Federal Water Policy. Country/Territory Canada Document type Date 1987 Source FAO, FAOLEX Subject Environment gen., Fisheries, Water, Wild species & ecosystems Keyword Disasters Climate change Erosion Cultural heritage Inland fisheries Stock enhancement/repopulation Fishery management and conservation Freshwater resources management Sustainable development Sustainable use Water supply Groundwater Freshwater quality/freshwater pollution Sewerage Irrigation Policy/planning Basin/catchment/watershed Flood Water shortage/drought Transboundary effects International relations/cooperation Dispute settlement Integrated management Pollution control Ecosystem preservation Wetlands Geographical area Americas, Arctic, ASIA AND THE PACIFIC, East Pacific, North America, North Atlantic Abstract This Federal Water Policy calls for a radically new attitude toward Canada’s water. Pillars of the new attitude are recognizing real value to water as a resource and openness in decision-making regarding water resources. The Policy is a statement of the federal government’s philosophy and goals for the nation’s freshwater resources and of the proposed ways of achieving them. It recognizes that water is, at present, Canada’s most undervalued and neglected natural resource. The overall objective of federal water policy is to encourage the use of freshwater in an efficient and equitable manner consistent with the social, economic and environmental needs of present and future generations. The water policy sketches broad courses of action that call for federal leadership, but other levels of government, industry and the public have important roles as well. Full text English Website publications.gc.ca