Environment committee  I'd start off by saying that protecting our fresh water in Canada is a major effort, and it requires lots of different tools: regulatory, financial, information, science, modelling. It's a big effort. Right now, we're all operating in our silos. There is not much of a mechanism to share that information across those silos, to develop coordinated advice to support ministers or cabinet; to engage with provinces and territories in a coherent, integrated fashion; and to provide an opportunity to hear and listen to Métis, first nation and Inuit perspectives and to do so in a way that's respectful of indigenous traditions and the need for removing colonial approaches to the way we engage with them—to do a distinctions-based approach.

Environment committee  Lake Diefenbaker is not part of these particular freshwater ecosystem initiatives, although we are concerned about the basin for Lake Winnipeg. We recently had conversations with our Saskatchewan colleagues. They've raised some of these issues. I'm aware that they're also interested in investments in water management infrastructure for farmers and other agricultural needs.

Environment committee  I'm happy to share the criteria with this committee. We can come back and show you the criteria we are using in the various ecosystem initiatives.

Environment committee  There are a few pieces. Some of them around eligibility are technical in nature. We have criteria around the priorities we set for each of the freshwater ecosystems in the Lake Winnipeg area. The concerns are often around nutrient loading, indigenous partnerships, value for money and these sorts of pieces.

Environment committee  They tend to go out to our partners. We work in collaboration with the provinces. That's in the Lake Winnipeg area and, largely, with Manitoba. Our calls will go out with information to the provinces. We fund the partners directly, not the province, in most cases.

Environment committee  They could be a variety of different organizations. They could be not-for-profit organizations working the landscape. They could be organizations like ALUS, which does work with farmers. They could be first nations or Métis communities. They could be municipalities. They could be conservation authorities.

Environment committee  It depends on when we launch the call and when the closing dates are. We have information that goes on the website. We send our information to our network of partners through the FEIs. They often call with questions. We work through those questions with them. There's an end date for proposals.

Environment committee  They are welcome to contact us for more information. We're happy to give people information on the opportunities that are available.

Environment committee  I guess it depends on the issue and the province. Our goal is to work with the provinces in identifying the priorities that we should be having to work on. If it's a policy area or a coordination effort, there may be a variation across the country. We'll want to hear from the provinces around their issues and their priorities.

Environment committee  Are you talking about climate change?

Environment committee  We have a role to play in terms of contributing to the dialogue on the consequences of climate change. The Department of Environment and Climate Change has a general section mandated to conduct research, coordinate activities and carry out the government’s climate change process.

Environment committee  I don't have an update on the funding for their health study, in part because that's not an area where the Canada water agency will take leadership. What I can say is that we are working very closely with Indigenous Services Canada on the bill, which is currently before Parliament, for clean water for first nations.

Environment committee  Caroline, do you want to take that one?

Environment committee  When we did our consultations with provinces and territories over the period of 2020 to 2023, we heard similar comments. If you look at the bill that is currently before the Senate now for the creation of the Canada water agency, you'll note that the agency does not have a regulatory mandate.

Environment committee  I'll start with that answer, and then if my colleague from MSC wants to chime in, we'll certainly provide that opportunity. We recognize that it's not just wildfires, drought, floods and variability. We want to work very closely with Environment and Climate Change Canada on the adaptation strategy, continue our work on policy research, coordinate across the federal government on these issues with our federal partners, and continue to gather information, intelligence and analysis from our academic partners, first nations, Métis, Inuit and the provinces and territories, so that we can continue to develop avenues of dialogue and conversation and then, where necessary, support federal departments or provinces in the actions they will take.