Thursday, August 28, 2025
Cochrane has reached a major milestone in its long-term water strategy, officially securing the final piece—the licensing and approvals that ensure future access to water. Town officials have been planning, negotiating and collaborating behind the scenes for nearly two decades to make this moment possible. With the final consumptive licence now in place, Cochrane is well-positioned to support growth through 2055 and beyond.
“This is a huge achievement for Cochrane and the result of nearly two decades of careful planning, partnerships and innovation,” said Mayor Jeff Genung, Town of Cochrane. “It’s a story worth sharing with our community. We’ve secured the water licences our town needs, giving Cochrane certainty and control over future water use. This milestone ensures we can continue to plan confidently for years to come.”
The path to this milestone began in 2006, when the Province of Alberta introduced a moratorium on new water licences in southern river basins to support long-term water management. While new licences could no longer be issued, communities were encouraged to explore innovative approaches. For Cochrane, this marked the start of a proactive, long-term strategy to secure the water rights needed to support future growth.
A key step in that journey was Cochrane’s partnership with the Girl Guides of Canada, which transferred a non-consumptive licence from Camp Jubilee to the Town of Cochrane in exchange for site servicing. This innovative agreement not only supported future water security but also invested directly back into the Girl Guides’ land and programming in Cochrane.
The last piece of the puzzle is now in place – Cochrane has acquired the required consumptive licence to pair with the Girl Guides licence. This pairing, supported by the Province of Alberta, recognizes that municipalities return most of the water they use back to the river. Together, the two licences provide the water allocation needed to meet the community’s long-term needs.
“As a town, we’ve been working behind the scenes for years to find the best solution,” said Drew Hyndman, Executive Director, Development & Infrastructure Services. “Partnerships have been key to making this possible, and our community’s commitment to conserving water has been equally important. Thanks to these efforts, the licences we’ve secured will meet our needs through 2055 and beyond and with continued conservation and smart management, they could support the community for many more years beyond that.”
Cochrane continues to demonstrate leadership in water conservation. In 2023 and 2024, the community used only 65% of its existing licence thanks to strong stewardship, tiered water rates and leak detection initiatives. These ongoing efforts will maximize the capacity of the newly secured licences and support responsible growth.
