Evidence of meeting #94 for Environment and Sustainable Development in the 44th Parliament, 1st Session. (The original version is on Parliament’s site, as are the minutes.) The winning word was federal.
A recording is available from Parliament.
3:50 p.m.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Francis Scarpaleggia
Thank you very much.
We'll turn now to Ms. Nelson of the Rivershed Society of British Columbia.
I assume you will be presenting.
3:50 p.m.
Miki Eslake Program Coordinator, Rivershed Society of British Columbia
Justine and I will be splitting the time today.
3:50 p.m.
Program Coordinator, Rivershed Society of British Columbia
Good afternoon, everyone. Thank you very much for this opportunity to participate in this important study on fresh water.
I'm joining you today from the traditional territory of the Musqueam, Squamish and Tsleil-Waututh peoples in Vancouver, British Columbia.
My name is Miki Eslake. I am a program coordinator with the Rivershed Society of BC and I am here today with Rivershed's executive director, Justine Nelson.
Rivershed was founded in 1996 by Fin Donnelly after he swam the entire length of the Fraser River. He did this to raise awareness of the critical role that the Fraser plays in supporting salmon, people and the economy.
We have an ambitious vision: to see the Fraser as a resilient watershed with salmon, people and economies flourishing in rivershed communities.
The Fraser is truly the heart and soul of British Columbia and its watershed is the cornerstone of our ecological, cultural and economic vitality, but it faces significant challenges.
One of those challenges is the alarming decline of salmon returning to the Fraser. Historically, 50 million sockeye return to the Fraser every year. In 2022, despite it being a dominant year, only 5.5 million returned. Salmon are both key elements of a healthy watershed and key indicators of it, so it's important to take this decline seriously.
The climate crisis is a water crisis, and the health of our watersheds plays a critical role in providing natural defences against climate change impacts including droughts, wildfires and floods.
To effectively advance the freshwater agenda in Canada, the government must uphold its commitment to invest $1 billion in the freshwater action plan. This investment must support watersheds like the Fraser and prioritize actions in collaboration with indigenous peoples.
The Fraser is listed by the government as a priority watershed, but funds allocated under the freshwater action plan have been disproportionately spent elsewhere, leaving the Fraser watershed underfunded and vulnerable.
Communities here are still grappling with the aftermath of the devastating 2023 wildfire season. Many parts of the watershed are still experiencing severe drought conditions, and in some cases are also now under flood watch at the same time.
Rivershed's board member from the Nechako region, Wayne Salewski, has stressed that ongoing drought and devastating wildfires have dried out critically important salmon streams across the region that are crucial to salmon recovery efforts.
We know that these extreme weather events are not anomalies and can be expected to happen more frequently with climate change.
I'll pass the rest of the time over to Justine.
3:50 p.m.
Justine Nelson Executive Director, Rivershed Society of British Columbia
Thank you, Miki.
Rivershed actively participates in the BC Watershed Security Coalition in advocating a B.C. watershed security fund. The B.C.-First Nations Water Table announced the co-development of the B.C. watershed security strategy and fund in March 2023, with an initial investment of $100 million.
This was a great start, but a $100-million endowment fund will only generate $5 million a year for projects. That is a far cry from what is needed to safeguard B.C.'s watersheds. It needs to be at least 10 times larger.
The B.C. watershed security fund needs substantial federal support to reach its full potential and adequately address challenges faced by watersheds in B.C., including the Fraser.
We are asking this committee to recommend that the Government of Canada invest $400 million in the B.C. watershed security fund and fulfill their commitment to make a historic investment of $1 billion in the freshwater action plan.
These investments could help address immediate challenges, all while advancing climate mitigation, reconciliation and sustainable economic development.
Allocating funds after disasters happen to deal with the immediate aftermath is no longer sufficient; it's imperative to proactively address the root causes before our watersheds experience levels of drought and habitat loss they cannot recover from.
This proactive approach is still possible in the Fraser watershed. The B.C. watershed security fund presents an opportunity to proactively address disasters and break the cycle of merely responding to them. It will allow us to get ahead of crises and invest in resilience and prevention.
The Fraser watershed underscores the urgency of this shift and a move from reactive to proactive, safeguarding our ecosystems, communities and economies for the long term.
Thank you.
3:55 p.m.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Francis Scarpaleggia
Thank you very much.
We'll go to Mr. Leslie to kick off the six-minute round.
3:55 p.m.
