Gorilla Radio blog: "Modernizing" British Columbia's Water Resources

Sunday, July 14, 2013

"Modernizing" British Columbia's Water Resources

Water Act Modernization

by Government of British Columbia

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 was 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 by 2012:

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 BC’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 wide 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 (Winter 2009 – February 2011). 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. Over the summer, Ministry of Environment staff reviewed the public input and continue to refine the proposed policies and assess their implications.

Phase 3 – Request for legislation and legislative drafting (2012). Final recommendations will be submitted to Government for consideration and final policy options will be drafted. Government will be further engaging with British Columbians on draft legislation in 2012.

Phase 4 – Bill introduction and approval. Once final decisions are made through the B.C. Government’s parliamentary and law-making process the bill obtains Royal Assent and becomes law.