Canada Water Agency
Highlights
Canada has over two million lakes and rivers, and more inland waters than any other country. These waters flow to all three coasts, crossing international, provincial, and territorial boundaries.
For many Indigenous Peoples, water is sacred, protected, and honoured as the giver of all life. Fresh water is also central to economic growth, environmental health, including supporting biodiversity, and the wellbeing of Canadians.
The Government of Canada created the Canada Water Agency to work together with the provinces, territories, Indigenous communities, local authorities, scientists, and others to keep our water safe, clean and well-managed.
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 has been created within Environment and Climate Change Canada. It is 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 can be found here:
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 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
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