Windsor City Councillors Ed Sleimann, Drew Dilkens and Bill Marra say they’ve been getting a “flurry” of emails from members of the public who think it’s time to remove fluoride from public drinking water.

Fluoridation started in 1958 after studies showed children who drank fluoridated water had fewer cavities. It was considered a way to care for children from less fortunate families who didn’t have access to dentists. In more recent years, some research has linked it to cancer and other health problems. But Windsor Utilities Commission General Manager John Stuart says the level of fluoridation is low in comparison to other communities.

Stuart says the public would have to vote in favour of removing fluoridation from the water in 3 separate plebiscites in Windsor, Tecumseh and LaSalle. If it passes all 3 votes, each municipality would have to pass a bylaw and then the utility would have to apply to the Ministry of the Environment to have fluoridation removed from the terms of it’s license.

The debate is underway in London now while Guelph, Waterloo and Calgary have all removed fluoridation from the public drinking supply.

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