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Through this product redesign workshop, you will obtain an understanding of the implications of integrating safe and circular materials choices in the design process. You’ll explore a number of strategies for replacing and designing out chemicals of concern.

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Circular design guide - Safe and Circular Product Redesign Workshop | Shared by Digital

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First Nations, Métis and Inuit Education Association of Ontario

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First Nations, Métis and Inuit Education Association of Ontario

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Browse their extensive collection of resources to help with your next school project or related educational exercise. *Membership required to access some of the educational resources*

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First Nations, Métis and Inuit Education Association of Ontario

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About | First Nations, Métis and Inuit Education Association of Ontario

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Eight guiding principles for a green and fair future

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The most pressing humanitarian and environmental issues of today-such as health, conservation, infrastructure, and education-are all interconnected. Working in silos will not get us the future we both need and want. To transform to a better future, we must embrace complexity to create sustainable change.

WWF's 2018 Fuller Symposium explored systems thinking as a means to devise creative solutions to complex conservation, development, and environmental challenges. Many of the symposium's speakers, together with WWF scientists and staff, participated in a Book Sprint after the event to distill their collective wisdom on effective ways to understand and change complex systems. Their work resulted in a new book called The Art of Systems Change, which is now free to download.

The 15 authors represent fields as diverse as engineering, computer science, anthropology, and ecology. One thing unites them-their deeply held conviction that the world we live in is complex and interconnected. To truly change the world, we need to shift the way we think and embed complex systems thinking into how we plan, collaborate, and act.
Using The Art of Systems Change
The book has been designed to speak to change-makers working across all scales and sectors who seek to make systemic and lasting change. Part 1 introduces the fundamental tenets of systems thinking and describes their implications for our understanding of the world. Part 2 presents a set of mutually reinforcing principles that can guide our actions as we work to address our most pressing environmental and societal challenges.

In each chapter, we introduce a principle, why it's important, and how to work with it. We also provide simple 'daily practice' prompts that can help you cultivate both your individual and institution's capacity for changing systems. Throughout the book, we share stories and examples of both complex problems and systems and share insights on methods and approaches that can help us work more effectively in complex systems.

Welcome to the systems journey!
Eight principles for systems change

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The Art of Systems Change: Eight Guiding Principles for a Green and Fair Future | Publications | WWF

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The most pressing humanitarian and environmental issues of today-such as health, conservation, infrastructure, and education-are all interconnected. Working in silos will not get us the future we both need and want. To transform to a better future, we must embrace complexity to create sustainable change.

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The resources found here were curated for the annual #Gloabl Goals Project, the reflect a broader scope of subjects beyond the focus of Science education.
Please feel free to add #GlobalGoals instructional resources.
Owner: Jennifer Williams

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Climate Literacy & Energy Awareness Network | CLEAN

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Climate Literacy & Energy Awareness Network | CLEAN

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Explore the CLEAN Collection of Educational Resources

Guidance in Teaching About Climate and Energy Climate and energy are complex topics, with rapidly developing science and technology.

These pages offer easy-to-read explanations of science and policy, designed to step students through the key principles of climate and energy. Each page is illustrated with examples to bring these topics alive in your classroom.

A summary of each of the climate and energy literacy principles

Ideas to support learners

Suggested teaching approaches, selected for various grade levels

Relevant resources from the CLEAN collection

https://cleanet.org/clean/literacy/index.html

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Climate and Energy Educational Resources

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Accurate education about climate and energy topics has never been more important, and it can be challenging to locate reliable, vetted educational materials to use in your classroom. CLEAN is here to help you find the resources that you need, without wondering about their scientific credibility or educational value.

With over 700 items in the CLEAN collection, there are multiple ways to find the resources you need:

Search CLEAN by keywords, grade level, and/or resource type There are many ways to search the entire CLEAN collection. Type in a keyword, or click on the filter options, and off you go! Browse CLEAN by NGSS Resources are aligned by NGSS grade level bands, content, and all four NGSS categories (DCI, PE, SEP, CCC). Climate and energy education support Use the 'Teaching Climate' and the 'Teaching Energy' guides for instructional support in teaching about climate and energy topics. These pages include pedagogic strategies, ideas for bringing these topics to life in your classroom, and top resources. Design your own climate and energy units Create your own custom unit lessons using the NGSS-aligned planning template and tools, plus use the three classroom-ready unit examples.

Count on CLEAN:

Every item in the CLEAN collection is rigorously peer-reviewed by teams of educators and scientists. All resources are free and available online.

