Water Availability in Canada

In 2009, there was a high threat to water availability in portions of southern Ontario, southern Alberta, southern Saskatchewan, southwestern Manitoba, and the Okanagan Valley in British Columbia. A high threat to water availability means that more than 40% of the water in rivers was withdrawn for human use. The threat was moderate to medium in portions of southern Alberta and southwestern Manitoba, where between 10 and 40% of water in rivers was withdrawn for human use. The threat to water availability was low across the rest of Canada, as less than 10% of water in rivers in those areas was withdrawn for human use.

Threats to water availability in Canada, 2009

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How this indicator was calculated

Note: The indicator is calculated by dividing water demand by water supply for each of Canada’s 164 sub-drainage areas. The indicator does not include water withdrawn from lakes and groundwater. There are not enough data available to describe water availability in northern Quebec. The method used to calculate the Water Availability Indicator does not apply to northern Canada.
Source: Environment Canada (2012) Water Survey of Canada; Environment Canada (2011) Municipal Water and Wastewater Survey 2009; Statistics Canada (2012) Industrial Water Use Survey 2009; Statistics Canada (2011) Agricultural Water Use Survey 2010.

Having a safe and reliable freshwater supply is important to maintaining human, plant and animal populations; supporting economic development; and preserving healthy lakes and rivers. While Canada is a water-rich country, human pressure on the water supply is not necessarily applied in areas where water is abundant. For example, approximately 85% of Canadians live within 300 kilometres of the Canada-United States border, while 60% of Canada’s freshwater flows north into the Arctic Ocean.^[1] Water availability is an estimate of how human activity is changing the water supply. It indicates where water may become scarce in the future, especially in areas where water supplies are naturally low. Together, urban growth, expanding industrial activity, increasing food production by farms and changing weather patterns are placing increasing pressure on Canada’s freshwater supply.

Related indicators

• Water Quantity in Canadian Rivers
• Water Withdrawal and Consumption by Sector

Other information

• Statistics Canada – Human Activity and the Environment: Freshwater Supply and Demand in Canada

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[1] Environment Canada – Water – In Canada.