Important Notice

It's All  About the Water: Report of the Panel on the Future of the Trent-Severn Waterway is now available.

Please click here to download the report.

The Trent-Severn Waterway is a nationally significant historic, cultural, ecological and recreational waterway. Over the years the economic and social environments have changed dramatically, yet the mandate and associated tools for the waterway’s management have not.

The modern Waterway must contribute to the recreational and lifestyle economy, provide access to water-based enjoyment, be a source of green power generation, protect natural resources and critical community water sources, support economically sustainable communities, and tell the story of the evolution of Central Ontario and canal technology.

What is the Panel on the Future of the Trent-Severn Waterway?

The federal minister of the environment has appointed an independent panel to evaluate the future of the historic waterway and its potential. The panel will examine:

• How to protect and present the Waterway's cultural heritage;
• Ways of assuring the future of the Waterway natural environment;
• How the Waterway can contribute to the present and future outdoor recreational needs of Canadians and particularly the growing and diverse population of the Greater Golden Horseshoe;
• A water management regime that is seen to meet the demands and expectations of a diverse array of stakeholders and needs;
• A framework for jurisdictional and inter-agency coordination and governance along the Waterway corridor;
• Ways in which the Waterway can contribute to economically sustainable communities, including the role of renewable energy; and,
• A sustainable funding framework.

This website will be regularly updated throughout the review process.