Symposium: Canadian Water Security – The Critical role of science

Thursday May 27—Friday May 28, 2010

Water is of critical economic and strategic importance—a resource, a commodity and an essential element in health, agriculture, energy, urban, commercial and industrial development. Over the last 10 years the Canadian Foundation for Climate and Atmospheric Sciences (CFCAS) has invested over $14 million in policy-relevant research on water conditions across Canada. On May 27-28, 2010 the Foundation, in partnership with Environment Canada, brought together 115 experts to discuss what we have learned—and what questions remain. The Symposium looked at the impact of changing water conditions and their relevance to safety, security, ecosystems, health and economic development. It also considered emerging needs.

The event provided a forum on water security for researchers, policy- and decision- makers. Issues discussed included competing demands; transboundary water issues; the impact of climate change on groundwater; wetlands and snow and ice conditions; floods and droughts; water contamination issues; and the role of water in fostering or constraining future development in Canadian energy, agriculture, forestry and other sectors. It also considered the need to improve measurements of water flows, in order to track changes.

A public lecture was given by the Deputy Premier and Minister for the Environment and Natural Resources of the Government of the Northwest Territories, the Honourable Michael Miltenberger.

The Symposium helped confirm current and emerging issues and opportunities in water use; as well as the need for ongoing research; and to refine the future scope of the Foundation and its contributions to the national water agenda. The symposium agenda and presentations follow:

Thursday May 27, 2010
09:30	1. Welcome Gordon McBean, Chair, Board of Trustees, CFCAS
09:35	2. Opening Remarks Dan Wicklum, Director General, Water Science and Technology, Environment Canada
09:55	3. The Global Context of Water Security Moderator: Elizabeth Dowdeswell, President, Council of Canadian Academies Keynote address: Gordon Young, President, the International Association of Hydrological Sciences Respondent: Howard Wheater, Professor of Hydrology, Imperial College, London Q&As / discussion
11:00	Coffee
11:20	1. You have it or you don’t: extreme water conditions in Canada Moderator: Charles Lin, Director General, Atmospheric Science and Technology, Environment Canada The Prairies · Ron Stewart (University of Manitoba; leader, Drought Research Initiative) · Dave Sauchyn (University of Regina): Prairie water extremes: Perceptions of abundance and observations of scarcity Q&As / discussion
12:10	Central Canada · Slobodan Simonovic (University of Western Ontario): A new view of water resources management under climate change · Al Pietroniro (Environment Canada; Chair, Hydro Climate Group for the Great Lakes) Q&As / discussion
12:50	Lunch
13:40	The Arctic · John Hanesiak (University of Manitoba; leader, Storm Studies in the Arctic Network- STAR) · Sean Carey (Cold Regions Hydrology Lab., Carleton University): Water in the Changing North Q&As / discussion
14:25	2. Changes in water conditions Moderator: Tom Pedersen, Director, Pacific Institute for Climate Solutions · John Pomeroy (University of Saskatchewan; lead, IP3 (cold regions hydrology) Network): Where are the snows of yesteryear?  The effect of climate on snow water supplies · Garth van der Kamp (National Hydrology Research Centre, Environment Canada): Groundwater Connections
15:10	Health break
15:30	· Paul Whitfield (Environment Canada) : Achievements and Future Direction of the Western Canadian Cryospheric Network Q&As / discussion
15:55	Discussion: Challenges, impacts, opportunities, policy options
16:10	3. Competition and cooperation – resource needs and issues · Alain Bourque (OURANOS, Quebec) · Frank Weber (BC Hydro) Q&As / discussion
17:00	4. Summary : Issues to action Bob Sandford (Chair, Canadian Partnership Initiative, UN Water for Life Decade.)
17:30	Sessions end
17:30-19:00	Reception
Public Lecture Location: Adam Room
19:00-20:00	The Hon. Michael Miltenberger, Deputy Premier and Minister for the Environment and Natural Resources, Government of the Northwest Territories The Politics of Water

Friday May 28, 2010
09:00	Moderator: Brian Gray, Assistant Deputy Minister, Science and Technology, Environment Canada 5. Impacts on water of the changing climate - Overview · Jim Bruce  (Ottawa) Q&As / discussion
09:30	6. How safe is our water : contamination · Hank Venema (International Institute for Sustainable Development): A solutions agenda for Lake Winnipeg: Linking science, policy and vision · Merrell-Ann Phare (Centre for Indigenous Environmental Resources) Q&As / discussion
10:20	Coffee
10:40	Moderator: Rick Lawford, Network Manager, Drought Research Initiative 7. Ecosystem and hydrological impacts · Linda Mortsch (Adaptation and Impacts Research, Environment Canada) · Philip Marsh (National Hydrology Research Centre, Environment Canada): The Mackenzie Delta: Changing water supply in a sensitive Arctic ecosystem Q&As / discussion
11:30	8. Transboundary waters · Ralph Pentland (Ottawa): The evolving role of science in Canada-US water relations · Ted Yuzyk (International Joint Commission): Enhancing our Scientific Capacity for Addressing Transboundary Issues Q&As / discussion
12:20	9. Overview and analysis: Issues to action - Bob Sandford (Chair, Canadian Partnership Initiative, UN Water for Life Decade)
12:40	Concluding remarks Gordon McBean, Chair, Board of Trustees, CFCAS
12:50	Adjournment
12:50	Lunch