In this episode, we speak with Theresa McClenaghan, Executive Director of the Canadian Environmental Law Association, for a clear, accessible overview of how Ontario’s drinking-water protection framework came to be — and where it may be heading.

We begin with the events in Walkerton, outlining what happened, why it mattered, and how that tragedy prompted a fundamental rethinking of drinking-water safety in Ontario. From there, Theresa walks us through the major legislative and regulatory changes that followed, including the development of source-water protection planning and the modern structure of the Clean Water Act and related regulations.

The conversation then shifts to Ontario’s newly proposed regulatory amendments, highlighting what the province is proposing to change, how the approval process for wells and intakes would be streamlined, and what this could mean for the broader drinking-water framework.

We close with a brief look at what the near future may hold as Ontario continues to balance growth, infrastructure needs, and the long-standing goal of preventing another tragedy like Walkerton.

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