Water Act Modernization
Water Act Modernization
Discussion Paper Now Available
Water Act Modernization Technical Background Report Now Available
The Water Act Modernization Technical Background Report is a companion document to the Water Act Modernization Discussion Paper. The Technical Background Report reviews historical background, technical information and leading thought and practice that will inform discussion about modernizing British Columbia’s Water Act.
Like the discussion paper, this report does not present any preferred option or position. Both documents are designed to help you prepare a response or submission and includes links and references to other information sources.
Thank you British Columbia!The Living Water Smart team would like to thank all of you who submitted on modernizing B.C.’s Water Act.
April 30th marked the deadline for formal submissions to the Water Act Modernization process. Engaging with British Columbians has been exciting, dynamic, informative and deeply meaningful for us on the Living Water Smart Team. Your participation has made this stage profoundly valuable. Time and again, we asked you for your input. Time and again, you delivered. And how!
- More than 650 participants registered for our 12 multi-stakeholder and First Nations engagement workshops. Each of these sessions produced many pages of feedback including comments, questions, suggestions and break-out session reports – in all, over 200 pages of direct feedback!
- We’ve received more than 650 email and online feedback form submissions
- We’ve received more than 50 mailed and faxed submissions
- We’ve received more than 85 comments here on the Living Water Smart blog – more than 70 of these are submission level comments.
Welcome to the Water Act Modernization home page.
The Water Act is the principal law for managing the diversion and use of provincial water resources. Established in 1909, B.C.’s Water Act is the primary piece of water management legislation and plays a key role in the sustainability of B.C.’s water.
With changes in climate, population, and water use, it is now time to review the Act to address new pressures on water. Modernizing the Water Act is not about fixing something that is broken. Instead it is about recognizing that the context and foundation upon which the Water Act was built was very different 100 years ago. Our ways of doing business have, and will continue to change to reflect today’s context and play a key role in the future sustainability of B.C.’s water resources.
Living Water Smart: B.C.’s Water Plan commits to change the way water is governed and managed in B.C. Through Living Water Smart, government committed that by 2010:
- Water laws will improve the protection of ecological values, provide for more community involvement, and provide incentives to be water efficient;
- Legislation will recognize water flow requirements for ecosystems and species;
- New approaches to water management will address the impacts from a changing water cycle, increased drought risk and other impacts on water caused by climate change; and,
- Government will regulate groundwater use in priority areas and large groundwater withdrawals.
Modernization of the Water Act is seen by government, and others, as an essential part of delivering the Living Water Smart vision. It is about making our water laws simpler to understand, communicate, administer and enforce as we respond to current and future challenges.
The four goals of Water Act Modernization are to:
- Protect stream health and aquatic environments
- Improve water governance arrangements
- Introduce more flexibility and efficiency in the water allocation system
- Regulate ground water use in priority areas and for large withdrawals
For information about the evolution of our water laws, see B.C.’s Water Law Framework.
Proposed Principles for a Modernized Water Act
Water Act modernization is an opportunity to ensure the principles underlying the Water Act respond to modern expectations, as well as promote stream health and water security. These principles have underpinned the development of the discussion paper and, once finalized through engagement, will help to guide the policy development process.
The proposed principles for Water Act modernization are:
- B.C.’s water resources are used within sustainable limits.
- First Nations social and cultural practices associated with water are respected and accommodated.
- Science informs water resource management and decision making.
- Water resource legislation, policy and decision making processes as well as management tools are integrated across all levels of government.
- Rules and standards for water management are clearly defined, providing a predictable investment climate across the province.
- Flexibility is provided to adapt to extreme conditions or unexpected events on a provincial, regional or issue-specific level.
- Incentives are created for water conservation that consider the needs of users and investors.
- Rights to use water come with responsibilities to be efficient and help protect stream health.
Your views are welcome on these proposed principles.
The Water Act Modernization Process
There are four key phases of Water Act Modernization:
Phase 1 – Scoping, jurisdictional review and background research (complete). In this stage wide input on water management issues was gained through a review of science and monitoring information regarding B.C.’s watersheds, a review of literature, and Canadian and international best practices.
Phase 2 – Engagement and policy development (Fall 2009 – Spring 2010). In this phase, proposals for change will be put forward in a discussion paper for wider input from First Nations, stakeholders and the public. A variety of opportunities for input are available, including regional workshops, online discussions through the Living Water Smart Blog and written submissions. Government will report back the results of engagement and undertake further analysis on the costs, benefits, and the social and environmental implications of any changes.
Phase 3 – Request for legislation and legislative drafting (Summer – Fall 2010). Final recommendations will be submitted to Government for consideration and final policy options will be drafted into a draft bill for introduction into Parliament.
Phase 4 – Bill introduction and approval. Once final decisions are made through the B.C. government’s parliamentary and law-making process the bill obtains Royal Assent and becomes law.
We are currently in the second phase – engagement and policy development.
To have your say today simply comment and tell us what you think.
What's New
The Drinking Water Protection Act and Water Protection Act also work in conjunction with the Water Act to ensure the protection and sustainability of water for human uses including drinking water, and prohibiting bulk water removals and inter-basin transfer of water.
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