The following letter was sent by Bruce Peninsula Environment Group member Judi MacLeod to all registered candidates running in the upcoming Municipal election.
Dear Candidate
We have a serious problem with our continued use and disposal of single use plastic water bottles in the Municipality of the Northern Bruce Peninsula.
We are no better than most places throughout the world where these bottles have not been banned. Although single use plastic water bottles can be recycled, less than 50% or more are not.
In 2015 the Bruce Peninsula Environment Group [BPEG] mounted a campaign to raise awareness of the problem of just too much plastic ending up in our landfills as well as our waters and simply tossed at random. We addressed all plastics in common use but chose to focus on the single use plastic water bottle as a place to encourage change.
In that year, a well prepared BPEG delegation presented to Council the need for water bottle refill stations on the Northern Bruce due to the volume of tourists we have in the warmer months.
Council agreed to purchase two stations, one for Tobermory and one for Lion’s Head. These were installed and were ready for use in the Summer of 2016.
While the station in Lion’s Head continues to be well used, the one in Tobermory, installed at the boat ramp at the head of the harbour, went AWOL after a few years of use. Many queries later I have learned that the original station was lost and that a new one was purchased in June 2026.
But…… to date there is no water bottle refill station in Tobermory.
I welcome your thoughts about single use water bottles and what you might do to make it possible for tourists to fill their own water bottles at a Tobermory refill station [or stations as we could use more than one].
Regards, Judi MacLeod
Resident of Tobermory
Member of BPEG
Responses from Candidates Running for MNBP Council 2026
Thanks for reaching out. We should be reducing our reliance on single use water bottles. Unfortunately society today is much about convenience.
I do fully support having water bottle refill stations available. If a station has been purchased, it should be installed or determine the barriers of why it has not been installed.
The second point is to determine if there is adequate, available recycling opportunities for visitors of Northern Bruce Peninsula.
Brad Gesinghaus
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I have always been concerned with the plasticisation of our world (which is why I went with wood for my election signs), and I think that providing access to public refill stations is an easy and pragmatic approach to reducing single use water bottles in our area.
As a community that prides itself on the health and beauty of our water, I think it makes perfect sense to encourage visitors to leave the plastic behind when they visit.
Ryan Matheson
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Thank you for the years of work you and BPEG have put into this. The refill stations happened because residents showed up prepared and Council listened. That’s how it should work.
I worked for over three decades in information systems in the waste and recycling industry, and I agree with you. Single-use plastic bottles are a real problem. We welcome a huge number of visitors each summer, and much of what they carry in ends up in our landfill, along our shoreline or in the ditches. Recycling helps, but too many bottles never get there. The best bottle is the one that’s never bought, and that only happens if refilling is easy.
The Lion’s Head station shows that people will use a refill station when there is one. Tobermory is where most of our visitors arrive, and it has gone years without one. If a replacement was bought in June, there’s no good reason it shouldn’t be in the ground and working before the 2027 season.
If elected, I will:
• Get answers first. I’ll ask staff for a public update on where the new station is, what’s holding it up, and a firm date for installing it.
• Push for more than one station in Tobermory. The harbour area is the obvious first spot. High-traffic places like the visitor areas and the ferry and tour-boat sites are worth looking at too.
• Make the stations easy to find. That means clear signs, and a mention in municipal and tourism materials so visitors know to bring a bottle.
• Work with partners. Parks Canada and community groups like BPEG could help with locations, promotion and possibly cost-sharing.
• Lead by example. Municipal events and facilities should move away from bottled water wherever that’s practical.
• Make sure it’s maintained. A station that quietly goes missing for years is a maintenance and accountability failure. Council should know the status of the equipment it buys.
Relatively, this isn’t a large expense, but it’s a visible way to protect the place that draws people here in the first place.
Sincerely,
Paul Davidson
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I did a bit of research on the water filling station and yes, a replacement for the one in Tobermory has been purchased, but hasn’t been installed. I will make some further inquiries to understand the reasoning.
Of course I would like to see less of the plastic water bottles used; as well as all plastic bottles, but it needs to be an education issue… and that is frustrating. I think people know better… I’m just not sure how to get them to comply.
As you may know, the province is mandating municipal recycling and the municipality has decided to do our own garbage collection in order to continue with bear proof bins/containers. This change will also need a lot of education (different days for pickup in different areas, etc.) so this would be another opportunity for education.
Perhaps the Chamber of Commerce could use part of their MAT tax funding to put flyers in motels, etc. regarding the issue.
Smokey Golden
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I agree that too much plastic is ending up in our landfill sites. I support the use of refillable water stations in our Municipality. The refill stations should be placed at locations that best serve the public. Information signage with a map that identifies the refill station locations would be helpful.
We should be doing all we can to promote the water refill stations we presently have and make plans to add more in the future.
James Mielhausen
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I have talked to staff and we have purchased a new refill station. The new one will be located on the left side of the boat ramp; water lines have to be modified due to the Little Tub Harbour wall reconstruction project. I have been assured it will be up and running for next season.
I support water refill stations. Anything we can do to reduce the use of single use plastic water bottles is good for the environment.
Milt McIver
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We will have the water bottle station in use for the tourist season next year. I always appreciate water bottle refill stations when I travel, especially in large venues like airports and train stations.
Cheers,
Rod Anderson
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I think this is a very important issue. We need to add more refill stations around the peninsula. We need to work with the Chamber of Commerce staff and BPEG and the sustainable tourism committee to address these issues.
Todd Dowd
