Environment Committee on June 4th, 2024

[The Chair, Liberal, Francis Scarpaleggia]

Good afternoon, colleagues.

[Dan Mazier, Conservative, Dauphin—Swan River—Neepawa, MB]

Chair, I would just like to be put on the speaking list for the net-zero accelerator fund discussion.

[The Chair, Liberal, Francis Scarpaleggia]

Yes, for sure. That's for when we do the third hour.

[Dan Mazier, Conservative, Dauphin—Swan River—Neepawa, MB]

Yes. I want to be on that list.

Thank you.

[The Chair, Liberal, Francis Scarpaleggia]

That's what we would have done anyway, to be honest. I think that's how it works.

Good afternoon, everyone. Welcome to our second-to-last meeting on the study on freshwater policy.

Before we start, for the benefit of the witnesses here in person—and I think all witnesses are in person today—we've been dealing with issues around feedback and its impact on the interpreters. The House has instituted a new protocol, which is that you should separate the earpiece and the microphone by a good distance so there's no feedback. If you're not using your earpiece, put it face down on this coaster-like sticker on the desk so there will be no feedback.

That being said, welcome to our witnesses. Welcome especially to Mr. Donnelly, who was an inhabitant of this place for a while and someone with whom I had the pleasure to work. He was well-known as a very collegial member of Parliament whom everyone appreciated.

We'll start with Mr. Donnelly for five minutes, and then go to Mr. Jaques from the Water Security Agency of British Columbia.

Go ahead.

[Fin Donnelly, Parliamentary Secretary, Fisheries and Aquaculture, Government of British Columbia]

Thank you very much, Chair. It's great to be here.

I'm joined by James Mack, the ADM for water, land and resource stewardship.

Good afternoon. I'd like to acknowledge that I'm on the territory of the Anishinabe Algonquin nation. I'm Fin Donnelly, B.C.'s first Parliamentary Secretary for Watershed Restoration with the Ministry of Water, Land and Resource Stewardship, and I'm the MLA for Coquitlam-Burke Mountain.

Thank you for the opportunity to address the committee as a representative of British Columbia and to discuss a matter that lies at the heart of my life's work: fresh water and the protection, restoration and stewardship of watersheds.

Growing up on the banks of B.C.'s longest river, the mighty Fraser, I developed an intrinsic connection to its waters. It led me to swimming the 1,400-kilometre length of the river twice, first in 1995 and again in 2000, before my political life, to draw attention to its declining health and to encourage communities to better steward the river. The experience not only strengthened my resolve to safeguard our waterways, but it inspired me to found the Rivershed Society of B.C. in 1996, with a focus on the importance of water to British Columbians.

My work led me to politics, first in local government, then as a member of Parliament and now as an MLA in British Columbia. It's become apparent that British Columbians share my view that clean, fresh, abundant water is critical for our province's success. Healthy watersheds are foundational to the social, environmental and economic systems supporting B.C. Water powers our economy and is critical in supporting our food, fish and drinking water.

B.C.'s watershed sector contributes over $5 billion to the province's GDP and supports 75,000 jobs. Watersheds play an essential role in constructing homes needed to support jobs and workers. Access to water sources determines where our communities can flourish and thrive. All animals, especially wild salmon, rely on clean, cold, abundant fresh water to survive.

Water is one of our greatest allies in the face of climate change. Healthy watersheds function as resilient buffers that reduce and even prevent the impacts and costs related to floods, droughts and wildfires. The severity of last summer's droughts and wildfires in B.C., and the potential for drought and wildfire this summer demonstrate the need for early investment in watershed resiliency, restoration, rebuilding and infrastructure initiatives.

That's why B.C. has taken action to codevelop its first-ever watershed security strategy with first nations and establish a $100-million watershed security fund to support work needed to improve outcomes for our watersheds. Codevelopment of the strategy has occurred predominantly through the B.C.-First Nations Water Table, but ongoing relationships have been made with first nations leadership, modern-day treaty nations and existing government-to-government tables.

