Colonization in Canada and around the world has taken lands and waters away from Indigenous Peoples. It has also pushed them out of decisions that affect their lives and the natural resources they rely on. This has led to serious and long-standing conflicts between Indigenous Peoples and the surrounding communities, who are often the only ones allowed to use the land, water, and resources for development. One major outcome has been damage to the environment – especially water. Many water supplies are becoming more polluted and harder to manage, especially with the growing impacts of climate change. As a result, many people have an inadequate quality of life. In addition, the important chances to meet basic needs and work together toward shared success has been missed. There is also a lot of disconnect between the different groups trying to solve these problems. 

The myth of water abundance in Canada has been debunked. While Canada is home to 20 percent of the world’s freshwater supply, many of its watersheds are stressed, degraded, and face increasing threats linked to climate change. If meaningful action is not taken to reform the way water is managed and governed, Canada will face an increasingly water insecure future.  

Governance failures lie at the heart of Canada’s water challenges. Water does not respect jurisdictional boundaries, yet collaboration between different levels of government – particularly Indigenous and municipal governments – is too often lacking. Most water issues happen and are felt at the local level, so that’s where solutions should start. However, local leaders typically lack the governance tools – the processes, institutions, and decision-making methods – needed to work together. 

Many people recognize that reconciliation is key to solving these problems. It means bringing Indigenous and non-Indigenous communities together to heal from the past and move forward to build a better future that challenges the status quo. Part of reconciliation means changing how decisions are made—so that Indigenous and non-Indigenous leaders can work side by side. The United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (UNDRIP), which has been adopted by many countries in the world including Canada, also calls for decision-making that includes the Free, Prior, and Informed consent of Indigenous Peoples. But many people still aren’t sure how to make this happen in real life. We need practical examples to show how it can work. 

The Collaborative Leadership Initiative (CLI) has started the local water governance transformations needed to address these challenges.