Water governance and legislation: provincial and territorial

For the most part, waters that lie solely within a province's boundaries fall within the constitutional authority of that province. As far as Canada's three territories are concerned, Indian and Northern Affairs Canada (INAC) has, as one of its functions in the north, the mandate to manage water resources in the Northwest Territories and Nunavut. On April 1, 2003, responsibility for the management of water resources in Yukon was transferred from the federal government to the Government of the Yukon. 

Provincial legislative powers include, but are not restricted to, areas of

• flow regulation
• authorization of water use development
• water supply
• pollution control
• thermal and hydroelectric power development

The following are links to water-related policy and legislation in Canada's provinces and territories.

Some of the following hyperlinks are to sites of organizations or other entities that are not subject to the Official Languages Act. The material found there is therefore in the language(s) used by the sites in question.

For information on provincial/territorial water policy and legislation available in French, see the French version of this page.

• Alberta 
• British Columbia
• Manitoba
• New Brunswick
• Newfoundland and Labrador
• Northwest Territories
• Nova Scotia
• Nunavut
• Ontario
• Prince Edward Island
• Quebec
• Saskatchewan
• Yukon

Alberta

Responsible Ministries

• Alberta Environment

General Resources

• Hansard
• News Releases

Legislation

• Acts / Regulations [list]
• Environmental Legislation / Guidelines
• Environmental Protection and Enhancement Act
• Water Act
  • Water Act Fact Sheets

Regulations and Guidelines

• Drinking Water Legislation
• Surface Water Quality Guidelines 

Related Reports and Tools

• Athabasca River Water Management Framework
• Battle River Water Management Plan
• Cold Lake-Beaver River Water Management Plan
• Management framework for acid deposition
• South Saskatchewan River Basin - Approved Water Management Plan
• Water for Life - Alberta's Strategy for Sustainability

British Columbia

Responsible Ministries

• Ministry of Environment
• Ministry of Health Services [Drinking Water Program]

General Resources

• Hansard
• News Releases

Legislation

• Legislation[list]
• Drinking Water Protection Act
• Environmental Management Act
• Water Act
• Water Protection Act
  • Water Protection Act Information

Policy

• Agricultural Policy Framework
• A Freshwater Strategy for British Columbia (1999) 
• Planning, Protection and Sustainability
• Water Conservation Strategy for British Columbia (1999)

Related Reports and Tools

• Action Plan for Safe Drinking Water in British Columbia
• Living Water Smart: British Columbia's Water Plan (2008)
• Water Sustainability Action Plan for British Columbia (February 2004) 

Manitoba

Responsible Ministries

• Manitoba Conservation
• Manitoba Water Stewardship [ mandate]

General Resources

• Hansard
• News Releases

Legislation

• Manitoba Laws [list]
• Acts and Regulations

Policy

• Policy and Strategies
• The Manitoba Water Strategy (2003)

Related Reports and Tools

• Applying Manitoba's Water Policies 

New Brunswick

Responsible Ministries

• New Brunswick Environment
• New Brunswick Natural Resources

General Resources

• Legislative Assembly
• News Releases

Legislation

• Agreements and Legislation [list]
• Acts and Regulations [list]

Related Reports and Tools

• An Overview of Legislation - Department of the Environment
• Air, Land and Water: Reporting to New Brunswickers on Environmental Progress

Newfoundland and Labrador

Responsible Ministries

• Department of Environment and Conservation

General Resources

• Hansard
• News Releases

Legislation

• Acts, Regulations, Policy Directives and Water Quality Standards [list]
• Environment and Conservation Acts and Regulations [Environmental Protection Act and Water Resources Act]

Related Reports and Tools

• Source to Tap - Water Supplies in Newfoundland and Labrador
• Policy for Allocation of Water Use
• Policy for Development in Shore Water Zones
• Policy for Development in Wetlands

Northwest Territories

Responsible Ministries

• NWT Environment and Natural Resources [mandate]
• NWT Public Works and Services. Water and Sanitation [mandate]

