Monday, December 1, 2025
A new national survey suggests Canadians overwhelmingly see freshwater as the country’s most important natural resource, but most don’t feel they know enough about it.
The poll, commissioned by Montreal-based non-profit AquaAction, surveyed nearly 1,200 people between Aug. 14 and Sept. 9. While just over half ranked freshwater as Canada’s top natural resource, only one-quarter said they feel “very informed” about it. More than one-third reported feeling poorly informed.
The findings build on a similar 2021 survey conducted by Environment and Climate Change Canada and are being used to support a national water literacy campaign led by AquaAction in partnership with educational institutions and backed by the federal government.
The new results highlight what AquaAction describes as a widening gap between how much Canadians value freshwater and how much they understand the issues affecting it. The organization says that gap limits the ability of the public to fully grasp threats such as contamination, drought, flooding and ongoing Indigenous water crises.
The survey also found concern about water quality remains high but not urgent. Just over 70 per cent of respondents said they are concerned about water quality, but fewer than one-third expressed strong concern. Only 15.8 per cent rated current protections as “excellent.”
Motivations around water protection were tied largely to health and the needs of future generations, with economic and aesthetic factors ranking far lower. Twelve per cent of respondents reported no personal connection to freshwater, a finding AquaAction says speaks to how “invisible” water systems can be in daily life.
The results also point to challenges in public communication. Terms such as “water security” and “water crisis” resonated moe strongly with Canadians, while widespread unfamiliarity with words like “watershed” suggested gaps in basic vocabulary.
AquaAction presented the findings during a webinar with water sector experts, saying the survey will help inform new education strategies and efforts to better engage Canadians in protecting freshwater.
The organization is developing a national water literacy program with K–12 learning modules designed to boost understanding of freshwater issues and encourage long-term behaviour change.
“This new survey reveals that people deeply value freshwater, but they’re not seeing the excellence they expect,” said Soula Chronopoulos, President of AquaAction. By making education a required part of water programs, framing policies through health outcomes, and accelerating the adoption of proven innovation, we can move toward stronger, more accountable freshwater protection.”
