Protecting fresh water: Canada Water Agency invests over $4.5 million in 39 new projects across the country

December 18, 2025 – Vancouver, British Columbia 

The Canada Water Agency announced over $4.5 million for 39 new projects funded through EcoAction and the Fraser River Freshwater Ecosystem Initiative.

EcoAction supports partner-led projects across Canada that improve water quality and protect fresh water and ecosystem health through local actions and innovative solutions.

The Fraser River Freshwater Ecosystem Initiative focuses on advancing science and knowledge, collaboration and engagement, and reducing nutrients and contaminants in the Fraser River basin. 

Recipients 2025-2026:

EcoAction 

Stream 1: Community-led freshwater action across Canada 

Tsartlip First Nation  
Project: KÉNNES Watershed Restoration: Preserving Ecosystems, Building Climate Resilience, and Protecting WSÁNEĆ Cultural Practices
Funding Amount: $100,000 over 2 years 
Project Description: This project will restore 10,000 square metres of riparian, wetland, and stream habitats within the KÉNNES watershed. Such work will improve water quality, enhance habitat for native species (like Coastal Cutthroat Trout), and support cultural revitalization through Indigenous-led stewardship, youth engagement, and community participation.

Fraser Basin Council 
Project: Vedder River Restoration Project: Youth-Led Action for Freshwater Health 
Funding Amount: $73,250 over 2 years 
Project Description: This project will engage youth in improving freshwater quality and habitat for salmon and other native species in the Vedder River. Goals of the project include learning about different approaches to restoration, helping youth explore career pathways in sustainability, and transferring knowledge to the wider community to encourage long-term behaviour changes.

British Columbia Conservation Foundation 
Project: Mitigating Tire Wear Toxicant & Stormwater Runoff Pollution Through Rain Gardens on Vancouver Island 
Funding Amount: $99,495 over 3 years 
Project Description: This project will support the construction of rain gardens in collaboration with community groups across the east coast of Vancouver Island. It will also reduce tire wear toxicants and other stormwater runoff pollutants from making their way directly into local fish-bearing waterways.

N'Quatqua Band 
Project: Gates Creek Knowledge Sharing and Habitat Enhancement Project 
Funding Amount: $99,999 over 2 years 
Project Description: This project will restore fish passages to critical spawning areas and improve habitat in Gates Creek by addressing sedimentation and low flow challenges. Through habitat restoration, monitoring, and community engagement, this project will enhance the health and resilience of this freshwater ecosystem for future generations.

The Loon Foundation 
Project: Caring for ḵalpilin’s Waters: Community Science and Action 
Funding Amount: $99,950 over 3 years 
Project Description: This project will engage youth, residents, and lakeside landowners in water testing, shoreline and underwater cleanups, and community education to reduce freshwater pollution and support stewardship. These efforts aim to protect the lakes and creeks that sustain biodiversity, provide drinking water, and support the cultural life in ḵalpilin (Pender Harbour) along the Sunshine Coast of BC.

EOS Eco-Energy Inc. 
Project: Protection and Restoration of Freshwater Ecosystems Through Community Action in Tantramar 
Funding Amount: $100,000 over 3 years 
Project Description: This project will improve local fresh6 revitalization, community rain gardens, and interactive workshops targeted at youth. 

Tignish Watershed Management Group Inc 
Project: Invasive Species Removal and Community Awareness 
Funding Amount: $77,460 over 3 years 
Project Description: This project will restore and enhance freshwater ecosystems through the removal of high priority invasives species, stream restoration, riparian zone improvement and community engagement.

Island Nature Trust 
Project: Restoring Prince Edward Island Natural Areas through Community Engagement 
Funding Amount: $99,000 over 3 years 
Project Description: This project will improve freshwater quality through 1) the removal of garbage, invasive plant species, and failing creosote (a heavy-duty wood preservative) timber bridges, and 2) the planting of native plants. 

Bruce Peninsula Biosphere Association 
Project: Nature-based solutions to address environmental degradation of a major agricultural water course on the Bruce Peninsula flowing into Georgian Bay 
Funding Amount: $77,000 over 3 years 
Project Description: This project will improve freshwater quality by addressing streambank erosion, slump-blocking, turbidity, and nutrient mobilization.

Lakehead Region Conservation Authority 
Project: Floodway Habitat Corridor – Indigenous Community Garden 
Funding Amount: $90,150 over 3 years 
Project Description: This project will restore freshwater quality and foster improved community relations with Indigenous partners by establishing a community garden, removing invasive species, and planting vegetation to stabilize banks along a floodway.

