ABERFOYLE – BlueTriton is ending its water bottling operation in the province.
A company spokesperson confirmed via email it has initiated a public sale process for the Aberfoyle facility and will "wind down our operations in Ontario by the end of January."
BlueTriton is in the process of merging with Primo Water Corporation, headquartered in Tampa, Fla., into a single company.
Unconfirmed reports say some workers were given the option of transferring to the new owner's Florida operations.
In a media release on Nov. 4, Primo announced a special meeting of shareholders voted in favour of the merger.
Primo Water Corporation also did not respond to a request for comment.
"This was a difficult decision, unrelated to our merger with Primo," said a BlueTriton spokesperson in an email. "We will continue to serve our customers through this transition period and will continue to have operations in Canada in our Hope facility, which will serve our business in the western provinces as well as some of our U.S. pacific northwest business."
BlueTriton did not answer questions on if and how many jobs would be impacted as a result of this closure.
In a media release, water advocacy group the Wellington Water Watchers called BlueTriton's decision to leave a significant victory in the ongoing battle for water justice.
“This is a monumental win in our community’s journey for water justice. Tireless efforts of so many committed volunteers over the past 18 years have led to this outcome,” said Mark Goldberg, Wellington Water Watchers founder in the press release.
"It has been a David and Goliath story, but proof positive that committed and sustained pressure can turn even companies as formidable as Nestlé, and now BlueTriton.”
Prior to being owned by BlueTriton, the Aberfoyle water-bottling operation was owned by Nestlé Waters Canada as well as a well in Erin and one in Centre Wellington known as the Middlebrook well.
In 2021, the company sold these as part of a deal that saw its regional spring water brands, purified water business and beverage delivery service in the United States and Canada sold for $4.3 billion to One Rock Capital Partners in partnership with Metropolous & Co. Later the name was changed to BlueTriton Brands.
BlueTriton and Nestlé’s presence in Wellington County hasn’t been without controversy. Advocacy groups such as the Wellington Water Watchers have called on the province for years to revoke the provincial water taking permit at the site, calling it unethical to profit off extracting and bottling water.
A moratorium on new water extraction for bottling permits was introduced in 2017 but was lifted in April 2021.
BlueTriton and Nestlé had permits to take up to 3.6 million litres of water a day for bottling in Aberfoyle.
The Wellington Water Watchers stressed in the release their fight for water justice continues.
The organization is calling for:
- A just transition for all current employees of BlueTriton
- The return of well ownership to local, Indigenous-informed stewardship
- Compensation for Six Nations of the Grand River for the extensive extraction without consent
- Ontario to phase out permits for water bottling
- Legal recognition of the human right to water in Canada
