Tuesday, April 21, 2026
An Alberta advisory council on water issues is shutting down after more than two decades as provincial funding dries up.
The Alberta Water Council and Clean Air Strategic Alliance (AWC) was sent a letter on Feb. 26 from the government of Alberta’s department of environment and protected areas notifying the organization the provincial government had decided to to conclude operational grant funding.
As per the grant agreement, according to a AWC release, the organization has a three-month termination period ending on May 26 where grant funds can continue to be used for planned and approved operational expenses.
The AWC sent a letter on March 30 to the government in response “seeking reinstatement of the grant or an extension to use limited unspent funds to keep operations going to move projects along and continue to seek alternatives for core funding,” AWC vice-president Jay White said in the release.
“For over 20 years, AWC has demonstrated that it delivers practical, consensus-based solutions to complex water management challenges in Alberta. Through its multi-stakeholder model that brings together industry, government, Indigenous communities, municipalities, and nongovernment organizations, AWC has enabled collaboration that supports sound decision-making and shared responsibility for water,” the letter by AWC executive director Andre Asselin to provincial minister of the environment and protected areas Grant Hunter stated.
“Other groups that are not quite the same as the AWC, but exist in Saskatchewan (Saskatchewan Association of Watersheds) and Manitoba (Manitoba Association of Watersheds) continue to be provincially funded (to our knowledge),” White said.
The AWC was originally established in 2004 and was put in place by then environment minister Lorne Taylor.
“The AWC and CASA have provided important forums to address water and air quality issues in Alberta. This decision is not a reflection of member and staff contributions, and we appreciate the significant involvement of the AWC and CASA staff, executive committees, board of directors and member organizations to advance environmental stewardship as a shared responsibility,” the Feb. 26 letter from the ministry said.
“This decision is also not a change in our commitment to the goals of the Water for Life and Clearing the Air strategies, and the Alberta government remains committed to sound water and air management and to engaging Indigenous communities, industry, municipalities, non-governmental organizations, academia and others in policy development,” the letter added.
