Bill 199 2002

An Act to prevent
the sale of
municipally-owned water works

Her Majesty, by and with the advice and consent of the Legislative Assembly of the Province of Ontario, enacts as follows:

Definitions

1. In this Act,

"municipality" has the same meaning as in the Ontario Water Resources Act; ("municipalité")

"water works" means any works for the collection, production, treatment, storage, supply and distribution of water, or any part of such works, but does not include plumbing to which the Building Code Act, 1992 applies. ("station de purification de l'eau")

Sale of water works prohibited

2. (1) No municipality that is the legal or beneficial owner of a water works shall sell or otherwise dispose of the water works.

Jointly-owned water works

(2) If a water works is legally or beneficially owned by more than one municipality, the municipalities shall not sell or otherwise dispose of the water works.

Transfer void

(3) A transfer of ownership in contravention of subsection (1) or (2) is void.

Joint ownership permitted

3. Nothing in this Act prevents a municipality from jointly owning a water works with another municipality or from entering into agreements or making arrangements that result in municipalities jointly owning a water works.

Management and operation of a water works

4. Nothing in this Act prevents a municipality from entering into agreements with respect to the management or operation of a water works.

Commencement

5. This Act comes into force on the day it receives Royal Assent.

Short title

6. The short title of this Act is the Keeping Water in Public Hands Act, 2002.

EXPLANATORY NOTE

The Bill prevents municipalities from selling municipally-owned water works.