Water Quality and Quantity

The declining quality and quantity of Canada’s fresh and marine water continues to be of great concern, and the threat is not expected to wane in the coming years.

A key issue is the loss of water. Wetlands, for example, have been frequently treated as wastelands and have been destroyed at alarming rates in the name of economic development. But wetlands are among the most productive habitats on the planet. They provide many important ecological functions, such as regulating water levels during floods and drought, filtering out harmful impurities, storing carbon dioxide and functioning as critical habitat for many species of wildlife.

While our water may appear clean and pristine, a closer look may prove otherwise. Polluted water impacts fish and wildlife by leading to reduced fertility, deformities, immune system damage, tumors and even death. The Great Lakes – St. Lawrence River region, for example, which provides drinking water for 40 million people and habitat for thousands of species of plants and animals, is under threat from a number of polluting sources. While there have been improvements in the health of these waters, many problems, like bacterial contamination, sediment contaminants, the emergence of new toxic substances and the introduction of non-native invasive species continue to put stress on the system. Due to the importance of these bodies of water, regionally, nationally and internationally, CWF has identified them as a priority ecosystem and is devoting further resources to this area to help reverse the negative trends.

Our Rivers to Oceans program focuses on creating an understanding of Canada’s watersheds, the inter-connection of all our water sources, their fragility, the connection between fresh and saltwater environments and what we can do to protect them. As part of this program we recently produced a poster and field guide called “Shorelines…a festival of life: A Guide to Shoreline Flora and Fauna” to help inspire Canadians by demonstrating the importance of a healthy shoreline to wildlife.

In addition, CWF partnered with the University of Lethbridge to bring you the Rivers to Oceans public service announcements on surface water, ground water, waste water, storm water and the conservation and protection of water. These PSAs show how everything we do impacts this precious resource.

CWF helped shape government policy by providing input on the proposed changes to the Navigable Waters Protection Act. In a presentation to the Standing Senate Committee on Energy, the Environment and Natural Resources, CWF expressed concern over how the proposed changes would weaken protection for many smaller waterways, stating that they ignored the cumulative effects of many small developments on a single watershed. While the government passed the legislation, CWF was pleased to see many of the Senate Committee’s recommendations in its assessment. CWF will continue to follow this issue to determine if the recommendations are accepted and the regulations developed provide adequate protection for Canada’s waterways.

CWF also supported many direct water-related conservation projects across Canada, including the Sea to Sky Wetlands Project in British Columbia, the Eelgrass bed habitat assessment conducted by the University of Prince Edward Island, a forum among conservation organizations and the Deputy Minister of Fisheries and Oceans on development of aquatic habitat management, as well as several other projects. 

• Learn more about wetlands, watch Wetland Wonderland on the Hinterland Who’s Whotube »