most wineries won’t have the opportunity to have their wines on the shelves and thanked Roberts for the motion.
The motion passed and will be sent to the Premier of Ontario, the Ontario cabinet, the Grape Growers of Ontario and the Prince Edward County Winegrowers Association.
