Environment Committee on June 11th, 2024

[Heather Jirousek]

Yes, we were certainly engaged in the process in 2020, when we were first engaged on it, and in 2021. Both Julian and I were northern panellists on a regional presentation that we provided through the Canada water agency.

Yes, we have been providing input. We provided, I think, about 20 pages' worth of comments, many of which we provided here in our brief today, regarding groundwater and transboundary issues. We certainly provided that input to the Canada water agency process.

[Bonita Zarrillo, NDP, Port Moody—Coquitlam, BC]

Are there any bilateral agreements that would be relevant around freshwater that this committee should know about?

[Heather Jirousek]

Absolutely. Yes, we have a bilateral agreement with the national hydrometric program, the Water Survey of Canada. We have a bilateral agreement on surface water, and we would love to see a similar agreement on the groundwater side of things. We have had that agreement in place, I think, since the 1970s, and it's a very important agreement for us. We would like to see that on water quality and groundwater as well.

[Bonita Zarrillo, NDP, Port Moody—Coquitlam, BC]

All right.

Mr. Chair, do I—

[The Chair, Liberal, Francis Scarpaleggia]

We're pretty much done. You have 15 seconds.

We will go into our second round with Mr. Leslie for five minutes.

[Branden Leslie, Conservative, Portage—Lisgar, MB]

Thank you, Mr. Chair.

I will start with Ms. Rich with the Government of Alberta.

This is perhaps an opportunity, recognizing that it is a municipal issue, but it has been all over the news over the past few days, so perhaps you might have a bit of an update regarding the situation of water availability for drinking and other purposes within the city of Calgary.

Secondary to that is whether or not you have any recommendations to the federal government relating to water infrastructure challenges and ways to address future issues such as what we're seeing happening right now.

[Kate Rich]

Thanks for recognizing the people of Calgary and the work that they're going through on a boil water advisory and a water shortage due to some infrastructure issues that they have going on. I can assure you that the city itself, as well as others, is working hard to repair that and making sure communication is out there to keep...and protect the safety of Albertans. I should note it's actually quite rare to have any boil water advisory in Alberta, so I think it also takes a bit of attention there, but it does show the continuous need to maintain and enhance our infrastructure. That is one of those areas we look at, and you rightly point to, to ask whether there are some areas where we need to look at the agency or the Canada Water Act—probably more so the agency than the act.

Obviously, there's federal-provincial coordination on information and knowledge sharing in science, which is what you've heard from others, but prioritizing and, frankly, sustained and increased funding for critical infrastructure is a really important piece for provinces like Alberta, whether it's for drinking water systems and regional systems like that, or storage and reservoirs. We heard about changing climate and adaptation and that the need to look at and modernize our infrastructure is really important, and that's founded in everything, from investing not only in research and knowledge networks for freshwater science but also, dare I say, in clean technology for efficiency, conservation and other purposes. However, it is really sustained and long-term investment.

[Branden Leslie, Conservative, Portage—Lisgar, MB]

Thank you for that, Ms. Rich. Maybe I'll just stick with you regarding what I don't think was discussed today but certainly was brought up by my colleague and the Government of Saskatchewan. I know Alberta has undertaken or is undertaking major expansions to irrigation projects in the province, including, I think, covering existing canals, among other things. I'm wondering if you might be willing to expand on some of the projects, how they're being funded and/or supported by the federal government and why the province is taking such a strong direction to enhance the irrigation capabilities for farmers across the province.

[Kate Rich]

I may have to get back to you with the details of exactly what is funded by the province versus the federal government, so we will get back to you in writing.

I assure you that we do continue to invest. Not only is the Government of Alberta investing in expanded irrigation infrastructure, but it is very much committed to conservation-efficient and productive water use, meaning we'd like to get more bang for the buck out of each drop of water invested. We have, starting in 2004-05, really made enhancements throughout our irrigation networks to improve any leaks or drips...or systems to really enhance the productivity of what we get to make sure that every drop is used, so we do continue to expand our irrigation infrastructure.

I will have to get back to you on federal versus provincial funding.

[Branden Leslie, Conservative, Portage—Lisgar, MB]

Thank you. I'll stick with you but expand to the other witnesses here regarding the Canada water agency and some of the engagement you have or have not had. I know, Ms. Rich, you mentioned the critical role of understanding the role of the federal government versus the provincial government, particularly in terms of regulation and what jurisdictional boundaries should and should not be crossed. Ms. Rich, what sort of engagement has the federal government had with you, your department or the Government of Alberta more broadly in terms of what the Canada water agency is anticipated to do and what it could do? What are your views on how that has progressed thus far?