Ausable Bayfield Conservation Foundation 
Project: Community Action removing Eurasian watermilfoil and planting events within the Old Ausable Channel 
Funding Amount: $100,000 over 3 years 
Project Description: This project will improve freshwater quality by removing invasive Eurasian Water Milfoil, planting native species, and promoting environmental awareness and sustainability through activity-based workshops and community engagement events.  

Manitoulin Streams Improvement Association 
Project: Sucker Creek Stream Restoration and Freshwater Stewardship in Aundeck Omni Kaning First Nation 2025-2026 
Funding Amount: $100,000 over 2 years 
Project Description: This project will enhance the aquatic and riparian areas of Sucker Creek through in-stream and riparian restoration, community stewardship, and education and outreach activities within the Aundeck Omni Kaning First Nation.

Bow Bioregion Regeneration Association 
Project: Bow River Community Riparian Invasive Species Stewardship Project 
Funding Amount: $100,000 over 3 years 
Project Description: This project will improve freshwater ecosystem health and riparian resilience along the Bow River in Alberta through community-led invasive species management, ecological restoration, and long-term stewardship. 

The Fort Whyte Foundation Inc. 
Project: Shoreline Stabilization, Public Education, and Engagement at FortWhyte Alive 
Funding Amount: $100,000 over 2 years 
Project Description: This project will improve freshwater quality by stabilizing a shoreline through community-led vegetation restoration and educational programming (on erosion, freshwater ecosystems, and revegetation efforts).

Ducks Unlimited Canada  
Project: Braiding Traditional Knowledge into Freshwater Conservation through Youth Land-Based Learning 
Funding Amount: $80,143 over 3 years 
Project Description: This project will improve freshwater quality through the development and delivery of an Indigenous youth camp. The camp will focus on: restoring wetlands, removing invasive species and garbage, planting traditional medicines, and braiding traditional knowledge and western science to increase cultural and scientific understanding. 

CAPSA: Organisme de bassin versant rivières Sainte-Anne, Portneuf et secteur La Chevrotière 
Project: Operation Riparian Forest 
Funding Amount: $98,443 over 4 years 
Project Description: This project focuses on improving water quality and restoring biodiversity in riparian ecosystems. Citizen-led initiatives—such as shoreline vegetation planting, shoreline clean-ups, and public outreach—will highlight the crucial role riparian ecosystems play in protecting water quality.

Fédération de l'Union des producteurs agricoles (UPA) Saguenay-Lac-St-Jean  
Project: Operation Riparian Buffers – Part 2, Plant your strip: Saguenay Lac-St-Jean agriculture taking action for water 
Funding Amount: $100,000 over 3 years 
Project Description: This project will enhance the water quality of several agricultural watercourses in Quebec. Citizen volunteers will plant shoreline vegetation, participate in shoreline clean-ups, and engage in public outreach to raise awareness about the importance of riparian ecosystems in preserving water quality in agricultural landscapes. 

Éco-pivot  
Project: Restoring the large wetland at the site of the former Montreal Hippodrome 
Funding Amount: $34,375 over 2 years 
Project Description: This project is designed to improve the ecological functions of a wetland on a protected urban site in Montreal. Citizen-led actions will include planting vegetation, cleaning up the area, controlling invasive plant species, and raising awareness about the vital role that wetlands play in water management. 

Organisme de bassins versants Duplessis  
Project: Let’s clean up Pointe de Moisie (2025–2026) 
Funding Amount: $34,126 over 2 years 
Project Description: This project aims to improve water quality and riparian habitat at the Pointe de Moisie in Quebec. Community efforts will focus on removing polluting waste, stabilizing shorelines, and raising awareness about the importance of water and natural environments in Innu culture, as well as the need for sustainable water management and aquatic ecosystem conservation. 

La Fédération de l'Union des producteurs agricoles (UPA) Outaouais-Laurentides 
Project: Collective action to clean up watercourses on agricultural land 
Funding Amount: $100,000 over 3 years 
Project Description: This project aims to protect water quality and conserve aquatic ecosystems in agricultural areas of the Lower Laurentians and the St. Lawrence Lowlands watershed. The proponent will work with farmers to stabilize shorelines and increase awareness of natural environments. 

