Statement on World Water Day by the Honourable Julie Dabrusin, Minister of Environment, Climate Change and Nature, and the Minister responsible for the Canada Water Agency

The Honourable Julie Dabrusin, Minister of Environment, Climate Change and Nature and the Minister responsible for the Canada Water Agency, issued the following statement to mark World Water Day on March 22:

The Honourable Julie Dabrusin, Minister of Environment, Climate Change and Nature and the Minister responsible for the Canada Water Agency, issued the following statement to mark World Water Day on March 22:

“Canada’s nature and water have always been at the heart of what makes Canada strong. Canada has over 2 million lakes—more than any country in the world. Mighty rivers, from the Wolastoq/Saint John and St. Lawrence rivers in the east to the Fraser and Mackenzie rivers in the west and north, flow through its landscape. It is home to vast underground water reserves foundational to Canadians’ access to drinking water.

These freshwater systems, together with the country’s wetlands, Rocky Mountain glaciers and northern permafrost shaped Canada’s geography, as well as our identity and our way of life.

World Water Day provides a moment to reflect on our shared responsibility to protect one of our most essential resources. Across Canada, fresh water connects us—linking communities, regions, and generations—and holds deep cultural and spiritual significance for many First Nations, Inuit, and Métis peoples. It sustains life, underpins the health of our environment, and supports the well-being of Canadians. It is also fundamental to our economy, powering industries, agriculture, and the growth of communities. Protecting water is not just an environmental imperative—it is a national one.

But fresh water in Canada is under growing pressure.  Droughts and floods are becoming more frequent, thawing permafrost is reshaping northern hydrology and development, and aging infrastructure is straining the reliability of drinking water and wastewater systems.