Water and the Environment

Healthy freshwater ecosystems support more than fish and wildlife – they also support human civilization.

“Critical to life in all its diversity, water is the lifeblood of society and a foundation of civilization. In addition to drinking water, freshwater ecosystems provide other fundamental ‘ecosystem services’ such as irrigation water, habitat for wildlife, reserves for biodiversity, flood control and drought mitigation, mechanisms for environmental purification, and sites for recreation. All these functions are essential to the ongoing health and development of society." (POLIS Water Sustainability Project, At a Watershed: Ecological Governance and Sustainable Water Management in Canada).

• From an ecological perspective, we have no water to spare. Canada has 7% of the world’s land mass and about 6.5% of the world’s renewable supply of water – meaning we have just about enough water to meet the ecological needs of our land mass (Institute for Research on Public Policy, Canada’s Water Challenges). To complicate matters, the renewable supply of water is expected to decrease with climate change (Natural Resources Canada, Canada’s Water Budget).