| #Q001 | reporting | reporting | mandatory | Immediate Notification of Deleterious Substance Deposit | other, aquatic life | Under the Fisheries Act, the federal government must be notified immediately upon the deposit or likely deposit of a deleterious substance out of the normal course of events. | Upon the deposit or likely deposit of a deleterious substance out of the normal course of events | high |
| #Q002 | prohibition | operational | mandatory | Prohibition of Acutely Lethal Effluent Discharge | wastewater, aquatic life | The regulations also set out limits for certain deleterious substances and pH, prohibit the discharge of effluent that is acutely lethal to certain freshwater and marine organisms, and specify the requirements for carrying out effluent sampling, reporting and environmental effects monitoring. | Discharge of effluent | high |
| #Q003 | administrative | operational | mandatory | Demonstration of Appropriate Mine Waste Disposal Option | wastewater, aquatic life | In order to use a water body frequented by fish for mine waste disposal, it must be demonstrated that this approach is the most appropriate option from an environmental, technical, economic and socio-economic perspective. | In order to use a water body frequented by fish for mine waste disposal | high |
| #Q004 | corrective_action | operational | mandatory | Fish Habitat Compensation Plan Development and Implementation | aquatic life | The owner or operator of a mine is required to develop and implement a fish habitat compensation plan to offset the loss of fish habitat that will occur as a result of the use of a fish-frequented water body for mine waste disposal and must also provide an irrevocable letter of credit or equivalent financial guarantee to ensure that funds are in place to implement all elements of the fish habitat compensation plan. | As a result of the use of a fish-frequented water body for mine waste disposal | high |
| #Q005 | administrative | operational | mandatory | Financial Guarantee for Fish Habitat Compensation Plan | aquatic life | The owner or operator of a mine is required to develop and implement a fish habitat compensation plan to offset the loss of fish habitat that will occur as a result of the use of a fish-frequented water body for mine waste disposal and must also provide an irrevocable letter of credit or equivalent financial guarantee to ensure that funds are in place to implement all elements of the fish habitat compensation plan. | When using a fish-frequented water body for mine waste disposal | high |
| #Q006 | prohibition | unknown | mandatory | Prohibition of Deposit of Deleterious Substances | wastewater, aquatic life | The Fisheries Act prohibits the deposit of deleterious substances in water bodies containing fish or in any place where the deleterious substances may enter any such water, unless authorized by a federal regulation. | unless authorized by a federal regulation | high |
| #Q007 | administrative | reporting | mandatory | CIWG Co-development of Materials and Recommendations | other | The group will co-develop discussion papers for release to the public and other materials and recommendations for a path forward. | As part of exploring options to manage oil sands process-affected water accumulation | high |
| #Q008 | administrative | reporting | mandatory | Discussion Document Comment Period Deadline | other | 90-day comment period open until June 9, 2025 (extended to July 9, 2025) | For the Discussion Document: Path forward for evaluating policy options | high |
| #Q009 | administrative | operational | mandatory | FWQMS Program Conformity | other | The Freshwater Quality Monitoring and Surveillance (FWQMS) program activities are accomplished in collaboration with provincial and territorial governments, and in conformity with the Canada Water Act. | | high |
| #Q010 | monitoring | operational | mandatory | Risk-Based Monitoring and Surveillance | other | ECCC conducts the monitoring and surveillance activities based on the level of risk to water quality in a watershed. | Risk is assessed regarding the stress determined by: the nature, the probability, the frequency, and the severity | high |
| #Q011 | monitoring | operational | mandatory | ECCC Monitoring Jurisdiction | other | Environment and Climate change Canada (ECCC) monitors freshwater quality on: federal lands, transboundary watersheds, inland waters | Applies to federal lands, transboundary watersheds, and inland waters | high |
| #Q012 | reporting | reporting | mandatory | Federal Sustainable Development Strategy Reporting | other | Reports on national and ecosystem-based indicators under the Federal Sustainable Development Strategy | Under the Federal Sustainable Development Strategy | high |
| #Q013 | monitoring | operational | mandatory | Canadian Environmental Protection Act Surveillance | other | Surveillance studies under the Canadian Environmental Protection Act, including the Chemicals Management Plan | In accordance with the Canadian Environmental Protection Act and Chemicals Management Plan | high |
| #Q014 | monitoring | operational | mandatory | Automated Parameter Monitoring | other, aquatic life | Automated water quality monitoring ... continuously measure specific parameters, such as temperature, conductivity and pH. | At specified automated water quality monitoring sites | high |
| #Q015 | monitoring | operational | mandatory | Long-term Physical-Chemical Water Quality Monitoring | other | Long-term physical-chemical water quality monitoring: Samples collected at over 350 sites to assess status and trends. | To assess status and trends of freshwater quality | high |
| #Q016 | monitoring | operational | mandatory | Canadian Aquatic Biomonitoring Network (CABIN) Monitoring | aquatic life | Biological monitoring to assess conditions of aquatic habitats through the Canadian Aquatic Biomonitoring Network (CABIN). | To assess conditions of aquatic habitats | high |
| #Q017 | monitoring | operational | mandatory | Priority Ecosystems Monitoring and Assessment | other, aquatic life | Monitoring and assessment of Government of Canada priority ecosystems and programs, like the Great Lakes, St. Lawrence River Basin, Lake Winnipeg, and northeastern British Columbia, and through participation in initiatives such as the Canada-Alberta Joint Oil Sands Monitoring Program | Applies to Government of Canada priority ecosystems and joint programs | high |
| #Q018 | administrative | reporting | mandatory | Freshwater Quality Indicator (WQI) Development | aquatic life | Development of the freshwater quality indicator (WQI) for the Canadian Environmental Sustainability Indicators (CESI). The WQI measures the ability of freshwater bodies to support aquatic life at selected monitoring stations across Canada. | Under the Canadian Environmental Sustainability Indicators (CESI) | high |