Thank you.
Hello and good morning, Mr. Chair and committee members.
My name is Kate Ladell, and I am the director general of ecosystems management at Fisheries and Oceans Canada.
I'm joined today by Hilary Oakman, the acting regional director for aquatic ecosystems in the Ontario and Prairies region. She is on the screen, joining us remotely.
I appreciate the opportunity to appear before this committee on behalf of the Department to provide you with information about Fisheries and Oceans Canada’s role in supporting the management of freshwater.
Before I begin, I would like to acknowledge that I'm grateful to be joining you here on the unceded territory of the Anishinabe Algonquin people and recognize the long-standing relationship that indigenous people have with the lands and waters of Canada.
Canada is the steward of 20% of the world's fresh water, home to seven of the world's 15 largest lakes. This includes four of the five Great Lakes, representing 84% of fresh water in North America.
Canada's economy and its future growth depend on the sustainable use and management of our freshwater resources and the ecosystems on which they depend.
It is important to ensure that this valuable resource is managed sustainably to ensure that these benefits are maintained.
Freshwater management is complex, as it is shared between the federal, provincial and territorial governments and, in the case of transboundary waters, with international partners such as the United States.
Important consideration is given to indigenous peoples, and Canada's Constitution recognizes and affirms the existing aboriginal and treaty rights of first nations, Inuit and Métis peoples.
Fisheries and Oceans Canada is one of more than 20 federal departments and agencies responsible for freshwater management.
Fisheries and Oceans Canada is responsible for the sustainable management of fisheries, the conservation and protection of fish and fish habitat, the protection and restoration of aquatic biodiversity, the prevention of aquatic invasive species, and the delivery of science to understand and protect the health of aquatic ecosystems.
There are key pieces of legislation that provide a legal basis for conserving and protecting fish and fish habitat. These are the Fisheries Act and the Species at Risk Act, as well as the aquatic invasive species regulations of the Fisheries Act. I will quickly provide a brief overview of how this works in the Department of Fisheries and Oceans.
The fish and fish habitat protection program is responsible for administering the fish and fish habitat protection provisions of the Fisheries Act, the relevant provisions of the Species at Risk Act, and the associated regulations, policies, guidelines and practices, to ensure compliance with development projects taking place in and around water.
It also provides funding to indigenous communities to participate in the conservation and protection of fish and fish habitat.
The Species at Risk Program works to implement the provisions for the protection, recovery and conservation of listed wildlife species and their critical habitats and residences.
The program also provides funding through transfer payment programs for projects that contribute to the recovery and conservation of species and their habitats, while encouraging partnerships between different organizations.
Aquatic Invasive Species Programs work to prevent, control or eradicate aquatic invasive species.
Fisheries and Oceans Canada also plays an active role in the development, support and implementation of internationally coordinated programs in the Great Lakes and other boundary waters. Canada and the United States have a long history of successful co-operation, with 10 water management treaties in place. Fisheries and Oceans Canada plays an important role in the majority of these international agreements, including the binational Great Lakes Water Quality Agreement.
Environment and Climate Change Canada leads the implementation of this agreement on behalf of the Government of Canada. Fisheries and Oceans Canada is an active partner and co-leads the aquatic and invasive species annex with the United States to meet Canada's commitments.
Regarding the binational treaty on the 1954 Convention on Great Lakes Fisheries, which established the Great Lakes Fishery Commission, DFO supports the work of the commission. It is a signatory to the joint strategic plan for the management of Great Lakes fisheries, and it delivers the Canadian portion of the binational sea lamprey control efforts.
We contribute to Canada's work under the Boundary Waters Treaty in areas associated with fish and fish habitat. We participate on domestic transboundary water boards and in agreements that support regional freshwater management in transboundary basins such as Lake Winnipeg. For example, the Canada-Ontario Agreement on Great Lakes Water Quality and Ecosystem Health is the domestic agreement between Canada and Ontario. It supports the binational Great Lakes Water Quality Agreement to restore, protect and conserve water quality and ecosystem health in the Great Lakes. DFO co-leads the aquatic invasive species annex and supports the habitat and species annex of the protecting habitat and species priority.
In closing, the Government of Canada, including Fisheries and Oceans Canada, is committed to working with other federal departments and agencies, provincial and territorial governments, Indigenous peoples, and other partners to fulfill its commitment to protect, enhance, and restore the biodiversity and health of Canada's freshwater environments through an integrated ecosystem approach that supports the sustainable use of aquatic resources.
Thank you for your attention. I am happy to answer any questions.