By Canadian Press

Toxic algae, climate change, bad policy: Scientists say fresh water under threat

Nov 19, 2019 | 11:19 AM

HAMILTON — Canada’s top water scientists say the country is kidding itself if it believes it will always have plenty of fresh water whenever and wherever needed.

A report from the Global Water Futures project that involves 22 universities says Canadian water supplies are increasingly threatened by accelerating climate change and policies that haven’t changed in decades.

It says glaciers, the water tanks of the prairies, are disappearing and toxic algae are spreading in lakes.

Floods and freak precipitation are changing water cycles from coast to coast.

Scientists only have water-quality data for about one-third of the watersheds in the country.

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The report says water is governed by a patchwork of different jurisdictions using out-of-date legislation, and concludes that Canada’s sustainable development policy is in a shambles.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Nov. 19, 2019.

The Canadian Press