The CLEAN project is funded by the National Science Foundation, NOAA, and the Department of Energy.

CLEAN has been recognized by the Webby Awards and the National Center for Science Education.

The collection is widely used by the education community, and now receives over 16,000 monthly website visits.

Materials are designed for the for K-12 teacher, college educator, informal educators, and anyone looking for quality educational resources. The collection includes lesson plans, projects, videos, demos, and more.

The entire collection is NGSS-integrated and ready to support three-dimensional learning.

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teach the earth:incorporating societal issues:climate change

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Collection of Climate and Energy Educational Resources

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Accurate education about climate and energy topics has never been more important, and it can be challenging to locate reliable, vetted educational materials to use in your classroom. CLEAN is here to help you find the resources that you need, without wondering about their scientific credibility or educational value.

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A groundbreaking online learning experience that transforms how we learn about and engage with the ocean is now available to students across Canada. Freely accessible at oceanschool.ca and fully bilingual, Ocean School combines leading educational technologies with compelling storytelling techniques to immerse youth in the world of ocean science and culture. Learners engage with breathtaking videos, virtual reality (VR), augmented reality (AR), 360-degree experiences, interactive games, and other multi-media as they are digitally transported from the classroom to the forefront of ocean research, innovation, industry and culture.

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Our mission is to provide learners, the next generation of ocean citizens, with the knowledge and tools to understand our influence on the ocean and the ocean's influence on us.

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Ocean School - Educational Resources Module Guides

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Ocean School - Educational Resources Module Guides

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Ocean School is a groundbreaking educational experience that uses powerful storytelling techniques, immersive technologies and interactive media

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Ocean School Help Centre - Educational resources

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Sustainable STEM | Surefire Sharklet Lab

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Sustainable STEM | Surefire Sharklet Lab

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In this lesson, students will be introduced to biomimicry and Sharklet film. They will then investigate how Sharklet works through a hands-on experiment that simulates the accumulation of bacteria on surfaces with and without the pattern.

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In this lesson, students will explore the basics of polymer science, using pipe cleaners and colored penne to create models. Then, students will create two different slimes using chemical reactions and consider the difference between naturally derived and synthetic materials.

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Students will consider the difference between natural and synthetic fibers and investigate the ways that a variety of fabrics will interact with both basic and acidic dyes.

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Sustainable STEM 01 | Gathering Evidence

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Sustainable STEM 01 | Gathering Evidence

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This lesson introduces the global problem of plastics and sets the stage for designing a biodegradable cell phone case made from renewable materials. Students will consider their own impact on the environment through their personal choices while exploring the scale of effect that one product can have.

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Sustainable STEM 02 | Engineering Design to Make a Prototype 

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Sustainable STEM 02 | Engineering Design to Make a Prototype 

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Students will be introduced to the engineering design process, which they will use to design, construct, and evaluate a prototype for their cell phone case.

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In this lesson, students will take part in a very important task typical of any scientist or engineer: reviewing and revising their experimental procedure. Together, their changes will highlight the three criteria important for green chemistry technology, which allows for discussion of the sustainability of their mycelium cell phone case.

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© 2017 Fernando M.  Reimers. This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution  4.0 International License.

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Empowering Students   to Improve the World   in  Sixty Lessons Version 1.0 

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Empowering Students   to Improve the World   in  Sixty Lessons Version 1.0 

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The  book  is  addressed  primarily  to  teachers  and  school  and  district  leaders, interested  in  creating  opportunities  for  their  students  to  understand  the  world in  which  they  live,  and  to  learn  to  improve  it.  It  can  also  be  useful  directly  to students  in  elementary  and  secondary  education  who  may,  in  some  cases,  take the  initiative  to  themselves  create  curriculum  or  partner  with  their  teachers  in creating  opportunities  for  them  to  learn  about  globalization  in  their  schools. Parents  and  others  who  can  support  schools  in  becoming  more  relevant  may also find  the book helpful.

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Through captivating and fun characters and stories, Comics Uniting Nations makes the SDGs available to all avid readers.

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Get inspired by 100+ TED talks categorized by Goals!

Tackling the biggest issues of our time, they are perfect to introduce students to a topic or dive into a specific subject.

Duration: 20 minutes or less.

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Explore 100+ TED Talks curated by goals!

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Gamepedia offers a wide variety of games for all ages classified by goals to help teachers and educators teach sustainability seriously through fun games!

