From preserving to sharing. Canada golden ressource, water.

1. WATER AS A COMMODITY FROM PRESERVING TO SHARING Martine Diffley Kezber

2. MAIN FOCUS Global and Canadian water availability and demand The Canadian perspective for water allocation and legislation Risk management and contingency planning for the future

3. WATER FACTS Water covers ¾ of the planets surface 97% is salt water or otherwise undrinkable 2% is held in ice caps and glaciers 1% left for human use, such as irrigation, manufacturing and residential use

4. WATER FACTS Water is unevenly distributed throughout the world Over one billion people are without an adequate supply of fresh water Each year millions of people die from water related diseases.

5. WATER IN CANADA HOW MUCH DO WE HAVE? We have only ½ of 1% (0.005%) of the world’s population and its landmass contains 7% of the worlds renewable water supply Approximately 60% of Canada's fresh water drains north while 85% of the population lives to the south, within 300 kilometers of the Canada/United States border Certain areas within Canada are semi-arid, such as the interior of B.C, the southern prairies and high arctic, these areas receive less in the form of precipitation and much of the ground water is too salty for use.

6. Canada’s water base Source: Natural Resources Canada www.nrcan.gc.ca

7. CANADA’S WATER QUALITY Comparatively Canada is considered a water rich country as we have many sources of good drinking water thanks in part to our many water treatment facilities Like all other countries, water quality in Canada is affected by Industrial as well as agricultural sources of pollution Water quality is primarily the responsibility of the provinces and territories but the federal government plays a role in research and monitoring

8. WATER TREATMENT PROCESS Coagulation/flocculation: Water is mixed with chemicals which attach to bacteria Sedimentation: Water is transferred to a settling basin Filtration: Water is pumped into a filter where remaining particles are removed Disinfection: water is purified, usually with chlorine.

9. HOW IS IT ALLOCATED? The boundary waters treaty of 1909 Could possibly lose some of our sovereignty by being signatories of (NAFTA) and (GATT) So far, Canada is not obliged to share and transport bulk water to those in need, however this could change. Should “bulk” water into commerce thereby becoming a good for product. We could be bound by international legislation to share our water

10. PROSPECT FOR THE FUTURE Need for education – seeing water as a finite resource Need to incorporate the complete biosphere when allocating water resources Need for risk management and contingency planning- being prepared for worse case scenarios such as severe flooding and extreme drought

11. End Thank you