Mr. Chair, my name is Nadine Stiller, and I have been chair of the Prairie Provinces Water Board since 2018. I'm also the executive director with the new Canada water agency branch within Environment and Climate Change Canada.
Today I'm representing the Prairie Provinces Water Board.
I'm honoured to be joining you from Treaty 1 territory, the traditional lands of the Anishinabe, Ininew, Oji-Cree, Dene and Dakota peoples and homeland of the Métis nation.
Water management in Canada is a shared responsibility between all levels of government, and the legal framework for water management is complex. In summary, the provinces hold primary responsibility for water quality, water use and allocation within their borders, including drinking water and waste-water services. The federal government is responsible for fresh water generally through national regulations and monitoring programs. Both levels of government deliver programs to promote healthy aquatic ecosystems.
In the Prairies, water generally flows eastward from the Rockies in Alberta through Saskatchewan to Manitoba before draining into Lake Winnipeg and Hudson Bay. Managing water effectively across the Prairies is critical for both economic prosperity and the well-being of its residents, including a significant indigenous population. This unique system relies heavily on snow-melt runoff, so precipitation variability makes the region highly susceptible to extreme conditions like droughts and floods. Droughts that are long lasting after multiple years pose the greatest challenge. Climate change is intensifying these variations, making strong interjurisdictional collaboration essential.
The Prairie Provinces Water Board was established in 1948 by the three provinces and the federal government. However, by the 1960s, the growing water demands from provinces indicated the need for a more robust system. In 1969, the master agreement on apportionment was established, and the board focused on the equitable sharing of transboundary waters in the Prairies. While it has no enforcement mechanism, the agreement is a powerful instrument that fosters co-operation, enables dispute resolution between provinces and has proven its function for over 50 years.
Schedules A and B of the agreement establish a fifty-fifty formula for annual natural flows between adjacent provinces. Each province uses and/or receives 50% of the natural flow. The board determines the natural flow computation methodology and calculates apportionment balances. Schedule E, introduced in 1992, specifically addresses water quality for 12 transboundary water bodies. The federal government performs water quality monitoring that supports a five-year cycle review of water quality objectives. Additionally, a new schedule F for co-operation on groundwater and aquifer management is in the process of being added to the master agreement.
There are three key factors that contribute to the board's success.
First, the master agreement on apportionment commits provinces to a fair portioning of water, protecting both water quantity and quality. Provinces benefit from long-term planning certainty through knowing their water allocation and responsibilities.
Second, consensus-based decision-making allows issues to be addressed before they escalate into conflicts.
Third, the board, comprised of senior water resource officials, fosters collaboration across similar mandates and shared goals with equal decision-making power.
The board is supported by a secretariat and four permanent committees that include hydrology, flow forecasting, water quality and groundwater. The board is cost shared equally between federal and provincial governments. Environment and Climate Change Canada funds and conducts water monitoring activities at the transboundary locations. The board's strength lies in its commitment to consensus by involving all parties, which fosters a spirit of co-operation and mutual respect amongst provincial governments, the primary water regulators. The collaborative approach has ensured consistent compliance with the master agreement.
Thank you on behalf of the Prairie Provinces Water Board for this opportunity.