Jim Prentice, Canada’s Minister of the Environment and Member of Parliament for Calgary Centre-North, admits that how we manage our water will be essential for the future prosperity of Canada. “There is a false perception of unlimited freshwater availability in Canada. The country is frequently said to possess 20% of the world’s freshwater, but in terms of renewable supply, Canada actually has only about 7%.” In a detailed list, Prentice outlines some facts and figures regarding Canada’s water supply.
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Freshwater is a natural resource of critical importance for human life, the environment, and the economy. Achieving sustainable management of this resource will be essential to the future prosperity of Canada.
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Canada’s freshwater is fundamental to the health and well-being of Canadians. A secure supply of high quality freshwater is essential to sustain Canada’s quality of life.
- Freshwater is also a fundamental component in sustaining ecosystem health. Healthy ecosystems play a critical role in Canadian society. Freshwater is the lifeblood of the environment, and many of the challenges that negatively affect aquatic ecosystems also affect humans.
State of Water in Canada
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In many parts of the world such as Australia and parts of the United States, a limited supply of freshwater has created serious challenges. Relative to these areas, Canada is considered to have an abundance of good quality water.
- Contrary to common perception, however, the country’s freshwater resources are more limited than many would believe and there are local water pollution issues of concern.
Quantity
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Canada has the third largest supply of freshwater in the world. There are an estimated 2 million lakes in Canada covering approximately 7.6% of Canada's land area. Canada has more lake area than any other country in the world. The Great Lakes Basin (shared with the United States) is the world's largest freshwater lake system.
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Renewable water is water that is replenished and replaceable. It does not include much of Canada’s water that is contained as groundwater where a small amount is annually replenished. A significant amount is also inaccessible as ice in glaciers, polar ice caps and lakes.
For instance, many of the country’s major river systems flow northwards, away from the regions of highest population density. With 60% of the fresh surface water flowing north, and 85% of the population living along the southern border, the availability of our water resources is less abundant than many perceive.
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