Mr. Speaker, making sure our children inherit a healthy environment that supports traditional lifestyles in a modern economy through the wise use and protection of our natural resources is one of the main goals of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources.
As you are aware, as of April 1, 2014, ENR took over responsibility for managing water resources in the Mackenzie Valley and inland waters in the Inuvialuit Settlement Region through the administration of the Waters Act and Regulations.
This new legislation gives the Government of the Northwest Territories the authority to make sure water is used in a sustainable manner and is protected and conserved for future generations.
With Rivers to Oceans Day coming up the week of June 9th, it is timely to provide Members with an update on water management in the NWT.
Mr. Speaker, the principles and vision of the Northwest Territories Water Stewardship Strategy continue to guide our actions post-devolution and ensure conservation of this valuable resource. We continue to build awareness of water stewardship among youth, with activities planned with Grade 3 students on Rivers to Oceans Day.
We are fulfilling our enhanced responsibility for water resource management, guided by the goals of the Water Stewardship Strategy. Through monitoring and assessment, research partnerships and advisory roles, the spirit and intent of the strategy is followed and applied.
There are many important programs and activities we carry out with our increased water management responsibilities. For example, in the fall of 2014 we will finalize a new Canada-NWT Memorandum of Agreement on Hydrometric Monitoring for the NWT, for continued baseline monitoring of water quantity at key sites across the territory.
We continue to regularly sample water quality in major transboundary rivers as well as through a network of special interest sites.
We are working with NWT communities and other partners to build upon, and support, the NWT-wide Community-Based Water Quality Monitoring Program in the Mackenzie River Basin to help answer community questions about water. Monitoring results have been shared with involved communities and other water partners through regional meetings, workshops and the 2014 water calendar.
A booklet outlining monitoring results for 2012 is now available. Results for 2013 will be communicated in upcoming months.
In late October 2013, following the Obed Mountain Coal Mine spill near Hinton, Alberta, ENR worked with the Department of Aboriginal Affairs and Northern Development Canada to quickly mobilize and get water sampling equipment in place to address residents’ concerns about downstream waters in the NWT. ENR provided sampling equipment and gave ongoing updates about the spill to the public. Spring sampling is now underway and results of the monitoring will be released later this spring.
I am happy to report we expect there will be little or no impact on NWT waters.
ENR recently supported the Town of Hay River’s emergency measures office during breakup of the Hay River by producing daily breakup reports for the director of protective services and testing an ice jam flood risk model developed by the University of Alberta.
The ENR network of climate monitoring and snow survey sites across the NWT provides valuable information to a broad range of clients and researchers.
Mr. Speaker, we will be relying on the continued support and involvement of Aboriginal governments and other partners as we build capacity and undertake northern-focused research with a greater emphasis on the biological aspect of water monitoring.
ENR continues to support NWT communities in developing source water protection plans. ENR developed a community source water protection guidance document that has been distributed to NWT communities and water partners.
Collaborative partnerships are being established between ENR, other GNWT departments, Aboriginal groups, environmental non-government organizations, community representatives, federal government departments and academic institutions in efforts to establish community-based monitoring initiatives related to source water protection.
Significant progress has been made on negotiations of bilateral water management agreements with Alberta and British Columbia. An intentions document is being developed for each to serve as a basis for the NWT to negotiate final bilateral agreements. Aboriginal consultation and public engagement regarding negotiations of these agreements are ongoing. We continue to pursue transboundary water management agreements with Saskatchewan and the Yukon.
Along with the regulatory responsibilities of reviewing water licence applications, providing technical advice to NWT regulatory boards and inspecting and enforcing water licences, ENR is now responsible for approving Type A water licences. Since April 1, we have approved two amended Type A water licences, CanTung and Con Mine, in a thorough and timely manner
Mr. Speaker, ENR is stepping up and successfully meeting the challenges of our new water management responsibilities post-devolution.
We remain committed to our vision of keeping the water of the NWT clean, abundant and productive for all time. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Mr. Miltenberger. The honourable Minister of Industry, Tourism and Investment, Mr. Ramsay.
