The Great Lakes, Water Quality and Water Policy in Canada

Abstract

This chapter focuses on water policy in the Great Lakes region to illustrate the complexities of transboundary, multi-level water governance and policy regimes in Canada. The chapter begins with an introduction of the Great Lakes as a natural resource that provides multiple ecological and human uses. The evolution of policy challenges and responses are introduced along with the various policy stakeholders. The second section reviews the transboundary water policy regime that has evolved to govern this complex system with a particular emphasis on water quality and the Great Lakes Water Quality Agreement. The third section focuses on analyzing what the Great Lakes case illustrates about water policy in Canada from a historical and comparative perspective. The focus in this section is on answering two key questions: How does the Great Lakes case help us understand water policy in Canada and how does this regional transboundary water policy regime impact water policy in Canada? The final section of the chapter focuses on the lessons and insights that can be drawn from the case of the Great Lakes for water policy in Canada and beyond.