Inter-jurisdictional Waterways

Ontario shares many waterways with other jurisdictions such as the Ottawa River (with Quebec) and the Great Lakes (with the United States).

The Ministry of Natural Resources plays a lead role in protecting Ontario’s interests in shared waterways especially with regard to:

• water levels and flows;
• source water takings; and
• watershed management and planning.

In 1909, the Boundary Waters Treaty helped establish an independent bi-national organization called the International Joint Commission (IJC).  Its purpose is to help prevent and resolve disputes relating to the use and quality of boundary waters and to advise Canada and the United States on related questions.  For example Canada and the United States share the Great Lakes. 

To assist the IJC in carrying out its duties, inter-jurisdictional Water Control Boards were created to manage regional interests within individual boundary water areas.

The primary objectives of the Water Control Boards are:

• to oversee boundary water flows and levels;
• to develop and implement regulation plans to ensure sustainable amounts of water for major user withdrawal;
• to regularly issue instructions to water users; and
• to construct, maintain and operate water control structures.

The MNR represents the province of Ontario on the following control boards:

Inter-provincial water control boards:

• Lake-of-the-Woods Control Board;
• Ottawa River Regulation Planning Board;
• Shoal Lake Control Board

International water control boards:

• International St. Lawrence River Board of Control;
• International Niagara Board of Control;
• International Lake Superior Board of Control; 
   

Canada is also a signatory to several Treaties and Agreements with the United States dealing with waters which flow along or across Ontario-US borders.

These include:

1) Treaties and Conventions

• Boundary Waters Treaty (1909) 
• Lake of the Woods Convention and Protocol (1925)
• Rainy Lake Convention (1940)
• Niagara River Water Diversion Treaty (1950)
  

2) Agreements

• St. Lawrence Seaway Project (1952)
• Great Lakes Water Quality Agreement (1972, 1978, 1987) 
• Great Lakes Charter and Annex (1985, 2001)
• Great Lakes- St. Lawrence River Basin Sustainable Water Resources Agreement (2005)