Thank you, Chair and honourable members.
I'd also like to begin by acknowledging that we are gathered on the traditional unceded territory of the Algonquin Anishinabe nation. We honour their enduring relationship with this land and water and recognize the vital role of indigenous peoples in protecting and stewarding fresh water.
The Canada Water Agency is a new federal organization with the mandate to improve freshwater management in Canada by providing leadership, effective collaboration federally, and improved coordination and collaboration with provinces, territories and indigenous peoples to proactively address national and regional transboundary freshwater challenges and opportunities.
The agency was launched in October 2024 with the coming into force of the Canada Water Agency Act. The agency reports to the Minister of Environment and Climate Change and is headquartered in Winnipeg, with offices across the country to ensure responsiveness to regional freshwater issues.
Fresh water is an irreplaceable natural resource. From coast to coast to coast, fresh water is fundamental to the economy, communities and the environment. Pressures such as climate change, land use change and pollution are driving changes in freshwater quality and quantity. Freshwater governance in Canada is complex, highlighting the need for strong, ongoing collaboration.
The Canada Water Agency directly responds to Canada’s freshwater challenges and opportunities through work in five key areas.
First, through service to Canadians we are focused on restoring and protecting significant freshwater ecosystems.
For example, one of our key programs is the delivery of freshwater ecosystem initiatives. In the Great Lakes, St. Lawrence River, Lake Winnipeg and other nationally significant water bodies across the country, the Canada Water Agency supports freshwater management programs that improve ecosystem health in service to Canadians. These initiatives also mobilize financial commitments from multiple partners. The geographic extent of these initiatives is enormous, including approximately 90% of Canada’s population and covering 40% of Canada’s surface area.
Second, the agency provides policy leadership that responds to Canada’s most pressing freshwater challenges and opportunities.
For example, the Canada Water Agency chairs the federal freshwater committee, which provides a forum for strategic discussion among senior management from 26 federal departments and agencies with a responsibility towards freshwater.
Our third work stream is cross-country collaboration, which involves creating partnerships to protect nationally significant freshwater ecosystems. In this role, the agency chairs and supports several domestic and international water boards, which strengthen collaboration on water issues among jurisdictions.
In our fourth work stream, we work to promote freshwater literacy to cultivate a water-aware Canada. As part of our freshwater ecosystem initiatives, we collaborate with partners to deliver reports on the state of significant water bodies. Through the EcoAction program, we support community-led projects aimed at increasing community engagement in protecting and sustaining freshwater resources.
Lastly, our work on science and data is focused on translating freshwater science and data to inform decision-making. For example, the agency is collaboratively leading the development of a national freshwater data strategy to establish guidelines and principles for how freshwater information can be stored, organized and shared.
In closing, the Canada Water Agency is committed to ensuring that freshwater in Canada is clean, safe and well managed—today and for generations to come.
We look forward to working on the government’s freshwater priorities.
Thank you.
We are happy to take questions.