‘I think we’re riding a bit of a wave’

The Canada Water Agency’s president urged Manitoba environmental, energy and infrastructure leads to jointly protect water as major projects ramp up.

“We face some unique water challenges,” Mark Fisher, the federal agency’s president, said in a speech Tuesday.

He addressed roughly 560 attendees at the Manitoba Environmental Industries Association’s largest conference yet, held at the RBC Convention Centre.

Some crowd members — namely, those from Port of Churchill owner Arctic Gateway Group — were tied to projects being eyed by federal and provincial governments.

Both Ottawa and Manitoba have prioritized infrastructure spending in recent budgets and have expressed the need to increase mining.

“In my view, there has never been a more important time than now to think about Canada’s water future,” Fisher said. “Clean water underpins almost every aspect of our prosperity and competitiveness.”

He appealed to attendees — with backgrounds in water, energy, waste and the environment — to form solutions on water availability and management “under one roof.”

A small data centre can use up to 25 million litres of water annually for cooling. It’s equivalent to the daily consumption of 300,000 people, Fisher said.

“Rare earth processing” might require 200,000 to 400,000 litres of water per ton of rare earth oxide produced — and Canada may produce between 10,000 and 15,000 tons of rare earth oxides annually by 2030, Fisher said.

Meantime, the Prairies continue to see too much water and then not enough, he said.

“These cycles, in many ways, are intensifying,” Fisher said.

Most freshwater in Canada — 60 per cent — flows north, while the majority of Canadians live south, Fisher noted.

“These challenges also create opportunities,” he said. “They invite us to think differently, to innovate and to build systems that are more resilient.”

He offered the Canada Water Agency, Ottawa’s freshwater management agency since 2023, as an outlet to remind bureaucrats of new projects’ impact on water. At least 20 federal departments touch on water use.

Part of the work involves talking to peers around Ottawa and across Canada, Fisher said after his presentation.

“We’re hoping to be more directly involved in some of those conversations,” he said. “(It’s) to make sure that… we’re thinking about the long term, with respect to water stewardship and water management.”

The Winnipeg-based agency will see a $3.8 million funding cut by 2030 under the new Liberal budget.

Reduced funds won’t affect the agency’s operations or integrity, Fisher said, adding “back office functions” like administrative corporate services will be savings areas.

During his time on stage, he mentioned many water basins don’t have basic health reporting. The Great Lakes, by contrast, have monitors showing their health and trends. Using technology to retrieve “baseline information” is a starting point, Fisher said.

Integrating technology and upping water management education seems “increasingly important,” said Alexander Lavoie.

He chairs the Manitoba Sustainable Energy Association and sits on the Manitoba Environmental Industries Association’s board. The conference theme Tuesday was a progression from last year’s event topic, commonly known as “forever chemicals.”

“In the last three years, it’s just exploded,” Lavoie said of the annual Cleantech conference.

Nation-building projects and a recognition that Manitoba’s energy sector needs more investment likely drew interest this year, said MEIA president Jack Winram.

“As an industry, I think we’re riding a bit of a wave with all the popularity of these nation-building projects,” he said.

The association umbrellas companies who offer environmental assessments and monitoring, and professionals such as scientists and engineers. It counts about 150 member businesses who employ upwards of 8,000 Manitobans.

Incoming construction projects could lead to new clientele for Miller Environmental Corporation, said Carter Steinke, the company’s strategic sourcing co-ordinator.

He fielded queries at an information booth during the conference. Miller processes hazardous waste.

Sessions during the day covered environmental remediation, renewable energy in the north, energy transitions and critical minerals development, among other things. Sio Silica, a controversial silica mining firm, was a panellist and sponsor at the event.

The conference is meant to be “a safe place to have an open discussion,” Winram said.

“Sometimes it’s controversial, but I think that’s better than burying our heads in the sand.”

All levels of government are “on board” with critical mineral development, Winram added.

gabrielle.piche@winnipegfreepress.com