Charting a Path: Water and Canada’s Natural Resource Sectors - Discussion Paper

4. Cross-cutting Challenges

In many regions, the natural resource sectors are already facing significant water challenges individually.  There is an even greater concern when these sectors are looked at together and the integrated impacts on specific watersheds are considered.  The current state of water in Canada for the natural resource sector already poses challenges for both ecosystems and economic sustainability.  Overlay that with rising demand, climate change and the reality that the impacts on water resources are cumulative, and a picture of vulnerabilities across the country starts to emerge.

Competition

Competition for water resources both by the natural resource sectors and others (i.e. municipal and international) are important elements of both political and public discussion.  As an integral part of industrial operations, water is in high demand as sectors expand and freshwater variability increases.  In addition, there is a need for balancing the needs of these sectors with the ecosystems needs.  The role of water for ecosystem needs in Canada is generally unknown and underemphasized and it is likely that these competing demands will exacerbate conflicts in the future with a changing climate. 

Cumulative impacts

The cumulative effects of the natural resource sectors on the environment are generally unknown since most work to identify and mitigate impacts in a specific sector is done in isolation of other sectors.  While this shows individual improvements on ecosystem impacts, it does not account for the cumulative impacts.  While each sector has water quality standards to meet, the combined impact on water quality may not be full realized.

Geographic variation

Although natural resource sectors across Canada will be impacted by increasing water variability, there are geographic variations that warrant consideration.  These sectors cover the country although their distribution is not equally disbursed.  A study of the location of these industries overlaid on watersheds that blanket the country would be a useful illustration of sector density and water demand.  Some information already exists that may help better understand such geographic variations in the water issues across Canada.  For example, Figure 1 presents the precipitation variations from normal amounts for summer 2008 and Figure 2 shows the distribution of irrigated land in Canada.

Figure 1: Precipitation Departures from Normal (Jun, Jul, Aug, 2008)

Figure 2: Intake to streamflow ratio²⁶

Climate Change

Some of the most significant and pervasive impacts of climate change in Canada will be related to water resources.  Impacts will be cumulative and frequently synergistic.  Water-stressed areas will expand due to decreased runoff in many areas resulting from changes in precipitation and increased evapotranspiration, while reduced water quality and quantity will be experienced on a seasonal basis in every region of Canada.

It is anticipated that climate change will have the following impacts on water:

• Changes in supply and distribution;
• Increased demand for groundwater;
• Thawing of permafrost;
• More extreme weather events;
• Seasonal variations; and
• Declines in water quality.

Challenges will arise regionally on the basis of a) air and water temperature changes; b) changes in the level and distribution of rainfall and snowfall; c) storm intensity increases; d) sea level rise; and e) changes in coastal/ocean characteristics.

Governance

Water governance is a responsibility shared by numerous actors operating at different scales.  It is complex and, in many cases, inefficient.  It currently involves more than a dozen federal departments, multiple provincial and territorial agencies, municipalities with decision-making powers for infrastructure and land use planning, Aboriginal decision makers, Canada-U.S. collaboration, and numerous other important stakeholders ranging from businesses to community to consumer groups.  Many experts in Canada agree that current water governance arrangements are fragmented, and greater coordination is needed to manage the resource (e.g., Bakker 2006, Conference Board 2006, Morris et al 2007).

Water conservation efforts have seen limited harmonization across levels of government, although several provinces have taken promising steps.  Water allocation is one of the most controversial topics in water management.  Many water supply challenges in Canada are more a function of water (mis)allocation than of water scarcity.²⁷  In some areas, water use permits are over-allocated and water conflicts are occurring.  This is partly the result of decision-making based on poor or insufficient baseline data.

When different authorities provide competing access to water, there is no holistic understanding of the pressures on a watershed.  Sustainable water management requires managers to consider the complex interactions in a watershed.²⁸

« Previous - Table of Contents - Next »