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Gamepedia - Find more games at Games4Sustainability

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Gamepedia - Do you want to use a sustainability-themed game in your activities? Find a perfect match for your needs from among 100+ games and simulations. Narrow your search by filtering the games by the UN Sustainable Development Goals or use the advanced search for more options.

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The SDG Book Club uses books as a tool to encourage children ages 6-12 to interact with the principles of the SDGs through a curated reading list of books from around the world related to each of the 17 SDGs.

Available in Arabic, Chinese, English, French, Russian, and Spanish.

But reading is just the first step: now it’s time to share your book club experiences and how you plan to take action.

Each month, we will feature a couple of book clubs on our blog, so get ready to share your story through social media, by using #SDGBookClub and tagging @UNPublications.

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An unprecedented coalition of 50+ environmental and education experts collaborated to launch The Earth School: 30 adventures for learners of all ages to discover, celebrate, and connect to nature.  Under the guidance and support of TED-Ed and UNEP this global team came together to design lessons for students of all levels and host Earth School at a time when it matters the most.

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Earth School - The information and inspiration we need to get to net-zero by 2050.

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How much do you already know about the basics of climate change?

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Integrating green chemistry and sustainable science principles into the classroom creates a safer more engaging learning environment for students and teachers alike.

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Our K-12 curriculum and teacher programs are designed by teachers, for teachers. Integrating green chemistry and sustainable science principles into the classroom creates a safer more engaging learning environment for students and teachers alike.

Is green chemistry only for high school?

x

No. Green chemistry concepts are understood and applicable at K-12 levels. Curriculum resources are available for elementary, middle and high school audiences.

What's the cost to access labs and lessons?

x

Our curriculum materials are available to download in word document format at no cost.

Will I have time in my curriculum?

x

Yes. Green chemistry content can be woven into your chemistry lessons and labs throughout the entire year since it is aligned to state and national standards. Our replacement labs are a simple way to bring green chemistry into your existing curriculum plan.

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Our K-12 curriculum and teacher programs are designed by teachers, for teachers. Integrating green chemistry and sustainable science principles into the classroom creates a safer more engaging learning environment for students and teachers alike. Is green chemistry only for high school? x No. Green chemistry concepts are understood and applicable at K-12 levels.

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Understanding Global Change (UGC) Earth System Tools 

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Understanding Global Change (UGC) Earth System Tools 

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The Understanding Global Change (UGC) Earth System Tools help learners of all ages connect interdisciplinary science ideas and make their thinking about global change phenomena visible. These materials have been integrated into biology, physics, chemistry, Earth science, and integrated science curricula. To see examples of units and lessons, please visit the Units and Lessons Page.

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Metals, ceramics, plastic, glass, and even living cells and tissue all can be used in creating a biomaterial. They can be reengineered into molded or machined parts, coatings, fibers, films, foams, and fabrics for use in biomedical products and devices. These may include heart valves, hip joint replacements, dental implants, or contact lenses. They often are biodegradable, and some are bio-absorbable, meaning they are eliminated gradually from the body after fulfilling a function.

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The modern field of biomaterials combines medicine, biology, physics, and chemistry and has grown significantly in the past decade

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The Women in STEM stories and posters can be used to explore equity, diversity, and inclusivity (EDI) with your students. Possible curriculum connections and learning outcomes are listed and each resource includes suggestions for adapting to grades 4 to 6, grades 6 to 8 as well as grades 9 and up.

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Educational Resources

The Women in STEM stories and posters can be used to explore equity, diversity, and inclusivity (EDI) with your students. Possible curriculum connections and learning outcomes are listed and each resource includes suggestions for adapting to grades 4 to 6, grades 6 to 8 as well as grades 9 and up.

We recommend you begin with the overview resource. Each unit can be downloaded and used in any order. It is important to remember in such discussions that all students may start with a different understanding of social issues. While all students may have unique experiences and perspectives because of their own social identities, it is essential to conduct discussions with mutual respect, compassion, and dignity for all.

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Resources - Women in Science Technology Engineering and Mathematics

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The Women in STEM stories and posters can be used to explore equity, diversity, and inclusivity (EDI) with your students. Possible curriculum connections and learning outcomes are listed and each resource includes suggestions for adapting to grades 4 to 6, grades 6 to 8 as well as grades 9 and up.

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Equity and Inclusion in STEM | Canada 2067

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Equity and Inclusion in STEM | Canada 2067

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Canada 2067 was conceptualized to shape the future of education in Canada – specifically related to Kindergarten to Grade 12 learning in science, technology, engineering and math (STEM). Developed through a year-long effort that convened stakeholders, gathered insights, and reviewed global policy initiatives, Canada 2067 looks towards the bicentennial year when today’s teens will be considering their retirement to enhance learning opportunities today and in the future.

