Overview of the Freshwater Ecosystem Initiatives

Healthy freshwater ecosystems are essential to Canadians’ health and well-being, public safety, the environment, and the economy. The goal of the strengthened Freshwater Action Plan and the Freshwater Ecosystems Initiatives (FEIs) is to restore, protect, and manage waterbodies of national significance, effectively engage partners and stakeholders, and advance freshwater science. The Canada Water Agency leads on the delivery of the Freshwater Action Plan to support regionally specific initiatives to restore and protect water quality and ecosystem health across Canada. More specifically, the Agency supports:

• the Great Lakes
• Lake Winnipeg
• Lake of the Woods
• the St. Lawrence River
• the Wolastoq/Saint John River
• the Fraser River
• the Mackenzie River
• Lake Simcoe

To respond to regional challenges and priorities through these initiatives the Agency works collaboratively with Indigenous partners, provinces and territories, and stakeholders to:

• Take action to restore and protect water quality and aquatic ecosystem health.
• Advance science, monitoring (including supporting community-based monitoring) and the use of Indigenous knowledge to support decision-making and effective action.
• Enhance governance to support improved collaboration with Indigenous partners, provinces and territories, and stakeholders.
• Mobilize knowledge and reporting to measure progress towards results.
• Improve climate change resiliency through on-the-ground action.

Contact us

Email: water-eau@ec.gc.ca