Freshwater Action Plan Overview
The Freshwater Action Plan is a signature federal program to manage, restore, and protect fresh water. It is a major component of the federal freshwater agenda delivering program activities through the Canada Water Agency.
Freshwater Ecosystem Initiatives
The Freshwater Ecosystem Initiatives support regionally specific actions to restore and protect water quality and ecosystem health in nationally significant freshwater bodies.
Intiatives include:
- funding opportunities for ecosystem monitoring and protection
- scientific research
- collaborative support and decision making at multiple levels (federal, provincial, municipal, external involving partners and stakeholders).
The fresh water bodies of national significance that are represented include:
- the Great Lakes
- Lake Winnipeg
- Lake of the Woods
- the St. Lawrence River
- the Wolastoq/Saint John River
- the Fraser River
- the Mackenzie River
- Lake Simcoe
Freshwater pillars
The Freshwater Action Plan is based on five foundational pillars to address national freshwater opportunities and challenges.
The pillars are key activities:
- freshwater policy
- coordination and collaboration
- partnership with Indigenous peoples
- robust science
- data management
Together, these activities advance federal leadership on fresh water, address freshwater priorities in collaboration with partners, and ultimately support the sustainable management and restoration of freshwater ecosystems in Canada.