Every year in March, many Canadians take the opportunity to observe Canada Water Week (March 17-23) and World Water Day (March 22). This year, I’m hoping all British Columbians will celebrate the introduction of our new Water Sustainability Act.

The development of the new Water Sustainability Act is a historic achievement for British Columbia. The act will respond to current and future pressures on our fresh water – including groundwater – and position our province as a leader in water stewardship.

The legislation that is now before the provincial legislature will update and replace the existing, century-old Water Act with a modern new act.

The old Water Act is truly a historical document, having been introduced by the government of Premier Richard McBride in 1909. Those were different times with different demands on our water resource. B.C.’s entire population was only 350,000. The Water Act was designed to serve a population that was then about the size of today’s capital region. Today, our provincial population is 4.6 million.

One hundred years after the Water Act was created, in 2009, we began engaging widely with British Columbians on modernizing the Water Act. We received thousands of thoughtful comments, ideas and recommendations for improvements to our system of water management from individuals, First Nations organizations and stakeholder groups. We have used this input to create legislation that provides certainty for water users, improves environmental protection, and responds to local and regional needs.

Mary Polak, Government of BC