Regina’s long-running fluoride debate may not be settled after all. Ward 10 Councillor Clark Bezo is asking city council to reconsider its 2021 decision to introduce fluoride into the city’s water supply, delaying implementation until more evidence on potential health risks is reviewed. The fluoridation program, endorsed by major health organizations, is set to begin in late 2026 after upgrades to the Buffalo Pound Water Treatment Plant. Bezo’s motion, if successful, would reopen a contentious issue Regina voters have weighed in on for decades.
Why does it matter in Minot? What a difference an arbitrary line — a boarder — makes in the how an item is adopted by a community. Across North Dakota, we adopted the use of fluoride in water nearly a hundred years ago, but it remains in the public discourse with some believing it should be removed. The Grand Forks City Council recently debated the topic and narrowly approved continuing to add it to their water supply.
The North Dakota Legislature took up HB 1605 which would have prohibited local jurisdictions form adding it. It failed, but the vote was close. And in Canada, they’re also fighting, but this time to continue implementing a voter-approved program to only now begins adding fluoride to their water.
