Government of Alberta’s Water Availability Engagement Phase 2 Results

August 12, 2026

AWA submitted a request under the Access to Information Act on November 25, 2025 for the results from Phase 2 of the Water Availability Engagement. AWA had previously requested and recieved the results from Phase 1, available here:

Government of Alberta’s Water Availability Engagement Phase 1 Results

Phase 2 of the Water Avalaibility Engagement focussed on “collecting feedback on proposed changes to the Water Act to address opportunities and challenges identified in Phase 1 engagement to enhance the water management system and increase water availability”, and was hosted from April 28, 2025, to June 30, 2025.

Enviroment and Protected Areas disclosed the records from Phase 2 on August 6, 2025.

Main sections within the disclosed records include:

Over 200 pages were witheld from the disclosure because they included,

4(1)(t)(i) – a record created by or for a member of the Executive Council
19(1) – harm to the business interests of the third party
20(1) – third party’s personal information
23(1)(n) – harm the security of any property or system
26(1)(b) – reveal information supplied by a government, local government body or an
organization
27(2) – reveal the subject or substance of deliberations of the Exec. Council or any of its committees/the Treasury Board/any of its committees
29(1)(a) – advice, proposals, recommendations, analyses, background factual information or policy options
32(1)(a) – legal privilege, including solicitor client privilege or parliamentary privilege
30(1)(b) – financial, commercial, scientific, technical or other information

Summary of records:

During this phase, 2938 people visited the engagement webpage, 249 people attended in-person/online engagement sessions, and 362 survey responses were received. 87 organizations participated, with 18 providing written feedback, 61 responding to the survey, and 8 doing both.

Type of Organization	Number of Survey Responses
Agricultural Producer	11
Business Association	1
Energy	7
Environmental/Conservation/NGO	12
Industry/Manufacturing	6
Irrigation	5
Municipal	22
Oil and Gas	13
Resource Sector	1
Utilities	5
Watershed Planning and Advisory Committees (WPAC)	3

In addition to feedback collected through the engagement portal, the government records report meeting with:

9 irrigation districts
11 Hutterite communities and groups
23 agriculture organizations
54 municipalities
10 First Nations
5 Metis communities
11 ENGOS/water partners
14 oil and gas companies and associations
8 utility companies
3 other, uncategorized organizations

Survey Results:

Number of Survey Respondents Organized by River Basin
Athabasca River	10
Battle River	21
Beaver River	2
Bow River	83
North Saskatchewan River	53
Oldman River	38
Peace/Slave River	11
Red Deer River	50
South Saskatchewan River	22
I don’t know	5
Not specified	76
Total:	371*
*Note: The government reports only recieving 362 survey responses, discrepancy may be duplicate submissions

1.1 Point of Use

65.2% of survey respondents did not support point of use amendments.
Among organizations, 38% do not support, while 62% support changes. Highest support (100% of responses) was from Energy, Industry/Manufacturing, Irrigation, Oil and Gas, and Resource Sector.
Organization majority not aligned with survey majority.

1.2 Point of Diversion

66.6% of survey respondents did not support point of diversion amendments.
Among organizations, 39% do not support, while 61% support changes. Highest support (100% of responses) was from Energy, Irrigation, Oil and Gas, and Resource Sector.
Organization majority not aligned with survey majority.

1.3 Director-initiated amendments that correct certain errors to benefit of licensee

63% of survey respondents do not support Director-initiated amendments that correct certain errors to benefit of licensee.
Among organizations, 45% do not support, while 55% support changes. Highest support was from Irrigation (100% of responses) and Agricultural Production (82% of responses).
Organization majority not aligned with survey majority.

1.4 Notice to appropriate parties

71.3% of survey respondents supported Notice to appropriate parties.
Among organizations, 20% do not support, while 80% support. Highest support (100% of responses) was from Energy, Industry/Manufacturing, Irrigation, and WPACs.
Survey and organization majorities aligned.

1.5 Time limits on issuance of authorizations

Survey respondents largely split with those not supporting Time limits on issuance of authorizations (47.5%) slightly higher those in support (42.3%), no majority.
Among organizations, 34% do not support, while 66% support. Highest support (100% of responses) was from Energy, Industry/Manufacturing, Irrigation, and Resource Sector.

1.6 Limit supplemental information requests

68.5 % of survey respondents do not support limiting supplemental information requests.
Among organizations, 47% do not support, while 53% support. Highest support (100% of responses) was from Energy, Irrigation, and Resource Sector.
Organization majority not aligned with largest survey proportion.