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There is no more powerful transformative force than education—to promote human rights and dignity, to eradicate poverty and deepen sustainability, to build a better future for all, founded on equal rights and social justice, respect for cultural diversity, and international solidarity and shared responsibility, all of which are fundamental aspects of our common humanity." —Irina Bokova, former Director-General of UNESCO

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To help reach our goal of actively supporting and enhancing the work of the United Nations' efforts within K-12 classrooms, our TeachSDGs organization contributes to the 2030 Agenda in the following...

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Gillian Judson, PhD, is Executive Director of the Centre For Imagination in Research, Culture and Education (www.circesfu.ca) at Simon Fraser University. Her research and teaching are primarily concerned with the role of imagination in all learning, with a particular focus on imaginative, Place-based teaching practices.

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Promising Practices, Sustainability, Teaching
Outdoor inquiry and imagination

Want to take student learning outside the school walls? Focused walks can be used in any context to develop students' Sense of Place and to enrich their understanding of curricular topics.

"Two Grade 4 students suddenly stop. Crouching down, unzipped coats hastily pushed behind them, they look closely at the base of a tree in the schoolyard. "Here," one points eagerly. "This would be a great hiding place for an ant."

"Yeah," says the other, "but what about a mouse or a rat? That's too small! There's more hiding places over here - come on!" They both take off running. Mr. Reynold's students have been told to find evidence of the great game of "hide and seek" going on all around them. The students learned that "hiders" may be prey and "seekers" predators. They look carefully, eyes opened to the largely invisible "game" that is played out everywhere in nature.

Yesterday, these same students paired up with their Kindergarten buddies to consider the life in the schoolyard. Wandering out in pairs, they searched for evidence of growth and, afterwards, shared the "breaking news" of what was "growing on." (See "Two Sample Walks.")

The Walking Curriculum

The Walking Curriculum is a teaching resource for K-12 educators who want to take student learning outside school walls. The 60 easy-to-use walk-focused activities are designed to engage students' emotions and imaginations with their local natural and cultural communities, to broaden their awareness of the particular places where they go to school, and to evoke their sense of wonder in learning. Walking Curriculum activities can be used in any context to develop students' sense of Place and to enrich their understanding of curricular topics.

The Walking Curriculum is designed for the educator who is passionate about supporting student learning and dedicated to growing in their practice, but who may not have considered moving outside the school walls to do so. All educators can afford their students the opportunity to connect with the in the world - whether in urban, suburban, or rural settings.

Teachers often have few imagination-focused resources that can develop students' sense of ecological understanding and at the same time can contribute to their understanding of the mandated curriculum. The Walking Curriculum resource is designed to fill that gap. The proposed walking activities address a wide variety of themes, perspectives, and motivations. For example, students may be asked to find different things (such as shapes, spaces or lines, evidence of growth or change, "the best" hiding places), to change perspectives (imagine being a beetle, a detective, or a visitor from outer space), to encounter the world differently (emphasizing one sense over another or moving through space differently), to seek evidence of human-nature relationships, to identify patterns, or to locate natural or human systems in action. In all cases, the activities are designed to connect Place-based learning activities with cross-curricular goals and to serve as examples to inspire other Place-inspired teaching ideas.

It's an overcast day when Ms. Rai's Grade 9 students move their Social Studies learning outdoors. The students are seeking examples of different land uses-in particular how the community caters to cars. Their observations fuel an interesting discussion in class about cultural priorities and values. Their teacher plans for their next walking-based activity to look at walkability in their neighbourhoods. They will be considering how useable, safe, comfortable and appealing different footpaths are for pedestrians and will ultimately suggest improvements. Some of the same students spend time later that day walking with breath - they are taking a mindfulness walk and considering how their bodies move, how the rhythm of their moving bodies and their own in- and exhalations offer them a focus for their attention. They are learning about mental wellness and practicing through outdoor walking.

Schoolyards are often underused resources for learning the curriculum and for developing students' connections with nature and community. The message within the Walking Curriculum is simple: educators (not just those who identify as "outdoor educators") can help students re-imagine their relationship with the natural world they go to school.

Engaging with nature ignites the imagination and fuels human curiosity. There is an openness and a complexity in nature that engages our sense of wonder, and a sensuousness that engages the body in learning. I believe outdoor, imagination-focused learning is one way to ensure that our students leave school curious than when they arrived. This may address a troubling trend of disengagement and boredom for many students as they proceed through school.