As seen through B.C. and Canada's joint efforts on the cofunded B.C. salmon restoration and innovation fund, B.C. and the Government of Canada both recognize the importance of keeping watersheds healthy for people, local economies and ecosystems.

Since 2019, our governments have provided $285 million in support of projects to protect wild salmon. We have made important progress together, but without continued efforts to improve watershed security, our watersheds are at risk from drought, floods, fires, climate change, urban development and industrial uses. B.C.'s watershed security strategy is responsive to these pressures and will shape the future of watersheds and watershed management, but more support for this work is needed to achieve our shared goals.

The current $100-million watershed security fund must grow to meet the scale of water challenges facing British Columbia. Current estimates suggest that a minimum of $1 billion is required to support strategic investments in infrastructure, recovery and watershed resilience. Federal funding is needed to support the investment work and work already being led by the province and first nations. A commitment of a federal contribution over 10 years is another opportunity for Canada and B.C. to work together through the watershed security strategy to support sustained, strategic, transformational action in B.C.

In closing, I ask that this committee recommend that the federal government join British Columbia in investing in initiatives like the watershed security strategy and fund, to lay the groundwork for a more resilient and prosperous future.

Thank you again for inviting me here on this important study.

[The Chair, Liberal, Francis Scarpaleggia]

Thank you, Mr. Donnelly. As a former parliamentarian in the House and a current parliamentarian in British Columbia, you managed to keep exactly to your allotted speaking time.

Before continuing, I'd like to welcome Mr. Généreux, who is replacing Mr. Deltell.

We will now move on to Mr. Shawn Jaques, president and chief executive officer of the Water Security Agency, who is accompanied by Mr. David Cooper, vice-president, agriculture services and economic development.

Mr. Jaques, please go ahead for five minutes.

[Shawn Jaques, President and Chief Executive Officer, Water Security Agency]

Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Thank you for inviting me back to the committee and for allowing us to appear again.

Today I'd like to build on my previous remarks to reinforce the importance that responsible water management, which is sustainable, adaptable and reliable, is not only clearly good for Saskatchewan communities, producers and industry, but is also beneficial for habitat, aquatic species and the environment.

Saskatchewan is home to an estimated more than 110,000 lakes and rivers, representing some of the most abundant freshwater resources in North America. The Water Security Agency plays a critical role in managing our abundant water resources through proactive operation of Saskatchewan's network of 74 dams and hundreds of kilometres of conveyance channels.

We oversee more than 600 drinking water and more than 800 waste-water facilities. Water Security Agency scientists also study and analyze wildlife and plant life. WSA carries out water testing and sampling to help understand and track the quality and quantity of water. Last year WSA gathered over 500 water quality samples in lakes and rivers across the province.

This year marks the 20th anniversary of WSA managing water levels at Lake Diefenbaker to help protect the endangered piping plover. Since 2014 we have seen a rise in the number of plover hatchlings to reach maturity by over 550%. Nesting sites are up almost 150% in the same time span. We take the health of habitat and water quality very seriously, with investments and studies to back it up.

Many of you will know that agriculture is the backbone of Saskatchewan's economy and that we are Canada's leading exporter of almost all agricultural products. What you may not know is that our province is home to some of the most environmentally sustainable products in the world. Our no-till and zero-till practices and lower fertilizer applications are responsible for Saskatchewan farmers having a carbon footprint 95% lower than competitive jurisdictions around the world. Our producers are the best stewards of the land and have been for over 100 years. It is our livelihood, so we must be.

It is amazing to consider that Saskatchewan has half of Canada's arable acres. Based on our recent studies, we now know that 86% of the wetlands in our province are undrained. There is room to develop in a sustainable way to gain the benefits of agricultural water management, which includes economic growth, gained efficiencies and improved soil health. We are working on a stewardship policy to do just that. This is something no other jurisdiction in Canada has done before.

Over the last year and a half, WSA has engaged a total of 80 stakeholder organizations and first nation and Métis communities in the creation of this stewardship policy. With input from engagement and learning from our practical demonstration and research projects, WSA is developing a policy that will support our producers, allowing for economic growth while protecting our environment. This is very important work, because the sustainable production of food will be needed.