[Kate Rich]

Our engagement has been limited to date, I would think a handful or a few meetings, recognizing that we're trying to be patient and know that these things take time. We recognize that Canadians expect us to respect our jurisdictional division of powers, the Constitution, our authorities and our existing systems, and want these investments to be made in enhancements, not duplication. We look at opportunities for, as I mentioned, facilitating information sharing and knowledge, prioritizing funding for infrastructure and the like. However, we want to avoid duplication, to maintain clarity between provincial jurisdiction and federal policies and ensure, frankly, that our jurisdiction is involved.

[The Chair, Liberal, Francis Scarpaleggia]

Thank you.

Mrs. Chatel, you have the floor.

[Sophie Chatel, Liberal, Pontiac, QC]

Thank you very much, Mr. Chair.

I want to thank the witnesses for coming here to wrap up our study on water.

Ms. Jirousek, you mentioned earlier that the groundwater issue is important for the Yukon, and all the more so because of climate change. It's an important issue for the farmers in my riding and across Canada, too. There are a number of challenges and concerns. I think you were saying earlier that we need more data.

Can you tell us about what data are needed and what the Canada Water Agency can do to help collect groundwater data? In concrete terms, how would that help you?

[Heather Jirousek]

I will defer that one to Brendan Mulligan. As our senior scientist on groundwater, he's the best-placed person to answer.

[Brendan Mulligan]

Thank you, Heather.

As I think I mentioned in our opening remarks, one of our recommendations is a cost-sharing agreement with the Geological Survey of Canada, because mapping the aquifers underlying our communities, which supply us with groundwater, is a critical and foundational hydrogeological step that we've yet to take in most communities in the Yukon. I know there's considerable capacity within NRCan to support that capacity that's lacking in the Government of Yukon.

We also noted a recommendation to enter into an agreement under the Canada Water Act to support us with groundwater monitoring. We have a fairly robust groundwater monitoring network, but it's not supported by the federal government, unlike our surface water quality and quantity monitoring networks, and I think we could do quite a bit more work with some federal dollars.

In particular, drilling observation wells to understand groundwater levels and chemistry is a very expensive task. We have limited budgets to be able to expand our observation well network to provide critical information in places of need. Therefore, additional resourcing to be able to drill new wells to expand our network to provide critical data for decision-makers is something that would be welcome.

[Heather Jirousek]

I'd like to add that this is actually an important federal role. It's transboundary. It's related to climate change. This is information that supports not just Yukoners but all Canadians.

[Sophie Chatel, Liberal, Pontiac, QC]

Thank you, Mr. Mulligan.

Ms. Jirousek, thank you for the additional information.

Ms. Rich, I'll continue along the same lines. Our farmers need groundwater. It's essential. Your province is experiencing a water shortage, as is mine, Quebec. We're worried. We want agriculture to be sustainable and resilient in spite of climate change.

Would groundwater data collected by the Canada Water Agency enable scientists to help our farmers?

[Kate Rich]

Thanks. I'm just waiting for the translation, so I apologize for the delay.

Yes, groundwater is an area we are continuing to invest in as a province. We would always welcome more information and more collaboration to better understand water systems as a whole, including the interaction of groundwater and surface water in some of those shallower aquifers. We have enhanced our investments in inventories and monitoring for groundwater across Alberta, but especially in the south.

We have put more resources into this in budget 2024, and we would certainly welcome that, not only for farmers but, frankly, for any user in Alberta.

[Sophie Chatel, Liberal, Pontiac, QC]

Mr. Kanigan, people say your government set the standard for watershed co-management. Your government has worked not only with the province, but also with municipalities and indigenous communities.

Can you tell us about the methods you used that could serve as a model for watershed collaboration?

[The Chair, Liberal, Francis Scarpaleggia]

Please answer the question fairly quickly.

[Kate Rich]

I'm just checking if that's directed to Alberta.

[Sophie Chatel, Liberal, Pontiac, QC]

My question was for the Northwest Territories representative.

[Kate Rich]

Thank you.

[Julian Kanigan]

Thank you.

I think the coal management processes that are in place in the Northwest Territories, again, stem from settled land claims—the Inuvialuit, Gwich’in and Sahtu land claims that were settled in the early 1990s—and then there was legislation produced known as the Mackenzie Valley Resource Management Act.

With respect to fresh water, one of the key principles is that ecological integrity is maintained for the ecosystem. When coal management boards that are formed in a similar way to what Heather was describing in the Yukon—with different representatives from Canada, from the territories and from indigenous governments—are making decisions about projects, they're making them with those principles in mind.

[The Chair, Liberal, Francis Scarpaleggia]

Thanks.

I have to go now to Madame Pauzé, but I think she wants to continue that line of questioning.