1.7 New and expanded exemptions (not an act change)

Survey respondents largely split with those supporting new and expanded exemptions(48.3%) slightly higher than those not in support (43.1%), no majority.
Among organizations, 27% do not support, while 73% support changes. Highest support (100% of responses) was from Energy, Irrigation, and Resource Sector.

2.1.1 Authority for introducing new, standardized measurement and reporting conditions

59.4% of survey respondents support authority for introducing new, standardized measurement and reporting conditions.
Among organizations, 37% do not support, while 63% support. Highest support was from Agricultural Production (91% of responses), Municipalities (86% of responses), and Irrigation (80% of responses).
Survey and organization majorities aligned.

2.1.2 Applying measurement and reporting conditions to deemed licences

60.8 % of survey respondents support applying measurement and reporting conditions to deemed licences.
Among organizations, 36% do not support, while 64% support. Highest support (100% of responses) was from Utilities and WPACs.
Survey and organization majorities aligned.

2.1.3 Standardized measurement and reporting conditions

69.3 % of survey respondents support standardized measurement and reporting conditions.
Among organizations, 28% do not support, while 72% support. Highest support (100% of responses) was from Resource Sector, Utilities, and WPACs.
Survey and organization majorities aligned.

2.1.4 Amalgamation of licences while preserving priority of original allocations

54.4% of survey respondents support amalgamation of licences while preserving priority of original allocations.
Among organizations, 27% do not support, while 73% support. Highest support was from Irrigation (100% of responses), Oil and Gas (92% of responses), and Municipalities (87%).
Survey and organization majorities aligned.

2.2 Defining licences in good standing

65.7% of survey respondents support defining licences in good standing.
Among organizations, 34% do not support, while 66% support. Highest support (100% of responses) was from Irrigation, Utilities, and WPACs.
Survey and organization majorities aligned.

2.3.1 Collecting information on details such as prices paid for water licence transfers

64.9% of survey respondents support collecting information on details such as prices paid for water licence transfers.
Among organizations, 62% do not support, while 38% support. Highest support was from WPACs (100% of responses) and Environment/Conservation/ENGO (75% of responses).
Organization majority not aligned with survey majority.

2.3.2 Publishing information to support water licence transfers

73.2% of survey respondents support publishing information to support water licence transfers.
Among organizations, 36% do not support, while 64% support. Highest support was from WPACs (100% of responses), Resource Sector (100% of responses), and Municipalities (87% of responses).
Survey and organization majorities aligned.

3.1 Establish criteria for lower-risk category of inter-basin transfers

50.6% of survey respondents do not support establishing criteria for a lower-risk category of inter-basin transfers.
Among organizations, 45% do not support, while 55% support. Highest support was from Irrigation (100% of responses), Resource Sector (100% of responses), and Oil and Gas (92% of responses).
Organization majority not aligned with survey majority.

3.2 Introduce an alternative approval process for lower-risk inter-basin transfers

52.5% of survey respondents do not support introducing an alternative approval process for lower-risk inter-basin transfers.
Among organizations, 47% do not support, while 53% support. Highest support was from Irrigation (100% of responses), Resource Sector (100% of responses), and Energy (86 % of responses).
Organization majority not aligned with survey majority.

3.3 Adjusting definitions of major river basins

57.5% of survey respondents did not support adjusting definitions of major river basins.
Among organizations, 65% do not support, while 35% support. Highest support was from Energy (86% of responses) and Oil and Gas (77% of responses).
Survey and organization majorities aligned.

4.1 Wastewater reuse

65.2% of survey respondents were in support of proposed amendments to wastewater reuse.
Among organizations, 20% do not support, while 80% support. Highest support (100% of responses) was from Business Associations, Irrigation, and Utilities.
Survey and organization majorities aligned.

4.2 Rainwater use

59.1% of survey respondents were in support of proposed amendments to rainwater use.
Among organizations, 36% do not support, while 64% support. Highest support (100% of responses) was from Business Associations, Irrigation, and WPACs.
Survey and organization majorities aligned.

4.3 Stormwater Use

58.3% of survey respondents do not support proposed amendments to stormwater use.
Among organizations, 48% do not support, while 52% support. Highest support was from Irrigation (100% of responses), Oil and Gas (62% of responses), and Municipalities (59% of responses).
Organization majority not aligned with survey majority.

4.4 Return flow

63.3% of survey respondents support proposed amendments to return flow.
Among organizations, 34% do not support, while 66% support. Highest support was from Irrigation (100% of responses), Resource Sector (100% of responses), and Energy (86% of responses).
Survey and organization majorities aligned.