Ontario-Québec Create Joint Committee to Protect Shared Water Resources

Last week the Provinces of Ontario and Québec officially strengthened and renewed their dedication to the protection and restoration of our shared water resources with the creation of an Ontario-Québec Joint Committee on Water Management.
The announcement came as the Ontario Minister of Environment and Climate Change, Glen Murray, and Minister of Sustainable Development, Environment and the Fight against Climate Change for Québec, David Heurtel, attended the Aquahacking-Ottawa River Summit presented by Ottawa Riverkeeper and de Gaspé Beaubien Foundation.

Alexandra Cousteau, Meredith Brown, Dominique Monchamp, Meaghan Murphy test the water on the Ottawa river in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada. © Oscar Durand/Blue Legacy International
Members of Ottawa Riverkeeper test the water on the Ottawa River. © Oscar Durand/Blue Legacy International

WWF-Canada congratulates the Provinces of Ontario and Québec on their commitment to protect and restore the health of water that flows across provincial boundaries. The new joint committee will improve co-operation and information sharing on water issues in the Ottawa River watershed and other shared boundary waters, including the Great Lakes and St. Lawrence River watershed, and Lake Abitibi.
The new committee will also provide a forum to discuss issues related to water management policies and program implementation. The committee will develop an annual work plan and issue public reports on its actions, including the work of teams assembled to address specific water management issues.
This agreement highlights the importance and trans-boundary nature of the Ottawa River, Great Lakes, St. Lawrence River, Lake Témiscamingue and Lake Abitibi.
The committee will face water resource management challenges such as water quality and water flow levels, to name a few. But, with collaborative efforts among the provinces, an effective focus on ecosystem-wide protection and restoration is possible.
The Ottawa River is the largest tributary of the St. Lawrence River and is home to unique and valued biodiversity. To further strengthen the commitment to, and protection of, the health of the Ottawa River watershed de Gaspé Beaubien Foundation and Ottawa Riverkeeper have drafted the Gatineau Declaration Towards an Integrated Approach to Sustainable Water Management within the Ottawa River Watershed.
The Gatineau Declaration calls for collective efforts of governments, environmental organizations, and citizens to ensure a healthy and sustainable future for the Ottawa River watershed including preserving biodiversity, water quality, and the well-being of communities within the watershed.
WWF-Canada encourages all citizens of the Ottawa River watershed to become signatories of the Gatineau Declaration and build on their collective efforts to protect this important watershed.
WWF-Canada supports a vision of all of Canada’s fresh water in good ecological condition by 2025, and has been working to assess the health of watersheds across Canada, including the Ottawa River watershed.