Conservative
Branden Leslie Conservative Portage—Lisgar, MB
Thank you, Mr. Chair. Thank you for your testimony, Mr. Weir.
I understand that recreational fisheries actually contribute more to Canada's GDP than our commercial fishery, obviously providing a lot of tourism dollars in rural communities across Canada. I'd like you to elaborate on what the biggest challenge is that is facing our recreational fisheries at this point in time.
3:55 p.m.
Fisheries Biologist, Ontario Federation of Anglers and Hunters
That's a great question.
There are unfortunately many challenges, like those we just discussed in terms of aquatic habitat. The declines in quality and health of the aquatic habitat are obviously major challenges, but some of the key themes in my presentation earlier really focused on aquatic invasive species and looking at prevention and early detection. Dams and barriers to provide for better habitat connectivity is obviously a big one too, and in general, research, monitoring and looking at other stressors related to fish habitat are as well.
3:55 p.m.
Conservative
Branden Leslie Conservative Portage—Lisgar, MB
Thank you, Mr. Weir.
You mentioned the recreational fisheries conservation partnership program, which was spearheaded by former Conservative MP Robert Sopuck, a great Canadian. It did dramatically improve fresh water quality in a number of lakes and water bodies across Canada, including in my home province of Manitoba.
Even though this program was incredibly successful by every metric, for some reason or other a new government that came in after 2015 decided to cut this program. I'm just curious. Was the reason this program was discontinued and cut by this government ever explained to you as an organization?
3:55 p.m.
Fisheries Biologist, Ontario Federation of Anglers and Hunters
It wasn't explained why it was cut.
It was definitely a benefit for own Lake Ontario Atlantic salmon restoration program. It benefited a number of different angling groups and conservation organizations, including indigenous communities as well.
3:55 p.m.
Conservative
Branden Leslie Conservative Portage—Lisgar, MB
Obviously, the impact of that cut was that you and many other organizations you mentioned weren't able to proceed with cold-water refugia or whatever sorts of projects to enable, increase and enhance fish habitat as planned.
What has been the impact on organizations like yours in terms of those boots in the water, of actual enhancements to our fisheries? Do you recommend that the government reinstate a program of that nature?
3:55 p.m.
Fisheries Biologist, Ontario Federation of Anglers and Hunters
Yes. It definitely had an impact, and not just at Ontario, where we're based, but Canada-wide. We have massive declines, as I mentioned, in aquatic habitat health and quality. To reinstate something like that, especially by providing it to grassroots community initiatives and giving the shovels to the hands of the people who are on the land, is extremely meaningful. It has extremely meaningful direct connections to nature, the outdoors, aquatic habitats and Canadians in general as well.
3:55 p.m.
Conservative
Branden Leslie Conservative Portage—Lisgar, MB
I know you have a lot of volunteers who do these projects on the ground, but it costs money. What impact could be seen from bringing back that program or a program of that nature? It's tough to quantify, I know, but this is real environmentalism, in my view.
3:55 p.m.
Fisheries Biologist, Ontario Federation of Anglers and Hunters
Yes, in terms of actual numbers, it is difficult to quantify. We have 1.4 million licensed anglers in Ontario alone, who contribute $2.2 billion annually, and across Canada there are three million who contribute upwards of $19 billion annually to the economy. It's huge in terms of what anglers are spending and also in terms of what you get out of investing in fish and fish habitat. It's huge. It's almost something you can't measure.
3:55 p.m.
Conservative
Branden Leslie Conservative Portage—Lisgar, MB
One of the other cuts that was made—it was a little bit later and was made in 2019—was the wetland conservation program, which helped to provide funding to projects to restore and rehabilitate important wetlands that help hold water in times of floods, allowing for availability in times of drought and, obviously, improving water quality overall.
I have just a broad-based question outside of the program, although you can comment on whether or not the program would be valuable to bring back: How important would you say wetlands are to our overall ecosystem and why should government maintain the ability to work with groups like yours and others across the country to protect them?
3:55 p.m.
Fisheries Biologist, Ontario Federation of Anglers and Hunters
They're incredibly important. They are known as “nature's sponge”.
Also, in terms of biodiversity, the importance of wetlands cannot be overstated. That is coming not just from my background as a fisheries biologist but on multiple levels across the board. You'd be looking at the serious importance that wetlands provide to fish, wildlife, humans, Canadians—all of the above.
3:55 p.m.
Conservative
Branden Leslie Conservative Portage—Lisgar, MB
Yes.
