Local Government

The protection of local water sources often falls to local governments and watershed agencies – with their influence over important areas of water management including land use planning, water and wastewater infrastructure and municipal water supplies. Local actors are particularly well suited to understand activities occurring within their own watersheds and develop locally-tailored solutions.

Over time, there has been an increasing trend to rely more on local action to manage our water resources. This movement, however, has occurred outside the national framework and without effective legislative and scientific support from senior governments. As a result, local actors are significantly under-resourced, leaving Canada’s water resources vulnerable to existing and emerging threats.