Issue
Canada has been facing significant pressure on its water resources, both surface and ground water. There are ever-increasing demands for the water resource. The limits of available water have been reached in the southern portion of the province, and concerns are rising about the adequacy of water resources to support continued economic development in the central and northern parts of the province.
Background
Alberta’s agri-food industries are an important part of the Alberta economy, contributing $10.3 billion in gross domestic product and employing approximately 69,000 Albertans in 2022.
In recent years, industry is becoming subject to high water costs and water shortages, challenging them to do more with less water. This restriction on water uses and resources has direct implications to business and the Canadian economy. Water scarcity has a direct impact on rain-fed irrigated agriculture as well as livestock, and an indirect impact on food processing industries.
Recommendations
That the Government of Alberta:
- Participate in any national initiatives that bring the provinces and territories together in addressing water issues of national importance. These initiatives should be undertaken by the Canadian Council of Ministers of the Environment.
- Work with other levels of government to create and mobilize the knowledge needed to predict and respond to water problems and opportunities by providing centralized and harmonized collection and dissemination of water information.
- Improve collaborative river basin planning by building durable partnerships for water management and decision-making with the federal government, municipal government, and Indigenous governments, with clear outcomes that include building resilience to extreme events, identifying priority areas for watershed restoration, and ensuring effective environmental flow regimes are in place across all levels of jurisdiction and authority.
- Encourage federal government departments responsible for water management to collaborate on the development of a Canada-wide water management strategy and work towards alignment in regulations.
