Freshwater
Canada has about 20% of the world's freshwater.
Why freshwater matters
For fish
- The thousands of lakes and rivers that lace Canada's boreal forest support a wide diversity of freshwater fish, including lake trout, sturgeon and walleye, which are a staple food for local residents and a sought-after prize for anglers.
- Ontario's northern boreal includes five of Canada’s few remaining undammed watersheds – a very rare commodity among the heavily dammed rivers of North America. Changes to aquatic habitat brought about by hydroelectric projects or road crossings could have big impacts on the more than 50 freshwater fish species found in the thousands of lakes and rivers that make this area as much water as land.
For birds
- Lakes in the northern boreal mountains provide critical refuelling stops for waterfowl and shorebirds migrating to and from nesting grounds in the Arctic. Songbirds that winter as far away as South America breed in the region’s lowland forests and wetlands.
For people
- The Yukon, Taku, Stikine, and Alsek Rivers support Pacific salmon runs that sustain river otters, bald eagles, and humans, including some of the 14 First Nations whose Traditional Territories lie in this approximately 419,000 km2 region.
Our solutions
Monitoring freshwater fish
- We're conducting field research on Lake Sturgeon in Ontario and working closely with the Moose Cree First Nation on stewardship efforts for this ancient fish.
- We studied how changing environmental conditions affect reproduction in Yukon's Chinook salmon.
Science for good planning
- We compiled information on climate, elevation, and hydrology across the Arctic drainage basin and examined almost a century of scientific fish sampling records to predict which northern Ontario watersheds are likely the most important for freshwater fish, and thus most in need of protection.
The water we share
Why we're focused on the far north in Ontario, and what we are doing to conserve its incredible freshwater ecosystems.
Projects
Learning from Lake Sturgeon
Big fish need healthy rivers.
Stories and op-eds
Canada cannot afford to miss the biodiversity train
KBA Canada Technical Coordinator Chloé Debyser outlines the risks posed to 18 Key Biodiversity Areas by the proposed Alto high speed rail line, and how Canada's recently announced Nature Strategy already has the tools for common sense solutionsChloé Debyser
Demystifying the Mitigation Hierarchy
A practical guide to one of the most important, yet misunderstood, frameworks in conservation and development decision making.Justina Ray, Ciara Raudsepp-Hearne
Women in conservation: Finding balance, voice, and impact
To mark International Women's Day, we sat down with Chrystal Mantyka-Pringle, Co-Director of our Northern Boreal Mountains program to talk about her career to date and what's kept her in the sector.Chrystal Mantyka-Pringle
Media coverage
‘Better Decisions Earlier, Not Weaker Decisions Faster’: Canada’s Permitting Overhaul Faces Pushback
“The goal should be better decisions earlier, not weaker decisions faster,” Victoria Goodday, public policy specialist with Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS) Canada, told The Energy Mix.
2026-08-06 | The Energy Mix
Ring of Fire Push Pits Critical Minerals Against Carbon Peatlands, Indigenous Rights
Infrastructure to support development could disrupt peatlands, potentially increasing carbon release and wildfire risk. Peatlands in the Ring of Fire store around 550m tonnes of carbon - two billion tonnes of carbon dioxide if fully decomposed.
2026-05-25 | The Energy Mix
Yukon doesn’t need species at risk legislation, environment minister says
Hilary Cooke, a conservation ecologist with Wildlife Conservation Society Canada says more needs to be done for species at risk in the Yukon, even without any new legislation.
2026-05-08 | CBC News
Press releases