Comité ZIP du Haut Saint-Laurent 
Project: Large-scale clean-up campaign along the banks and shoreline of the St. Lawrence River and creation of artwork showcasing aquatic biodiversity   
Funding Amount: $49,555 over 2 years 
Project Description: This project seeks to improve water quality along parts of the St. Lawrence River. Community clean-up campaigns, paired with art-based awareness activities, will inspire public engagement in protecting water quality. 

Société d'aménagement de la rivière Madawaska Inc. 
Project: Community actions for monitoring, protecting and improving fresh water in the Saint John River/Wolastoq watershed in the Upper Madawaska region 
Funding Amount: $100,000 over 2 years 
Project Description: This project focuses on improving water quality in the Saint John River/Wolastoq watershed in New Brunswick. It will establish a citizen monitoring network to mitigate the spread of invasive aquatic species and chemical pollution from waste.

Stratégies Saint-Laurent 
Project: St. Lawrence and its Watersheds Expedition 
Funding Amount: $100,000 over 2 years 
Project Description: This project aims to enhance water quality in areas of the St. Lawrence River in Quebec by organizing community clean-ups and raising awareness about the importance of protecting water quality.

Stream 2: Freshwater Sustainability and Innovation across Canada

AquaAction 
Project: Stormwater Runoff Depollution – Wildfires in Jasper National Park, AB 
Funding Amount: $200,000 over 2 years  
Location: Jasper, Alberta  
Project Description: In collaboration with Parks Canada, the proponent will work to improve freshwater quality by reducing hydrocarbon contamination in Jasper's stormwater using RHST Industries' WaterPearls technology. 

Association of Conservation Authorities of Ontario 
Project: Conservation Authority Long-Term Monitoring Data Standardization Initiative 
Funding Amount: $ 199,400 over 2 years 
Location: Newmarket, Ontario 
Project Description: The proponent will hire a data science project coordinator to standardize data collection, storage, schemas, and terminology used by Ontario's 36 conservation authorities for key freshwater monitoring datasets. They will also make the data publicly available through open data.

City of Kelowna 
Project: Collaborative Monitoring and Early-Warning System for Harmful Algal Blooms - Enhancing Drinking Water Safety, Climate Resilience, and Indigenous Stewardship in the Okanagan Basin 
Funding Amount: $200,000 over 2 years 
Location: Kelowna, British Columbia 
Project Description: This project will establish a standardized algae and cyanobacteria monitoring and response network across the Okanagan Basin, in collaboration with the Westbank First Nation. 

Data Stream Initiative 
Project: Unearthing Groundwater Data and Making it Discoverable for Freshwater Protection 
Funding Amount: $200,000 over 2 years 
Location: Toronto, Ontario 
Project Description: This project will expand the national, online, DataStream open data platform to include groundwater quality and level data. It will also foster a network of groundwater data contributors to enhance knowledge related to groundwater management.

Federation of Sovereign Indigenous Nations 
Project: Sacred Streams: Navigating First Nations' Access to Water Data 
Funding Amount: $200,000 over 2 years 
Location: Saskatoon, Saskatchewan 
Project Description: This project will help First Nations gain enhanced access to freshwater data to support water stewardship, climate resilience, and decision-making. The proponent will work with research partners and its member Nations to host workshops, develop best practices, and publish reports that guide future freshwater data governance and collaboration.

Manitoba Métis Federation 
Project: Red River Métis Student-led Sustainable Fisheries Research Program on Lake Winnipeg 
Funding Amount: $76,692 over 1 year 
Location: Gimli, Manitoba 
Project Description: This project will empower Red River Métis students through immersive training in environmental science that integrates Western and Traditional Knowledge. The students will investigate water quality and the decline in Lake Winnipeg’s fish populations by analyzing environmental and cultural data. The project will also promote knowledge-sharing, strengthen collaborative lake management, and expand access to freshwater data via open-access platforms like ArcGIS Story Maps.

Groupe d’éducation et d’écosurveillance de l’eau (G3E)
Project: Capitale-Nationale Water Network: Centralization, Understanding, Action 
Funding Amount: $60,950 over 2 years 
Location: Quebec, Quebec 
Project Description: This project will centralize existing water quality data collected in several cities in Quebec’s capital region and make it available through the Enki platform. This will promote a shared understanding of the state of the resource and support informed decision-making across the region. The proponent will also lead activities to co-create a data governance charter; engage with data holders; and host a regional forum and sector-specific training for elected and municipal officials, watershed councils, and community organizations.

