Help shape Canada's water future
Canada is developing its first National Water Security Strategy. Healthy watersheds support clean drinking water, wild salmon and wildlife, and communities across B.C.
Use this guide alongside the federal survey. You can copy our suggested responses, make them your own and paste them into the survey.
Before you begin
We recommend using a computer with this guide open in one tab and the federal survey in another. Each written response is limited to 500 characters, including spaces. Some suggestions are near the limit, so replace a few words rather than simply adding text.
The survey starts with background information. Here's how to reach the first question:
- Page 1: Read the introduction and privacy statement, then click Next.
- Page 2: Read about why water is life-giving and irreplaceable for the environment, everyday life and the economy. Click Next.
- Page 3: Read about the growing pressures on Canada's fresh water from climate change and human activity. Click Next.
- Page 4: Read about how action on water delivers wide-ranging benefits. Question 1 is below this information on the same page.
Personalize your answers.* We encourage you to change some wording and mention a local concern or a project advancing watershed security near you. That might be a threatened river or salmon stream, drought or flooding you've experienced, or a stream or wild salmon habitat restoration project.
Identical submissions may be grouped as an organizational response instead of being treated as distinct individual feedback.
*We have not confirmed whether this happens in the current federal survey, but we have experienced it previously with feedback on provincial surveys.
Water challenges and opportunities
What water-related challenges and opportunities do you see or expect in your region, community, and/or sector?
After answering Question 1, click Next. You'll see an information page introducing the definition of water security. Read it, then click Next again to reach Question 2.
How is water security defined?
On this page, the survey presents this definition:
“Our collective capacity to safeguard and sustain freshwater ecosystems; support reliable access to an adequate supply of safe, clean water for human health and well-being, and economic security; and to manage water-related risks—today and for future generations.”
How well does the definition above reflect your understanding of watershed security?
Click Next to read about shared responsibilities for water management among governments and Indigenous governments. Click Next to read why Canada is developing a National Water Security Strategy and what it could do. Click Next once more. The next page begins with examples of existing efforts to improve water security, followed by Question 3.
Examples of what's working
Do you know any initiatives or examples of efforts that are helping improve water security in Canada?
Examples could include local projects, community initiatives, research, infrastructure improvements, awareness campaigns and other actions. Please focus your response on fresh water.
Click Next. The next page explains what happens after the public engagement period ends. Read that information, then scroll down to Question 4 on the same page.
What else should Canada consider?
Is there anything we haven't considered that you feel is important to consider regarding water security in Canada?
Finish and submit
After Question 4, click Next to reach the About You section.
You'll need to indicate which province or territory you live in and whether you are affiliated with any sectors. These questions are required. Questions about age group and Indigenous distinctions are optional.
Review your responses and click Submit. You're done!
Prefer to respond by email?
Need more than 500 characters to get your point across? The Canada Water Agency is also accepting comments by email. The questions are available in the official engagement document ↗.
Include the question number with each response and email it by October 25, 2026 to water-eau@cwa-aec.gc.ca.
Share This Story!
Help shape Canada's water future
Canada is developing its first National Water Security Strategy. Healthy watersheds support clean drinking water, wild salmon and wildlife, and communities across B.C.
Use this guide alongside the federal survey. You can copy our suggested responses, make them your own and paste them into the survey.
Before you begin
We recommend using a computer with this guide open in one tab and the federal survey in another. Each written response is limited to 500 characters, including spaces. Some suggestions are near the limit, so replace a few words rather than simply adding text.
The survey starts with background information. Here's how to reach the first question:
- Page 1: Read the introduction and privacy statement, then click Next.
- Page 2: Read about why water is life-giving and irreplaceable for the environment, everyday life and the economy. Click Next.
- Page 3: Read about the growing pressures on Canada's fresh water from climate change and human activity. Click Next.
- Page 4: Read about how action on water delivers wide-ranging benefits. Question 1 is below this information on the same page.
Personalize your answers.* We encourage you to change some wording and mention a local concern or a project advancing watershed security near you. That might be a threatened river or salmon stream, drought or flooding you've experienced, or a stream or wild salmon habitat restoration project.
Identical submissions may be grouped as an organizational response instead of being treated as distinct individual feedback.
*We have not confirmed whether this happens in the current federal survey, but we have experienced it previously with feedback on provincial surveys.
Water challenges and opportunities
What water-related challenges and opportunities do you see or expect in your region, community, and/or sector?
After answering Question 1, click Next. You'll see an information page introducing the definition of water security. Read it, then click Next again to reach Question 2.
