This summer, four Alberta First Nations decided to pursue judicial consideration of their right to water. Over the past decade, the issue of unsafe drinking water in First Nations communities across Canada has garnered increasing public interest and scrutiny. In spite of years of debate, reports, analysis, and some action, very little has been accomplished in narrowing the divide between the deplorable state of First Nations water and that of…

As the infrastructure deficit exceeds capital and operational budgets, the leaders in charge of Canada’s municipal water and wastewater assets and operations are being asked to do more with less. User rates are not high enough to reflect the true cost of water infrastructure and operations and government funding alone—at all levels—can’t meet demand. How can these leaders cope with expanding capacity to accommodate growth while replacing and repairing failing…

For a City that relies solely on groundwater, conservation is a given challenge. Add to that a rapidly growing population and a strategy to reduce water use by 20 per cent by 2020, and you’ve got one ambitious target. Guelph, Ontario is the fifth fastest growing city in Canada. Currently, population sits at around 118,000, but it is expected to rise to 144,500 by the year 2021. How will the…