08 Mar Water Law in Alberta: A Comprehensive Guide
Water Law in Alberta: A Comprehensive Guide
In the latest Environmental Law Centre publication, Water Law in Alberta: A Comprehensive Guide, we take a look at the law of water in Alberta. In this overarching examination of water law, we cover four main subject areas: the use and ownership of the land under and next to water, the law that governs the use and flow of water, the rules for managing water quality, and, finally, the law governing water in Indigenous communities.
 Water Law in Alberta: A Comprehensive Guide – Chapter 4 WATER IN INDIGENOUS COMMUNITIES |
INTRODUCTION TO THE GUIDE
In terms of content, the introduction to the Guide provides background information that will be helpful for understanding the rest of the Guide. This includes commentary on how the Guide has been written, as well as a detailed outline of the Guide and each of its constituent chapters. The introduction also provides a basic explanation of some fundamental legal concepts that will help you understand the Guide, including the different sources of law, the powers of the different levels of government to regulate water, and the different meanings of the term government.
CHAPTER 1 – LAND OWNERSHIP AND USE
The first chapter of the Guide provides a thorough discussion of the law around the ownership and use of the land underneath and next to water. To do this, the chapter is divided into three parts.
The first part of the chapter discusses the ownership of the land underneath water, called the beds and shores. This part starts with the presumption that the provincial government owns all the beds and shores in Alberta, before explaining the circumstances when someone other than the provincial government might own the beds and shores. It also explains the rules for transferring the ownership of the property underneath water, with a focus on beds and shores owned by the government.
The second part of the chapter provides an overview of the public rights to use land owned by the government and, specifically, government-owned beds and shores. In particular, this part discusses the rules around the use of government owned land for recreational purposes, such as boating and fishing, as well as its use for construction activities, such as building a dock or removing aquatic weeds.
Finally, the third part of the chapter discusses the use and ownership of the land right next to the beds and shores, which is called riparian property. Specifically, this part discusses how to figure out who owns the property next to water, as well as the special rights that land comes with and the special restrictions that apply to it.
CHAPTER 2 – USE AND FLOW OF WATER
The second chapter of the Guide deals with the law around the use and flow of water in Alberta. To do this, the chapter is divided into three parts.
The first part of the chapter outlines the law governing the use of water in Alberta. It begins with an overview of the tools the provincial government uses to allocate water, meaning how the government decides who gets to use water in Alberta and how much they get to use. Then, this part explains the different types of government authorizations that allow a person to take and use water. Finally, this part provides a brief explanation of how water utilities use water licences to provide water to individual users, including how to deal with any problems you may have with your water utility.
The second part of this chapter discusses the government approvals that are necessary for any activity that affects the flow, level, or location of water, including which activities require an approval and how to apply for an approval should you require one.
Finally, the third part of the chapter explains some of the procedural mechanisms behind the law, including how to appeal government decisions about the use and flow of water. It also explains the legal mechanisms the government can use to enforce compliance with the law.
CHAPTER 3 – WATER QUALITY
the third chapter of the Guide deals with the systems that are in place to manage water quality in Alberta. To do this, the chapter is divided into four parts.
The first part of the chapter discusses the legal tools available to each of the different levels of government to manage and plan for water quality in Alberta. Specifically, this part describes the federal power to enter into agreements with other governments around water quality; the provincial land use planning and water management regimes; and the legal tools available to municipal governments to manage water quality within municipalities.
The second part of the chapter discusses the federal and provincial regulatory schemes governing large scale industrial and commercial projects that are likely to impact water quality in Alberta. In particular, this part outlines the provincial environmental approval process for large scale projects, before explaining the provincial environmental assessment process and the federal impact assessment process.
The third part of the chapter describes the federal and provincial legislation that prohibits releasing harmful substances into the waters in Alberta. This part starts with a description of the general legislation against harmful substance releases, before turning to a discussion of the legislation that protects fish and migratory birds from substance releases.