How is water security defined?
On this page, the survey presents this definition:
“Our collective capacity to safeguard and sustain freshwater ecosystems; support reliable access to an adequate supply of safe, clean water for human health and well-being, and economic security; and to manage water-related risks—today and for future generations.”
How well does the definition above reflect your understanding of watershed security?
Click Next to read about shared responsibilities for water management among governments and Indigenous governments. Click Next to read why Canada is developing a National Water Security Strategy and what it could do. Click Next once more. The next page begins with examples of existing efforts to improve water security, followed by Question 3.
Examples of what's working
Do you know any initiatives or examples of efforts that are helping improve water security in Canada?
Examples could include local projects, community initiatives, research, infrastructure improvements, awareness campaigns and other actions. Please focus your response on fresh water.
Click Next. The next page explains what happens after the public engagement period ends. Read that information, then scroll down to Question 4 on the same page.
What else should Canada consider?
Is there anything we haven't considered that you feel is important to consider regarding water security in Canada?
Finish and submit
After Question 4, click Next to reach the About You section.
You'll need to indicate which province or territory you live in and whether you are affiliated with any sectors. These questions are required. Questions about age group and Indigenous distinctions are optional.
Review your responses and click Submit. You're done!
Prefer to respond by email?
Need more than 500 characters to get your point across? The Canada Water Agency is also accepting comments by email. The questions are available in the official engagement document ↗.
Include the question number with each response and email it by October 25, 2026 to water-eau@cwa-aec.gc.ca.
Share This Story!
Help shape Canada's water future
Canada is developing its first National Water Security Strategy. Healthy watersheds support clean drinking water, wild salmon and wildlife, and communities across B.C.
Use this guide alongside the federal survey. You can copy our suggested responses, make them your own and paste them into the survey.
Before you begin
We recommend using a computer with this guide open in one tab and the federal survey in another. Each written response is limited to 500 characters, including spaces. Some suggestions are near the limit, so replace a few words rather than simply adding text.
The survey starts with background information. Here's how to reach the first question:
- Page 1: Read the introduction and privacy statement, then click Next.
- Page 2: Read about why water is life-giving and irreplaceable for the environment, everyday life and the economy. Click Next.
- Page 3: Read about the growing pressures on Canada's fresh water from climate change and human activity. Click Next.
- Page 4: Read about how action on water delivers wide-ranging benefits. Question 1 is below this information on the same page.
Personalize your answers.* We encourage you to change some wording and mention a local concern or a project advancing watershed security near you. That might be a threatened river or salmon stream, drought or flooding you've experienced, or a stream or wild salmon habitat restoration project.
Identical submissions may be grouped as an organizational response instead of being treated as distinct individual feedback.
*We have not confirmed whether this happens in the current federal survey, but we have experienced it previously with feedback on provincial surveys.
Water challenges and opportunities
What water-related challenges and opportunities do you see or expect in your region, community, and/or sector?
After answering Question 1, click Next. You'll see an information page introducing the definition of water security. Read it, then click Next again to reach Question 2.
How is water security defined?
On this page, the survey presents this definition:
“Our collective capacity to safeguard and sustain freshwater ecosystems; support reliable access to an adequate supply of safe, clean water for human health and well-being, and economic security; and to manage water-related risks—today and for future generations.”
How well does the definition above reflect your understanding of watershed security?
Click Next to read about shared responsibilities for water management among governments and Indigenous governments. Click Next to read why Canada is developing a National Water Security Strategy and what it could do. Click Next once more. The next page begins with examples of existing efforts to improve water security, followed by Question 3.
Examples of what's working
Do you know any initiatives or examples of efforts that are helping improve water security in Canada?
Examples could include local projects, community initiatives, research, infrastructure improvements, awareness campaigns and other actions. Please focus your response on fresh water.
Click Next. The next page explains what happens after the public engagement period ends. Read that information, then scroll down to Question 4 on the same page.
What else should Canada consider?
Is there anything we haven't considered that you feel is important to consider regarding water security in Canada?
Finish and submit
After Question 4, click Next to reach the About You section.
You'll need to indicate which province or territory you live in and whether you are affiliated with any sectors. These questions are required. Questions about age group and Indigenous distinctions are optional.
Review your responses and click Submit. You're done!
Prefer to respond by email?
Need more than 500 characters to get your point across? The Canada Water Agency is also accepting comments by email. The questions are available in the official engagement document ↗.
Include the question number with each response and email it by October 25, 2026 to water-eau@cwa-aec.gc.ca.
Share This Story!
