Canada Water Agency's Mandate

To improve freshwater management in Canada by providing leadership, effective collaboration federally, and improved coordination and collaboration with provinces, territories, and Indigenous Peoples to proactively address national and regional transboundary freshwater challenges and opportunities.

Who we are

The Canada Water Agency was created as the federal focal point for fresh water, working in partnership with Indigenous Peoples, provinces, territories, and stakeholders to strengthen collaboration on fresh water.

In Budget 2023, the Government of Canada committed to introducing legislation in 2023 to fully establish the Canada Water Agency as a stand-alone entity, outside of Environment and Climate Change Canada. This legislation was tabled on November 30, 2023 and received royal assent on June 20, 2024. It can be found here:

• Bill C-59 (44-1) - An Act to implement certain provisions of the fall economic statement tabled in Parliament on November 21, 2023 and certain provisions of the budget tabled in Parliament on March 28, 2023
• Canada Water Agency Act

What we do

The Canada Water Agency delivers on key elements of the strengthened Freshwater Action Plan to:

• improve freshwater outcomes
• restore, protect, and manage waterbodies of national significance
• improve freshwater quality

The Freshwater Action Plan builds on proven approaches to deliver regionally-responsive Freshwater Ecosystem Initiatives in waterbodies of national significance:

• The Great Lakes
• Lake Winnipeg
• Lake of the Woods
• St. Lawrence River
• Saint John River
• Fraser River
• Mackenzie River
• Lake Simcoe

The Agency:

• provides policy leadership and develops whole-of-government approaches to freshwater challenges and opportunities
• makes it easier for Canadians and decision-makers to find federal freshwater resources
• promotes federal-provincial-territorial collaboration
• supports Canada-U.S. collaboration on transboundary waters
• provides opportunities and funding to support Indigenous inclusion and participation in freshwater activities
• leverages freshwater science and data to improve policy and program outcomes
• reports regularly on the state of freshwater quality, quantity, availability and use in Canada
• supports the development of the National Freshwater Data Strategy in collaboration with key partners and stakeholders, which will provide guidance for the management of freshwater data and ultimately enable decision-makers to better use data for timely and effective decision making.

The Canada Water Agency is leading the modernization of the Canada Water Act to reflect Canada’s freshwater reality, including climate change and the rights of Indigenous Peoples. It also supports the implementation of important initiatives such as the National Adaptation Strategy

How we work

The Canada Water Agency responds to Canada’s most pressing freshwater challenges and opportunities in collaboration with federal departments and agencies, provinces, territories, Indigenous Peoples, and stakeholders.

Environment and Climate Change Canada is establishing structures within the department to support the functions of a Canada Water Agency until legislation is proposed this year to create a stand-alone Agency. The Agency Headquarters will be located in Winnipeg, Manitoba, with regional offices across Canada.

The Agency’s presence across Canada helps us better understand and respond to freshwater challenges and opportunities in each region.

Contact us

For inquiries, email us at: water-eau@ec.gc.ca

Related links

• Organizational structure