Freshwater Politics in Canada

Freshwater is in great supply across much of Canada. However, competing and changing demands on its use are leading to ever more complex political arrangements. This volume offers an integrated survey of that complexity, combining historical and contemporary cases in a conceptually-informed exploration of water politics. It offers a set of tools, frameworks, and applications that enable readers to recognize and explore the political dimensions of freshwater.

The opening chapters introduce core concepts such as power, organized interests, knowledge systems, and the state. They are followed by chapters discussing freshwater subsectors including fisheries, irrigation, flood control, hydropower, and groundwater. A series of topical themes is addressed, including salmon conservation, Aboriginal water interests, hydraulic fracturing, regulatory revisions, and interjurisdictional management. A final section explores emerging trends in freshwater governance.

While river catchments are not always the principal denominator in discussions of water politics, they do provide a primary frame of reference for this book. A watershed case study accompanies each chapter. This watershed grounding is intended to encourage readers to turn their attention to local and regional conditions.