Written by Teghan Acres

“I find water extremely fascinating as it is a resource that is forever changing, and a resource that is vital for survival.”

These are Courtney Bridge’s words about what has drawn her to water since the beginning of her university career. She is a graduate student researcher with the Pacific Water Research Centre (PWRC) and has been pursuing this fascination since 2017. Bridge completed a Bachelor’s of Science in Environmental Science at Nova Southeastern University in Fort Lauderdale, Florida before coming to SFU to pursue a Master’s of Resource and Environmental Planning.

Her research with the PWRC focuses on Canada and Australia’s progress towards the United Nation’s Sustainable Development Goals and formulation of related water policies in Canada. Specifically, she is focused on the opportunity to create a national water vision for Canada. Currently, there is no comprehensive policy for water at this level.

Canada is home to 20% of the world’s freshwater, yet is behind other, similarly-developed nations in developing a sustainable and equitable vision around the utilization and protection of its water resources. An example of this approach is that Canada did not initially recognize the Human Right to Water and Sanitation, which was confirmed by the United Nations General Assembly in 2010. Access to clean water is not equally distributed across the country. Some Indigenous communities, such as Six Nations of the Grand River, are facing decades-long boil water advisories. The Federal Government has promised to end these advisories by 2021 and there has been some progress made but many challenges are still present in achieving this goal.

Visioning a national approach for water is further complicated by the fact that over 20 departments and agencies have responsibilities related to freshwater, sometimes overlapping between various departments. The government recognizes that this arrangement is a challenge to ensure their policy and regulatory tools are developed and used collaboratively. A national water vision would be able to address challenges like these and more by creating a comprehensive plan for sustainable water access and use for years to come.

Bridge is exploring the past successes and failures of historic national water policy in Canada and identifying the stumbling blocks to create a national water vision. She is putting together recommendations for the next steps needed to establish this policy. Her work will not only positively benefit our waterways but all Canadians that depend on them as well.

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We respectfully acknowledge that the PWRC operates on the unceded traditional territories of the Coast Salish peoples of the Musqueam, Squamish, and Tsleil-Waututh Nations.