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Canada's freshwater can be found in the form of rivers, lakes, groundwater, ice and snow. Considering that, on an annual average, Canadian rivers discharge about 7% of the world's renewable water supply, Canada appears to have a generous water endowment.Some areas in the interior of British Columbia, the southern prairies and the high Arctic experience arid or semi-arid climates (less than 35 centimeters of annual precipitation). In these areas, water supplies are even more limited because groundwater tends to be salty and unsuitable for many uses.Approximately 60% of Canada's freshwater drains northward, while 85% of the population lives within 300 kilometers of the Canada-U.S. border.
Canada
Institutional Framework
Improve freshwater management in Canada through leadership, effective collaboration at the federal level and improved coordination and collaboration with provinces, territories and Indigenous peoples to proactively address national and regional transboundary challenges and opportunities in terms of fresh water.
Canadian Water Network is an independent non-profit with a purpose of getting communities closer to the future they want by accelerating, advancing and improving water management decisions.
CWWA is a non-profit national body representing the common interests of Canada’s public sector municipal water and wastewater services and their private sector suppliers and partners. CWWA is recognized by the federal government and national bodies as the national voice of this public service sector.
Environment and Climate Change Canada is the federal department responsible for a wide range of environmental issues. The department addresses these issues through various actions, such as the implementation of the Pan-Canadian Framework for Clean Growth and Climate Change; collaboration with our strategic partners, including provinces, territories and indigenous peoples; surveillance; scientific research; the development of policies and regulations; and the application of environmental legislation.
Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada leads the growth and development of a competitive, innovative and sustainable Canadian agriculture and agri-food sector.
The Canadian Water Quality Association is indispensable for individuals seeking assurance in their water’s safety. With expertise in testing, treatment, and regulation compliance, CWQA offers peace of mind by ensuring access to clean, healthy water for homes and businesses across Canada, safeguarding health and well-being.
Regulatory framework
An Act to provide for the management of the water resources of Canada, including research and the planning and implementation of programs relating to the conservation, development and utilization of water resources.
Law relating to the construction, operation and maintenance of international river improvements.
An Act respecting pollution prevention and the protection of the environment and human health in order to contribute to sustainable development.
The national program of flood damage reduction through mapping of floodplains areas and the encouragement of land use controls within these mapped areas. This involved the mapping of over 900 communities and the designation of 320 flood risk areas.
A Healthy Environment and a Healthy Economy (the Plan) builds on the Pan-Canadian Framework on Clean Growth and Climate Change and is the federal plan to build a better future with a healthier economy and environment. Based on the Government's projections the proposed actions outlined in the Plan, once fully implemented, will enable Canada to exceed its current 2030 target. The Government of Canada is committed to all of the actions in this plan and committed to exceeding the current 2030 reduction goal
The present Regulation is made under the Water Sustainability Act, In particular, the Regulation addresses protection of the groundwater resource and identifies requirements for the construction of wells. This Regulation replaces the historic Ground Water Protection Regulation under the old Water Act, and sets out standards to safeguard and maintain the integrity and efficient use of groundwater and to ensure activities related to wells are undertaken in an environmentally safe manner. The text consists of 86 sections divided into 12 Parts as follows: Interpretation and application (1); Well drillers and well pump installers (2); Well construction (3); Well caps and well covers (4); Well pumps and related works (5); Well identification (6); Well operation and maintenance (7); Artesian flow (8); Well deactivating and decommissioning (9); Well reports (10); General (11); Transition (12).
The updated edition plan includes significant changes to drought level definitions and criteria to better align with federal and North American drought monitoring frameworks and more accurately describe the severity of water shortages in an area. The Plan is primarily intended to guide the actions of provincial government agency staff, but also provides general recommended actions for federal government agencies, local governments, indigenous governments, and water licensees under the Water Sustainability Act.
The Water Strategy establishes seven principles that will enable the government to assume its role as custodian of water and mobilize relevant stakeholders. Priority 1 - Ensure public access to quality water; Priority 2 - Protect and restore aquatic environments; Priority 3 - Prevent and better manage water-related risks; Priority 4 - Harness the economic potential of water; Priority 5 - Promote sustainable water use; Priority 6 - Acquire and share the best knowledge about water; Priority 7 - Ensure and strengthen integrated water resources management.
The objectives of the Greenbelt Plan are divided into 1) Protected Countryside objectives and 2) Urban River Valley objectives. Under the Protected Countryside objectives, the Greenbelt Plan identifies the specific issues protected by the Plan: protection of the land base for specialty crop production while allowing for the infrastructure to support agriculture and the value-added uses necessary for sustainable agricultural uses and activities; maintaining and enhancing natural heritage, hydrological and landform features; protecting and restoring natural and open space connections; protecting the quality and quantity of groundwater and surface water and the hydrological integrity of watersheds.
Links of interest:
Many areas have restricted water supplies and water availability is a major concern for water management. Even in the Great Lakes basin, the world's largest freshwater lake system, some areas near the lakes in southern Ontario experience periodic and even chronic water shortages, and groundwater “mining” occurs. In many of the country's populated areas, water is extremely polluted and is either unfit for human, animal and industrial use or can only be used at relatively high treatment cost.