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Water Act Modernization

Water Act Modernization – Home
Stream Health and Aquatic Environments
Governance Arrangements
Flexible and Efficient Allocation
Groundwater Use
Policy Proposal on BC’s new
Water Sustainability Act
Water Act Modernization - Policy Proprosal on a New Water Sustainability Act
Water Act Modernization
Report on Engagement
Water Act Modernization - Report on Engagement
Water Act Modernization
Discussion Paper
Water Act Modernization - Discussion Paper
Water Act Modernization Technical Background Report
<em>Water Act Modernization</em> Technical Background Report

Background on Water Act Modernization

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 were 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:

  • 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:

For information about the evolution of our water laws, see B.C.’s Water Law Framework.

To learn more about the proposed new Water Sustainability Act including the key policy areas, read our Policy Proposal [PDF 2.89MB] or watch these short YouTube videos.

To read what others have been saying about B.C.’s proposed new Water Sustainability Act, refer to our Submissions page and visit the Living Water Smart Blog.

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, broad 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 (2010 – 2012). This phase began with the launch of the Living Water Smart Blog in December 2009, and was soon followed by the release of the Water Act Modernization Discussion Paper and a Technical Background Report in early 2010. Regional workshops were held in the spring of 2010, and public submissions were gathered, analyzed and summarized in the Report on Engagement, released in September 2010.

Responding to British Columbians requests for more opportunities to be involved, government released a Policy Proposal for a new Water Sustainability Act in December 2010 and accepted comments until March 2011. Since 2011, government has been working on the detailed legislative proposals and assessing implications.

Phase 3 – Legislative drafting (2013/14). Draft legislation is being prepared and recommendations will be submitted to government for consideration. Government will be further engaging with British Columbians before introducing the proposed new Act.

Phase 4 – Bill introduction and approval (2014). Once final decisions are made through the B.C. government’s parliamentary and law-making process, the bill obtains Royal Assent and becomes law. With the complexity of this legislation and the widespread implications, introduction of the proposed new Act into the Legislature is planned for 2014.

We are currently in Phase 3.

Close Tooltip 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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