The fluoridated water debate has happened in cities across Ontario, but Essex council agreed it still doesn’t want fluoride added to its drinking water.
In a unanimous vote Tuesday, council rejected a proposal to add fluoride to the town’s water supply, which actually comes from the Town of Amherstburg and Union Water Supply System.
Essex Coun. Sherry Bondy brought the issue forward because she wanted to hear from her council colleagues before directing administration.
"Before we waste anybody's time, before we waste administration's time, the health unit's time, delegations time, let's just have the conversation and see where everyone stands and we sent that message," Bondy told AM800 News report Rob Hindi. "So now the file, in my opinion, the files closed, packed up the books and move on to the next issue."
Fluoride was removed from Amherstburg’s drinking water supply in April of 2011, while debate has raged on in surrounding municipalities about the benefits and impacts of putting the additive in water. Windsor council voted to remove the substance in 2013.
Bondy doesn’t want Amherstburg to make any future decisions without first consulting with Essex.
"We're sending letters out to our suppliers, Amherstburg, Union Water and, of course, we have our own systems so that means council unanimously does not want fluoride in the Town of Essex."
