Support major investments in Canada’s fresh water

United Nations - Sustainable Development

Environment and Climate Change Canada

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Photo Credit: Unsplash/CC0 Public Domain

Advancing freshwater protection is a priority of the Government of Canada, which has made commitments to implement a strengthened Freshwater Action Plan and establish a Canada Water Agency.

The Canada Water Agency is a unique opportunity for Canada to work together with the provinces, territories, Indigenous communities, local authorities, scientists and others to find the best ways to keep our water safe, clean and well-managed.

On March 28, through Budget 2023, the Government of Canada announced a major investment in Canada’s freshwater, including:

• $650 million over ten years, starting in 2023-24, to support monitoring, assessment, and restoration work in the Great Lakes, Lake Winnipeg, Lake of the Woods, St. Lawrence River, Fraser River, Saint John River, Mackenzie River, and Lake Simcoe.

• $22.6 million over three years, starting in 2023-24, to support better coordination of efforts to protect freshwater across Canada.

• $85.1 million over five years, starting in 2023-24, and $21 million per year ongoing thereafter to support the creation of a Canada Water Agency, which will be headquartered in Winnipeg. By the end of 2023, the government will introduce legislation that will fully establish the Canada Water Agency as a standalone entity.

The Government of Canada has also committed to advance the modernization of the Canada Water Act to reflect Canada’s freshwater reality, including climate change and Indigenous rights.