Province Seeks Feedback on Water Act Amendments

Water is a critical resource and must be managed to meet the province’s growing needs. A resilient and efficient water management system is essential for safeguarding the health of Alberta’s communities, environment and economy.   

Alberta’s growing population, economy, and climate variability are placing pressures on water availability, in terms of both the quantity of water available within river basins and the availability of licences for water use. This limits how municipalities, farmers, industry and others can grow and plan for the future. 

To address these challenges, the Government of Alberta launched a public engagement process from fall 2024 through early 2025. The goal is to gather ideas for improving how water is managed and shared across the province. 

The Town of Olds was represented at a recent meeting of the Red Deer Regional Municipal Users Group which includes municipalities that draw water from the Red Deer River, our only water source.  

At the meeting, Kate Rich, Assistant Deputy Minister of Policy with Alberta Environment and Protected Areas, spoke about the provincial review of the Water Act. Residents are encouraged to read the background information and complete the survey before June 30, 2025. 

Information about this review and the public engagement are available on the provincial website at https://www.alberta.ca/water-availability-engagement. 

Residents of Olds are encouraged to complete the online survey to share input on the proposed amendments to the Water Act. The survey closely follows the discussion document and aims to gather input on support for or against each of the proposed changes. 

https://your.alberta.ca/water-availability/surveys/proposed-amendments-to-the-water-act. 

The survey will take 45-90 minutes to complete and closes June 30, 2025. 

This is a Government of Alberta initiative. The Town of Olds is sharing this opportunity to help residents stay informed and involved.

Media Contact: 

Jillian Toellner 
Supervisor – Communications & Engagement 
Town of Olds 
communications@olds.ca