Management of coastal water quality and use problems in Canada

Serious environmental problems exist in Canada’s coastal waters and estuaries and many of them are inextricably linked to the use of fresh water to carry contaminants and wastes. An extensive regulatory framework exists and planning mechanisms have been on the “drawing board” for many years. Several reasons exist for the apparent dichotomy between the state of our coastal waters and the availability of tools for rectifying the situation. These include lack of leadership on the part of government, lack of a comprehensive framework, limited involvement of stakeholders in decision-making and finally limited accessibility to useful information. Strategies are available to address the dichotomy.