University of Winnipeg bans bottled water on campus

Following on the heels of several Canadian municipalities, the University of Winnipeg has announced that it will end the sale of bottled water on its campus, becoming the first university in Canada to ban bottled water.

According to the school, the sale of bottled water will be phased out by the upcoming fall semester, and funding will be put towards upgrading the campus’s water infrastructure.

The school’s student association also recently voted to end the purchase and provision of bottled water at student-led events and meetings. Additionally, in a recent student initiated referendum, three-quarters of students voted to eliminate the sale of bottled water on campus.

The ban comes after an ongoing national student campaign, organized by the Polaris Institute, the Canadian Federation of Students and the Sierra Youth Coalition.

According to the Polaris Institute, 21 universities and colleges have established over 50 water free zones, and 30 municipalities from seven provinces have taken action on bottled water. The Federation of Canadian Municipalities (FCM) also called on its members to phase out the sale of bottled water at municipal facilities earlier this month.