Who Manages Water in Ontario?
In Ontario our water management system is founded on English (British) common law principles where water is typically viewed as a ‘common good’ and is therefore not subject to “ownership” as other goods unless bottled and/or contained and sold as a commodity.
Ontario’s water resources are managed by all three levels of government: federal, provincial and municipal.Non-government agencies such as Conservation Authorities play a critical support role in managing water resources.
Misty Ontario RiverProvincial legislative powers include areas of:
- water levels and flows regulation;
- authorization of water use development;
- water supply;
- pollution control;
- natural hazards; and
- thermal and waterpower development.
Provincial governments are also responsible for
- providing safe drinking water;
- overseeing municipal water and sewer infrastructure; and
- operating and maintaining major irrigation projects.
Within the Ontario government two Ministries with significant responsibilities for management of water resources are the Ministry of the Environment (MOE) and the Ministry of Natural Resources (MNR).
They may also delegate some water resource management functions to local authorities that may be responsible for a particular area or watershed (i.e., Conservation Authorities).
Conservation Authorities
Conservation Authorities are local, science-based environmental organizations that manage Ontario's natural resources on a watershed basis together with landowners, government and other partners. They provide expertise and programs to find balanced, sustainable approaches to meet our environmental, human and economic needs. Almost 90 percent of Ontario's population live in a watershed managed by a Conservation Authority.
Learn more about Conservation Authorities at Natural Champions for Healthy Watersheds
Which Conservation Authority Manages the Watershed Where You Live?