Overview
We gathered feedback from stakeholders on proposed amendments to the Water (Ministerial) Regulation that will exempt low-risk stormwater use from requiring a Water Act licence.
We’ve heard from Albertans that the current regulation requirements for stormwater use can be an inefficient and expensive process, which can prevent stormwater projects from moving forward despite clear environmental, social and economic benefits.
Stakeholder feedback helped inform proposed regulation amendments that address:
- specific volumes of stormwater that should be exempt from requiring a Water Act licence
- specific uses of stormwater that should be exempt from requiring a Water Act licence
- whether regions facing water scarcity should have different stormwater licensing exemptions
Timeline
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Open
March to May 2022
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Results under review
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Completed
April 2023
Who is listening
Ministry of Environment and Protected Areas
Input received
Stakeholder engagement
Between March and May 2022, stakeholders participated in virtual discussions to help inform proposed amendments to the Water (Ministerial) Regulation to exempt low-risk stormwater use from requiring a Water Act licence.
Outcomes
Stakeholder feedback informed amendments to the Water (Ministerial) Regulation. Now, under specified conditions, stormwater diversions of up to 6,250 cubic metres per year are exempt from requiring a Water Act licence. This will make it easier for Albertans to access and use stormwater instead of higher quality water sources.
See Water legislation and guidelines for more information.