Agricultural groups are welcoming federal plans to create a Canada Water Agency headquartered in Winnipeg.
Jill Verwey, president of the Keystone Agricultural Producers, said her organization supports the creation of a Canada Water Agency in Manitoba and she looks forward to working with it to improve water quality and efficiency in the province.
Why it matters: The national water agency aims to promote sustainable water management practices and support agricultural productivity and resilience, proponents say.
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While few details have been released on the proposed agency’s operations, Verwey said a priority on working with farmers will be important.
“The focus of this agency should be education, training and financial support for producers to increase the uptake of beneficial management practices,” she said. “Innovative practices already being utilized by producers, like 4R nutrient stewardship, will play a key role in minimizing nutrient runoff in Manitoba waterways.”
The new body, as well as its future Manitoba location, was announced in the March federal budget. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau reiterated the commitment May 24 during a media stop at the Forks in Winnipeg.
A press release coinciding with that visit said the Canada Water Agency would work with provinces, territories, Indigenous Peoples, local authorities, scientists and other partners to “find the best ways to keep our water safe, clean and well-managed for everyone.”
Trudeau’s speech at the event didn’t provide specifics beyond those laid out in the March budget announcement, but he did drop hints that farmers wouldn’t be left out of the equation. Trudeau repeated his promise that the new agency would bring back the spirit of the Prairie Farm Rehabilitation Administration.
The PFRA was a branch of the federal government established in response to the drought crisis of the 1930s in the Prairies. It continued to focus on farm challenges with flooding, drought, soil erosion and water management until its dissolution in 2009.
Trudeau cited “a number of conversations I’ve had with farmers who supported [former prime minister Stephen] Harper in other ways but couldn’t understand why he killed the PFRA that had been there for Prairie farmers for generations.”
Cross-government collaboration
Verwey said KAP would like to see the new agency play a leadership role in terms of cross-government collaboration, which she said is critically important given the numerous departments that are responsible for freshwater science and information.
“Freshwater quality is a shared responsibility, and collaboration with stakeholders is critical to enhancing freshwater management in Canada. Funding for soil and freshwater conservation are key areas that will improve resiliency in freshwater management practices,” said Verwey.
“This will allow for more up-to-date data that is required relating to soil, groundwater and wetland mapping to better inform decisions made by the agency.”
That data “should be shared with other stakeholders and jurisdictions for improved collaborative outcomes,” she added.
Trudeau said total investment in the agency would be close to $750 million.
Lynda Nicol, executive director of the Manitoba Association of Watersheds, said establishing a cluster of water management expertise would be a win for water stewardship.
“That’s certainly the hope, but obviously, a lot remains to be seen as there haven’t been a large number of details released thus far,” she said. “But certainly, the hope is that it’s going to bring even more expertise to Manitoba and also elevate the expertise that’s coming from within Manitoba.
“It’s great to see this sort of co-ordinated effort to bring the Canada Water Agency to Manitoba,” said Nicol. “We know there’s a lot of really good water research and water projects that are done throughout the province. And also, there’s been a lot of investment in water-based solutions in Manitoba, so I think having the agency here is a positive thing.”
The Canada Grains Council also commended the idea.
“With the establishment of the Canada Water Agency, we have an opportunity to gather concrete evidence regarding the effectiveness of on-farm stewardship practices,” said council chair Rick White. “This will enable us to prioritize decision making based on robust scientific data.”
More details about the agency are expected to be announced later this year.