You mentioned the Canada water agency and you kind of dove into some of that in your testimony. What do you feel the federal government's role and jurisdiction should be in supporting the recreational fisheries through that agency? What role should the Canada water agency have in that, recognizing that you're a provincially based organization? Do you have any specific ideas, whether it's through the Canada water agency or programs external to that, that the government should be considering and that we can add to our report to make sure we're actually providing the support that groups like yours need?
4 p.m.
Fisheries Biologist, Ontario Federation of Anglers and Hunters
Yes, and that's another really good question.
I think there are multiple levels there. Obviously, providing funding to boots on the ground, to grassroots community organizations and to ENGOs is going to be a huge one.
Some of the other themes that I've heard coming out through the discussions are to look at harmonizing things across the board, having accountability, having a watchdog and having better intergovernmental collaboration. This is at multiple levels too—not just within federal agencies, but with provincial agencies as well. Maybe that could have a trickle-down effect to municipalities as well in finding a common ground approach by taking all of the moving parts and making this somewhat simpler.
4 p.m.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Francis Scarpaleggia
Thank you very much.
We'll now go to Mr. Ali for six minutes.
4 p.m.
Liberal
Shafqat Ali Liberal Brampton Centre, ON
Thank you, Mr. Chair.
Thank you to the witnesses for appearing today to share their knowledge and experience with us.
My first questions are for Mr. Schryer and Mr. Weir.
Water plays a crucial role in our ecosystems. Without clean water, habitats can be altered not just for humans but also for other species. Water policy can also play a role in protecting against invasive species such as zebra mussels.
What measures does the Ontario Federation of Anglers and Hunters believe the federal government can take to protect our water from invasive species? Once invasive species are discovered, what measures does the federal government have to protect our water resources from them?
4 p.m.
Fisheries Biologist, Ontario Federation of Anglers and Hunters
My partner is the invasive species expert, so I'll pass it over to Brook.
February 1st, 2024 / 4 p.m.
Brook Schryer Assistant Coordinator, Invading Species Awareness Program, Ontario Federation of Anglers and Hunters
Thank you for having us, everybody.
I think the federal government has a key role to play in protecting our aquatic ecosystems from aquatic invasive species and terrestrial invasive species. In terms of fresh waters, the goals of the Department of Fisheries and Oceans, which is our federal entity, are preventing the introduction of aquatic invasive species, or AIS, responding rapidly to new AIS that are detected and managing the spread of present AIS.
Aquatic invasive species and terrestrial invasive species have extremely detrimental impacts across the country. Environment and Climate Change Canada estimates that 16 invasive species cost us anywhere between $13 billion to $39 billion annually. That's a huge number of taxpayers' dollars, and it's felt across the board in terms of management, response, impacts to property values, impacts to ecosystems, ecosystem services, native species and you name it.
That's what we need from the federal government. They need to be funding programs such as the DFO AIS program, which only receives approximately $10 million per year. That AIS core program is responsible for the species that are having an impact in the tens to thirties of billions of dollars every single year. It's very fundamental that we fund this type of work, especially at the federal level.
4 p.m.
Liberal
Shafqat Ali Liberal Brampton Centre, ON
Thank you.
Ms. Pétrin and Ms. Roy-Grégoire, thank you for your time and for being here today.
Can you tell us about the importance of climate adaptation when it comes to protecting our water resources?
4 p.m.
Chief Executive Officer, Eau Secours
Climate adaptation is very important. Climate change is causing a drastic increase in water consumption by industries, agriculture and urban centres. This has a major impact on climate change, such as snow cover in the winter. It also affects global warming and causes the water cycle to accelerate and evaporate. Basically, it has a significant impact on the amount of water available. We can see that it is declining, mostly in central Canada. In addition, during the summer, some regions in Canada, but especially in Quebec, had to deal with significant waterfalls, which led to flooding. Climate change is drying up some regions of Canada and humidifying others.
As a general rule, the amount of water available is decreasing significantly. So we have to be careful about how we manage it. In areas where there are more droughts, there are conflicts between the different uses. We have to be able to prevent these periods of water scarcity and to know, right now, how to share this resource among the different uses, in order to reduce the conflicts associated with water management.
4:05 p.m.
Liberal
Shafqat Ali Liberal Brampton Centre, ON
Thank you.
Professor Clark and Professor Pietroniro, thank you for being here today.
Can you tell us more about what your academic work on water focuses on?