Finally, the fourth part of the chapter provides an overview of the regulatory systems that govern drinking water in Alberta. It also discusses the regulation of sewage and storm drainage systems in the province, with a focus on how these systems are designed to maintain water quality.
CHAPTER 4 – WATER IN INDIGENOUS COMMUNITIES
The fourth chapter of the Guide deals with the law around water in Indigenous communities in Alberta. This chapter covers many of the same topics as the other chapters, but with a focus on how the law specifically applies in Indigenous communities. To do this, the chapter is divided into five parts.
The first part of the chapter provides a brief description of the Indigenous peoples who live in Alberta, as well as some comments about how to understand the law that affects Indigenous communities, including how it is different from the rest of the law discussed in this guide.
The second part of the chapter addresses the law governing the ownership of the lands under water, known as the beds and shores, that are found within Indigenous communities.
The third part of the chapter discusses the rights to take and use water that belong to Indigenous communities. In particular, it begins with a discussion of riparian and groundwater rights on reserves and in Metis Settlements. Then, it explores two additional types of water rights that Indigenous peoples can claim; namely, implied treaty rights to water and traditional aboriginal rights to water.
The fourth part of the chapter discusses how issues of water quality are managed on reserves and in Metis Settlements. To do this, it starts with a discussion of the regulation of water pollution in Indigenous communities, before turning to the regulation of drinking water, drainage, and sewage systems on reserves and in Metis Settlements.
Finally, the fifth part of this chapter discusses the legal mechanisms that Indigenous peoples can use to enforce their water rights, both against the government and against private citizens and companies. In particular, this part explains the constitutional limits on legislation that interferes with Indigenous rights, the requirement for the government to consult with Indigenous peoples before taking actions that might impact their rights, and the ability of Indigenous peoples to sue private citizens and organizations that have infringed their rights.
Watch for announcements for webinars about water law and policy in Alberta later this spring.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
The Environmental Law Centre thanks the Alberta Law Foundation for its financial support of the Water Law in Alberta project.
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Ryan Buchberger
Posted at 17:00h, 09 MarchMoney talks and if you’d like the residential houses to produce way less pollution, all you have to do is make them pay for the amount they use. IT CURRENTLY DOES NOT WORK THAT WAY!
Someone who uses 215 KWH, 12 GJ, and 2M of water will pay +/-$270 per month, only about $70 is the gas, electricity, and water. The rest is incredibly high monthly fees.
If twice the amount of each is used, THEY WILL ONLY PAY ABOUT 25% MORE. +/- $335. THE BILL WILL NOT BE 100% MORE.
If triple the amount of each is used, THEY WILL ONLY PAY ABOUT 30% MORE. +/- $400. THE BILL WILL NOT BE 300% MORE.
If we quadruple the unit fees of KWH, and water. And double the unit fees of GJ, and then cut the standard monthly fees in half or so, people would be responsible for paying for the amount they use. They will use a lot less.
AS A RESULT, THEY WOULD STOP LEAVING HOT WATER RUNNING AT HIGH PSI WHEN RINCING DISHES, WASHING HANDS, BRUSHING TEATH which uses a lot of water and natural gas . . .AND IF FURNACES WOULD BE USED MORE EFFICIENTLY WITH LOWER TEMPS AT NIGHT AND LOWER MERV FILTERS IN THE WINTER, AND ON AND ON AND ON. Much less pollution would be produced.
I also told the government to educate the general public on the huge amount of pollution caused by allowing bins to be picked up when not filled to the amount of being able to make it to the pickup where they would be full enough to be picked up, but that that years ago. AND DESPITE THE 6-1 VOTE FROM THE MAYOR AND COUNSEL TO DO THAT. STILL, NOTHING HAS STILL BEEN DOWN. The USA listened to me but not Canada.
I also told the government to add bins at the bottle deposes so that the lids could be collected very easily separate for recycling since we currently do not recycle them since they’re too hard to separate from the other recycling item. And of course, that hasn’t happened either.
Please add some come sense to the government’s responsibility to add the incredibly easy ways to reduce pollution.