CSPC 2018

Organized by: Pacific Water Research Centre and Ryerson University Water, Nick Reid and Zafar Adeel

Co-led by the Pacific Water Research Centre and Ryerson Urban Water
Emerging water challenges in Canada can be tied to climate-change impacts on water availability, urbanization and population growth, water pollution, and threats to aquatic ecosystems. A 2017 report from the World Wildlife Fund in Canada (WWF-Canada) indicated that most of the watersheds in Canada are showing significant disruptions from human activities such as hydropower dams, discharges from agricultural and industrial activities, rapid urbanization, extensive application of road salt, and incidents involving natural resources extraction. At the same time, Canada has an unmatched, century-long history of peacefully managing shared water resources with the United States. In recent years, landmark water-sharing agreements have emerged, which engage Indigenous communities as important stakeholders. Canadian companies have developed advanced technologies for water treatment and monitoring.

Public perceptions play an important role in this respect. In a recent survey conducted by RBC, 45% of Canadians believe water is Canada’s most important natural resource and 50% believe water is an important part of Canada’s national identity. However, only 6% of Canadians say they put extra effort into saving water and only 50% of Canadians say they have an adequate understanding of the impact of climate change on water availability and quality. These findings reveal some contradictory perceptions held by the Canadian public, which value water an important natural resource, and yet demonstrate inattention to water resources under the presumption that it is an abundant resource.

One major stumbling block for Canada is that it does not have a common, ambitious and visionary national strategy to manage its water resources, unlike almost all developed countries in the world including those with similar federated constitutions. This means, for example, that no federally enforceable standards exist for safety and environmental/economic sustainability for drinking water, wastewater, stormwater and ground water extraction. Further, the absence of a national water vision has led to varied, and sometimes chequered, approaches for addressing the water management challenges in Canada, including disproportionately disadvantaged indigenous communities, an increasing water infrastructure deficit and failing to declare water as a human right. Development of a common national vision that is jointly developed through engagement of stakeholders at various jurisdictional levels is an important first step in addressing Canada’s water challenges.

In this respect, a new comprehensive framework can be used to address these interconnected water challenges in one fell swoop: The Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) developed by the United Nations that aim to achieve significant and ambitious improvements by the year 2030. Countries across the globe, including Canada, are re-tooling their national development strategies to meet these global targets. Another pertinent development is the designation of 2018-2028 as the International Decade for Action “Water for Sustainable Development.” A pan-Canadian alliance of universities, civil society organizations, private sector leaders, and environmental groups – called the International Water Decade Alliance (IWDA) – brings together the SDG implementation with the new water decade.

This symposium will highlight the need for a national water vision in Canada and bring together experts from across Canada to begin a discussion on the opportunities and obstacles of achieving a common vision. This symposium will foster ideas, leading to actionable strategies, and steps necessary for making this visioning process a success.