Earlier this year, the Province of Saskatchewan announced it's moving forward with the first 90,000 acres of the larger Lake Diefenbaker irrigation projects. Irrigation also acts as one of the simplest and best adaptation measures against varying climate conditions. It helps us be more resilient and sustainable during both flood and drought situations.

What if this project not only contributed to the economy while helping adapt to a changing climate but also then lowered emissions? Building on the success of Saskatchewan's dryland farming, expanding irrigation promises additional economic and climate change benefits. The Lake Diefenbaker irrigation project will produce over 297 million kilograms more food per year.

Based on our initial research, irrigated crop acres will be 16% less emissions-intensive than our already carbon-efficient dryland crops. That means the amount of crop produced in the entire Lake Diefenbaker irrigation project would be grown with 126,000 tonnes fewer emissions per year than if the equivalent amount had been grown on dryland conditions. Over 20 years, the project will account for over 2.5 million tonnes of avoided emissions.

That is why we think this project needs your attention. We're going to be producing more crops on the same land base with fewer emissions per tonne of crop produced. Based on what we know, this project helps economic growth while lowering emissions. It is something for which we would ask each of you to support the federal government being a partner.

In closing, I would like to say that responsible freshwater management holds immense potential for Canada, with strengthened food security, climate resilience, water sustainability and lasting economic benefits. I believe we are doing just that in Saskatchewan.

Thank you very much.

[The Chair, Liberal, Francis Scarpaleggia]

Thank you very much, Mr. Jaques.

We'll now go to Mr. Kram, who will begin the round of questions.

[Michael Kram, Conservative, Regina—Wascana, SK]

Thank you very much, Mr. Chair.

I'll start with the representatives from the Saskatchewan Water Security Agency. If I understand your position correctly, the Government of Saskatchewan is in favour of the creation of the Canada water agency, subject to some of the particulars about its actual mandate. Can I just get some clarity from the witnesses on that?

[Shawn Jaques]

Thanks, Mr. Kram.

We do support the creation of the Canada water agency if it doesn't have a role as a regulator. That's something our province has been adamant about from day one. We believe maintaining provincial autonomy over water management is key for Saskatchewan, and I know that a number of our neighbouring provinces have the same view.

We have expressed our concerns in the past. If the agency were created, not as a duplication of the services provinces are already providing but rather as something that is support-focused, a Canada water agency could have many benefits, not only for Saskatchewan but also for other provinces in Canada, much as the PFRA did many years ago. It could allow for collaboration on major water projects and cost-sharing opportunities, similar to what the PFRA did many years ago by building a lot of the structures across our province, as well as for information and knowledge sharing.

I think those are some of the benefits that could be realized with the agency. However we don't see the need for it to have a regulatory role since we're already doing that.

[Michael Kram, Conservative, Regina—Wascana, SK]

Has the federal government reached out to the Saskatchewan Water Security Agency to have a formal consultation process regarding the agency's mandate?

[Shawn Jaques]

We've had some meetings with the federal government over that as they've been navigating setting up the agency, and we've been communicating some of our concerns. In fact, later this week, I will have another meeting with Environment Canada on that as well.

[Michael Kram, Conservative, Regina—Wascana, SK]

Just to be clear, when it comes to the cost-sharing opportunities, is it safe to say that the Lake Diefenbaker project is at the top of the wish list for the Government of Saskatchewan?

[Shawn Jaques]

Yes.

I've explained some of what we see as the benefits of the Lake Diefenbaker irrigation project. It's a generational project. It's going to be there for decades. There's also a significant benefit from that project for the federal government and for the province. That's why we believe there is room for a federal partner in building out this project.

[Michael Kram, Conservative, Regina—Wascana, SK]

Can you speak to any similar opportunities? Are there any other major irrigation projects on the drawing board, so to speak, either in Saskatchewan or in other provinces that you're aware of?

[Shawn Jaques]

Yes. I'll maybe get David to jump in here as well.

