Canada’s Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced the country will establish a new Canada Water Agency, according to a press statement released by Prime Minister of Canada Justin Trudeau’s official website.
The statement read: “The Prime Minister, Justin Trudeau, highlighted another step forward with the Budget 2023 investment to protect Canada’s freshwater supply by establishing a new Canada Water Agency.
Located in Winnipeg, Manitoba, the Canada Water Agency will work with provinces, territories, Indigenous Peoples, local authorities, scientists, and other partners to find the best ways to keep our water safe, clean, and well-managed for everyone. As the Prime Minister announced, one of the first priorities of the Agency will be to begin the work of modernizing the Canada Water Act to reflect the changing reality of fresh water in Canada, including the impacts of climate change and the importance of Indigenous rights. As stewards of these lands and waters for millennia, consultation and cooperation with Indigenous Peoples is critical.”
The federal government will allocate $85.1 million over five years on the water agency, then $21 million ongoing thereafter and by the end of 2023, the government will introduce legislation that will fully establish the Canada Water Agency as a standalone entity.
Canada’s Freshwater Action Plan will also be expanded this year to support regionally specific measures to further protect Canada’s freshwater reserves across the country – from Lake Winnipeg, to the St. Lawrence River and the Great Lakes, to the Mackenzie River.
“The Plan will continue to improve water quality and respond to the impacts of climate change, including through monitoring, assessment, and restoration work. The Canada Water Agency will lead the delivery of major elements of the Freshwater Action Plan.”
Justin Trudeau, Prime Minister of Canada, said: “From supplying our drinking water to being the places we love to spend time in nature, Canadians rely on safe, clean fresh water every day. By establishing the Canada Water Agency, we will work together across levels of government and with Indigenous Peoples, while bringing new, good jobs to Winnipeg. Together, we can keep our water clean now and into the future.”
