Take 5 minutes and submit your views on the importance of enhancing freshwater rules.

We have an important opportunity to impact the future of Canada’s freshwater rules and laws.

Until August 31st, the Government of Canada is looking for input on improving national and environmental regulation, including a potential review of the many laws that govern federal oversight of our waters.

To make sure we seize this opportunity to strengthen protection of water, we need you, either as an individual or as an organization, to take 5 minutes and submit your views on the importance of enhancing freshwater rules.

Leaders across Canada’s freshwater community believe we can do much more to protect the health of Canada’s waters.

West Coast Environmental Law Staff Lawyer Linda Nowlan says restoring the section of the Fisheries Act known as HADD–which prohibits harmful alteration, disruption or destruction of fish habitat–is widely supported by First Nations, fishers, anglers, scientists, conservation groups and coastal communities, and does not require prolonged consultation.

WWF-Canada’s Elizabeth Hendricks describes the troubling trend on the lack of credible data on freshwater health across Canadian waters: “Canada’s commitment to freshwater stewardship, conservation and science-based decision-making is now a national priority. But we can’t act unless we first know what the problems are, and how they’re being made worse.“

In its alternative federal budget, the Council of Canadians highlighted that 73% of First Nations water systems are at high or medium risk of contamination.

To find out more about how experts across the freshwater community have answered the government survey, check out our compiled responses of expert submissions!

Help turn the tide on freshwater protection in Canada by completing the Government survey by August 31st, 2016. This is only the first step in what will be a fall of opportunity for engagement on freshwater! Stay tuned as we follow and keep you posted on progress as we await government recommendations expected early in 2017.

Sincerely,

Lindsay Telfer

PS - I know it’s summer and time for all of us to be out enjoying our favourite freshwater places. I just got back from a camping trip to Awenda Provincial Park. It reminded me just how important this consultation is. I hope you will join me and take a few mins to complete this survey.