General Resources

• Hansard
• News Releases

Legislation

• Acts, Regulations and Guidelines [list]
• Legislation[search]
• Mackenzie Valley Resource Management Act
• Northwest Territories Water Act

Policy

• The NWT Water Stewardship Strategy (2010)

Related Reports and Tools

• INAC. Water Management In Northwest Territories and Nunavut
• Managing Drinking Water Quality in the Northwest Territories: A Preventative Framework and Strategy 

Nova Scotia

Responsible Ministries

• Nova Scotia Environment and Labour [mandate]
• Nova Scotia Natural Resources [mandate]

General Resources

• Hansard
• News Releases

Legislation

• Registry of Regulations
• Environment Act
• Water Resources Protection Act

Policy

• Water for Life: Nova Scotia’s Water Resource Management Strategy (2010)

Related Reports and Tools

• A Drinking Water Strategy for Nova Scotia 
• Nova Scotia’s Water Resources Management Strategy

Nunavut

Responsible Ministries

• Department of Environment [mandate]

General Resources

• News Releases

Legislation

• Environmental Legislation
• Nunavut Waters and Nunavut Surface Rights Tribunal Act
• Policy, Planning and Legislation
• Statutes and Regulations [index]
• Statutes and regulations of Nunavut [database]

Related Reports and Tools

• INAC. Water Management In Northwest Territories and Nunavut

Ontario

Responsible Ministries

• Ministry of the Environment [mandate]
• Ministry of Natural Resources [mandate]

General Resources

• Hansard
• News Releases

Legislation

• Clean Water Act
• Drinking Water Legislation
• e-Laws[database]
• MNR Water Management Legislation
• Safe Drinking Water Act, 2002

Regulations and Guidelines

• Drinking Water Systems Regulation

Related Reports and Tools

• Ontario's Environmental Registry [database]
• Protecting Ontario's Drinking Water: Toward a Watershed-Based Source Protection Planning Framework

Prince Edward Island

Responsible Ministries

• Environment, Energy and Forestry [mandate]

General Resources

• Hansard
• News Releases

Legislation

• Environmental Protection Act 
  • Bill-7 An Act to Amend the Environmental Protection Act
• Statutes of Prince Edward Island [list]
• Water and Sewerage Act

Policy

• Agricultural Irrigation Policy
• Sustainable Resource Policy

Related Reports and Tools

• Drinking Water Strategy: Clear from the Ground to the Glass 
• Round Table on Resource Land Use and Stewardship
• Wetland Conservation Policy

Quebec

Responsible Ministries

• Centre d'expertise hydrique Québec [mandate]
• Ministère du Développement durable, de l'Environnement et des Parcs[mandate]
• Ministère des Ressources naturelles et de la Faune [mandate]

General Resources

• Parliamentary Proceedings [French only]
• News Services

Legislation

• Dam Safety Act
• Laws and Regulations
• Watercourses Act

Policy

• Quebec Water Policy: Water Our Life, Our Future
• Sustainable Development Strategy 2008-2013

Related Reports and Tools

• Public Consultation on Water Management in Quebec

Saskatchewan

Responsible Ministries

• Saskatchewan Environment [mandate]
• Saskatchewan Water Corporation [mandate]
• Saskatchewan Water Security Agency [mandate]

General Resources

• Hansard
• News Releases

Legislation

• FreeLaw

Policy

• Agricultural Policy Framework
• Saskatchewan Safe Drinking Water Strategy 
• 25 Year Saskatchewan Water Security Plan

Related Reports and Tools

• SaskH₂O

Yukon

Responsible Ministries

• Environment Yukon [mandate]
• Yukon Health and Social Services [mandate]

General Resources

• Hansard
• News Releases

Legislation

• Environment Act and Regulations
• Laws of Yukon
• Legislation
• Waters Act
• Yukon Environmental and Socio-economic Assessment Act