Protesters gathered on the steps of the Calgary courthouse on July 9, where they voiced their opposition to the reintroduction of fluoride into the city’s drinking water.

Fluoride was officially added back into Calgary’s water supply on June 30, following more than a decade without it after it was removed in 2011.

The decision stemmed from the 2021 municipal election, when Calgarians were asked to vote in a plebiscite on the issue. Approximately 62% voted in favour of reintroducing fluoride as a “public dental health measure.”

City council then acted on the results, allocating millions of dollars to upgrade Calgary’s water treatment facilities in order to reintroduce the chemical compound.

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However, clearly not all residents are on board with the decision.

Demonstrators at the courthouse argued that adding fluoride to the water supply strips individuals of personal choice and forces them to be medicated without their consent.

Some questioned the inconsistency in public messaging, noting that while dentists will warn against swallowing fluoridated toothpaste, residents are now expected to consume fluoridated tap water daily.

In this report, we speak to the protesters to highlight the ongoing public concern around health autonomy, transparency and trust in municipal decisions.