We look for opportunities and the expansion of irrigation in other parts of the province, not just around Lake Diefenbaker, so there are opportunities for funding. I know our neighbours to the west in Alberta have also expanded their irrigation as well.

I don't know, David, if you have anything else to add.

[David Cooper, Vice-President, Agriculture Services and Economic Development, Water Security Agency]

Thank you for the question.

I would maybe add that, in addition to the west side project that we've profiled, there are other significant developments that are under contemplation that would also require significant capital. The west side project is definitely top of our heap, but we are engaged with other irrigation districts looking at opportunities, and those would come with significant costs as well.

To echo Shawn's previous comments, an opportunity to secure a federal grant would be a huge push forward for those projects, because carrying them from the provincial and producer level alone can be a tall ask since these projects do have a large upfront cost. Obviously they provide benefit for many years, but that initial build-out is quite costly.

[Michael Kram, Conservative, Regina—Wascana, SK]

Can you speak to any climate adaptation initiatives or policies that the provincial government has, either in the form of the Lake Diefenbaker project or in other projects or initiatives?

[Shawn Jaques]

I'll start and then David can add any comments.

Lake Diefenbaker in itself, I think, is supporting that. It's a large storage reservoir. It holds about eight million acre-feet of water. It's a very large man-made reservoir. We use it to capture and store water in years when there's excess precipitation or excess water flowing on the Saskatchewan River. Then we use the reservoir for irrigating or providing water to communities in years when there's a lack of precipitation, and in the last few years, we saw in our province that there was a need for that extra water.

I don't know if you have anything to add.

[David Cooper]

Yes, I would maybe add a little.

Lake Diefenbaker truly is unique in the lack of development that has occurred with respect to the water that is available there. This has been studied by academics in Saskatchewan. Dr. John Pomeroy, who has appeared before the committee, is one of those whom we've heard from on this matter. His research is forecasting a 20% increase in inflows into the lake in the future. That's in addition to the water that we believe, through our assessment, is available for development right now.

It truly is a very underdeveloped opportunity. When you look at the challenges that we see in terms of reliable and timely precipitation, obviously irrigation can address those concerns.

It truly is a great opportunity. We're doing our best to tell the story as broadly as we can because it's something that really should be brought forward, not just for Saskatchewan but we believe for Canada's interests as well.

[Shawn Jaques]

May I add something, Mr. Kram?

When the lake was created back in the 1960s, 500,000 acres of irrigation was the vision. We're currently only at 145,000 acres. We've only achieved 20% of that vision. There's a lot more room for growth.

[The Chair, Liberal, Francis Scarpaleggia]

Thank you.

We'll go to Mr. Ali now for six minutes.

[Shafqat Ali, Liberal, Brampton Centre, ON]

Thank you, Chair.

Through you, Chair, thank you to all the witnesses for being here today.

Mr. Donnelly, thank you for sharing that story of swimming in that river and your love for the river and the bank. It's really important. I see that water is alive. That's how I put it in one word. If I have to state the importance of the water, I would say it's life. Without water, there's no life.

In your view, what role do you believe the Canada water agency can have in British Columbia's context?

[Fin Donnelly]

Thank you for the question, Mr. Ali.

I do appreciate those comments. Water is critical. It was critical to me in my early development, 30 years ago, and it's become even more so now as we've seen the pressures mounting on water.

The Canada water agency is very needed. It can play an important function in bringing provinces and territories together to focus on the challenges that lie ahead, which are enormous. The science and the monitoring that it can bring attention to are critical. I know the agency has reached out to our government and is looking for partnerships and ways that our governments can work together, which I think is critically important.

If there are one or two things that I could stress—one I already did in my presentation in terms of looking at further investments, and I think those investments are absolutely needed—I would encourage Canada to consider a broader view of the impacts on water or focus on addressing water. Drinking water is critically important to all Canadians and to the Canadian economy, but so are the impacts from drought, floods and wildfires, and they need to be addressed.

That, I believe, will take an all-of-government approach from multiple ministries to engage in how that is addressed. Further investment and a slightly broader agenda are needed, as we have taken in the province.

Maybe I'll ask ADM Mack if there's anything else I've missed.