The Government of Canada’s progress on environmental indicators: Water use
As outlined in the Greening Government Strategy, the Government of Canada is reducing its water consumption and its load on municipal systems by:
- tracking and disclosing its potable water consumption from major facilities
- using best-in-class water-use practices in new construction and major renovations
- designing all new Crown-owned buildings to effectively manage stormwater
The following figures provide an overview of the progress on water consumption, including from municipal water systems.
Figure 14 - Text version
The bar chart shows water consumption by federal organization and water source for fiscal year 2024–25.
| Federal organization | Ground water (m3, thousands) | Municipal (m3, thousands) | Other (m3, thousands) | Rainwater (m3, thousands) | Recycled (m3, thousands) | Total (m3, thousands) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| National Defence | 1,444 | 6,349 | 0 | 0 | 1,256 | 9,048 |
| Correctional Service Canada | 534 | 2,222 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2,755 |
| Public Services and Procurement Canada | 0 | 1,197 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1,197 |
| Fisheries and Oceans Canada | 0 | 446 | 0.3 | 0 | 0 | 446 |
| National Research Council Canada | 0 | 329 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 329 |
| Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada | 0 | 280 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 280 |
| Royal Canadian Mounted Police | 0 | 174 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 174 |
| Environment and Climate Change Canada | 7.2 | 129 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 133 |
| Natural Resources Canada | 0 | 131 | 1.9 | 0 | 0 | 133 |
| Canadian Food Inspection Agency | 8.6 | 101 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 109 |
| All other organizations | 22 | 586 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 609 |
| Communications Security Establishment Canada | 0 | 91 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 92 |
| Canada Border Services Agency | 0 | 108 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 108 |
| Transport Canada | 22 | 39 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 61 |
| Indigenous Services Canada | 0 | 92 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 92 |
| Public Health Agency of Canada | 0 | 72 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 72 |
| Public Safety Canada | 0 | 58 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 58 |
| Health Canada | 0 | 46 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 46 |
| Library and Archives Canada | 0 | 38 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 38 |
| Canadian Space Agency | 0 | 17 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 17 |
| Canadian Forces Morale and Welfare Services | 0 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 7 |
| Shared Services Canada | 0 | 8 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 8 |
| Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada | 0 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 6 |
| Polar Knowledge Canada | 0 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5 |
| Total | 2,015 | 11,943 | 2 | 1 | 1,256 | 15,217 |
| Jurisdiction | Consumption (m3, thousands) | Percentage of total |
|---|---|---|
| Ontario | 7,345 | 48% |
| Alberta | 2,061 | 14% |
| Quebec | 1,472 | 10% |
| Nova Scotia | 1,429 | 9% |
| British Columbia | 1,255 | 8% |
| Manitoba | 586 | 4% |
| Saskatchewan | 526 | 4% |
| New Brunswick | 188 | 1% |
| Newfoundland and Labrador | 167 | 1% |
| Nunavut | 142 | 0.9% |
| Northwest Territories | 24 | 0.2% |
| Prince Edward Island | 16 | 0.1% |
| Yukon | 6 | Less than 0.1% |
| Canada | 15,217 | 100% |
Key results
- National Defence, Correctional Service Canada, and Public Services and Procurement Canada were the top three consumers of water, accounting for 85% of total consumption.
- Municipal water systems are the dominant source of water, providing 78% of the load, with ground water providing an additional 11%.
- 58% of consumption occurs in Ontario and Quebec, where most of the federal real property portfolio is located.