Rogue Environmental Solutions Ltd 
Project: Northern Waters: Enhancing Indigenous Water Security through Innovative Treatment Technologies 
Funding Amount: $200,000 over 2 years 
Location: Fort McMurray, Alberta 
Project Description: This project will pilot and evaluate the performance of nature-based, scalable water treatment solutions (i.e. Floating Treatment Wetlands and Bios and Drum Filters) in remote, northern Albertan Indigenous communities that face ongoing drinking water challenges.

Queen's University 
Project: Modernizing Canada’s Lagoon Infrastructure: Clean, Scalable Nanobubble-Assisted Treatment for Freshwater Health and Climate Resilience 
Location: Kingston, Ontario 
Funding Amount: $199,998 over 2 years 
Project Description: This project will develop, optimize, and pilot an innovative, low-energy, climate-resilient, nanobubble-assisted wastewater treatment technology. The technology is specifically designed to enhance the performance of lagoon-based systems across Canada.

Tula Foundation 
Project: Free Flow Canada: Innovating Tools for Better Access to Freshwater Flow Data Across Canada 
Location: Victoria, British Columbia  
Funding Amount: $68,898 over 2 years 
Project Description: This project will enhance access to river flow data and support informed water stewardship across Canada. It will do so by creating and maintaining open source tools, including an app that uses watershed characteristics to estimate flows in ungauged areas and compare them to historial trends. The project will also involve training and support for data contributors and users.

Xatoms Inc. 
Project: Canadian Field Validation of Low-Cost Photocatalytic Water Purification Technology for Freshwater Sustainability 
Funding Amount: $200,000 over 2 years 
Location: Toronto, Ontario 
Project Description: This project will test Xatoms’ solar-powered, AI-designed, photocatalytic water purification technology at sites across Canada. A photocatalyst is a light-activated material that breaks down bacteria and harmful contaminants in water through a chemical reaction, without requiring chemicals, complex infrastructure, or electrical input. 

Fraser River Freshwater Ecosystem Initiative

Rivershed Society of British Columbia
Project: Foodlands Corridor Restoration Program expansion 
Funding Amount: $74,030 over two years  
Project Description: This project will restore critical riparian habitat and stabilize riverbanks in the Fraser River headwaters region near McBride. The proponent will engage First Nations and agricultural landholders to collaboratively assess regional priorities and create a site-specific restoration plan. Up to 0.5 hectares of aquatic/riparian habitat will be restored, enhancing native plant communities and stabilizing eroding banks to reduce sedimentation and protect aquatic habitats.  

Langley Environmental Partners Society 
Project: Community Collaboration for Water Quality Improvement in the Lower Fraser River Funding Amount: $130,582 over two years  
Project Description: This project will improve water quality in ecosystems that drain into the Lower Fraser River (Salmon River, Yorkson Creek, and Nathan Creek) by diverting and reducing harmful substances in freshwater systems. This will be achieved by encouraging streamside property owners to adopt sustainable land management practices and by raising awareness about urban stormwater management.

Sumas First Nation  
Project: Sumas Watershed Ecosystem Restoration Portal 
Funding Amount: $153,409 over two years  
Project Description: This project will deepen knowledge of stressors affecting salmon, sturgeon, and waterfowl in the Sumas River sub-basin of the Fraser River and identify restoration actions for reducing such stressors. The proponent will hold a series of workshops to combine datasets and knowledge – both Indigenous and Western – of priority species, stressors, and restoration options. This will inform the creation of an interactive, accessible Story Map that synthesizes ecosystem knowledge.

British Columbia Lake Stewardship Society 
Project: BC Lake Stewardship Engagement Initiative 
Funding Amount: $136,224 over two years  
Project Description: This project will empower communities to collect scientifically defensible data on their watersheds in the Fraser River Basin and advance sustainable freshwater management practices. The proponent will deliver training sessions, support First Nations Guardians, and provide technical support for monitoring programs and data interpretation, while coordinating community engagement activities.

Cheam First Nation 
Project: Yóyestel xwlá lhéqtotel:exw – Working Towards Understanding 
Funding Amount: $200,000 over two years  
Project Description: This project will support the preservation and restoration of diverse ecosystem services associated with Sqwá:la - Hope Slough in the Lower Fraser Basin. The First Nations proponent will deliver a pilot project with a local farm to showcase nature-based solutions (like riparian buffers and wetland restoration). It will also lead the co-development of an inclusive water quality action plan. These efforts will result in improved nutrient management, measurable ecological outcomes, and enhanced local capacity.