Educators' observations

Educators using the Walking Curriculum say they appreciate how the approach creates a new space for their teaching - they are experimenting, collaborating and discussing these ideas in ways that can support their professional growth. Educators find the Walking Curriculum to be a powerful bridge connecting traditional, "placeless" ways of teaching with an Indigenous worldview that acknowledges human beings learn from the relationships they experience within their human, other-than-human, and more-than-human communities. They are noticing the positive impact that the walks have on students' mental well-being and their ability to regulate their emotions. And they report that their students' observational skills are improving and their curiosity increasing - the walks take longer as students more deeply engage and as students are asking more questions, more often. The Walking Curriculum encourages interdisciplinary learning, as educators connect the ideas/learning generated through the walking-based activities to other curricular topics.

Every walk in the Walking Curriculum can bring some aspect of the natural world and related curricular knowledge into focus. With increasing clarity students begin to see the wonder in the "ordinary" world around them.

Re-imagining where students learn

Walking has been called the "magic pill" for wellness as it can positively impact so many aspects of our physical and mental health. Engaging with nature more routinely is also important for saving the planet. Research shows that undergoing meaningful experiences in nature as children can foster the development of a conservation ethic. This is, of course, one of the ultimate goals of Green Schools: students who care about the Earth.

The Walking Curriculum challenges teachers to re-imagine how they teach and it encourages teachers to personally re-connect to Place and community. The Walking Curriculum encourages teachers to "get outside" (physically outside and, figuratively, "outside" by rethinking how they engage their students). Engaging learners in their local natural and cultural contexts may - in part - be as simple as taking imaginatively engaging, inquiry-focused walks.

Two Sample Walks

1 . The Hiding Place Walk: What good hiding places can you find? First think about a hiding place for yourself. Next, identify the best hiding places for a raccoon, a mouse, or a spider. Dramatic Tension: A giant life and death drama of "hide and go seek" is going on right now, all around us. Identify things that you think always try to hide. Why? It may be that the "hiders" are "prey" to other animals - they are likely to get eaten! Identify "prey" and "predators" - hiders and seekers.

2 . The Growth Walk: What is growing on your walk? How do you know? What are the different ways in which growth appears to you? Role Play: What's "growing on" in your schoolyard? Like a reporter, give a "breaking news" report about an example of things growing that you observed on your walk.

Photo: Amelia Dare

First published in Education Canada, June 2020

Meet the Expert(s)

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Promising Practices, Sustainability, Teaching Outdoor inquiry and imagination Want to take student learning outside the school walls? Focused walks can be used in any context to develop students' Sense of Place and to enrich their understanding of curricular topics. "Two Grade 4 students suddenly stop.

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Explore Canada's food guide.

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Eat a variety of healthy foods each day

Healthy eating is more than the foods you eat

Explore Canada's food guide

Recipes from the kitchen

Subscribe to get the latest healthy eating updates.

Sign up now

Report a problem or mistake on this page

About this site

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Find our healthy eating recommendations, food guide kitchen, tips, resources and more.

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Healthy eating means consuming a variety of foods from the four food groups described in Canada’s Food Guide.

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What Is Healthy Eating?

Healthy eating means consuming a variety of foods from the four food groups described in Canada's Food Guide. These foods - that contain protein, carbohydrates, fat, water, vitamins, and minerals - will provide the nutrients needed to keep you healthy, give you energy, and make you feel great. Fruits and vegetables, beans and legumes, whole grains, lower-fat milk and milk products, fish and lean meats should all be eaten often. In contrast, it is important to limit processed foods and drinks, especially those that are high in calories, fat, sugar, and sodium.[1] Healthy eating also means eating the recommended amount of food for your age, sex, and level of physical activity.

Healthy Eating in Schools

By the time children reach four and five years of age, they spend much of their day in schools. So, it makes sense that schools are important places for them to learn about healthy eating. If children don't know how to make healthy food choices, they can't make them. That being said, students also require critical thinking skills to make smart decisions about food and a supportive environment in which to do so.

There are many elements that help make a comprehensive school health approach successful. Two are particularly important. First, committed educators should be equipped with quality teaching resources that not only correspond to the Ontario Ministry of Education curriculum and policy, but also provide fundamental content on healthy eating and include activities that offer students opportunities to apply their knowledge and skills.

Second, children deserve to be educated in supportive environments - those which help rather than hinder their efforts to eat healthy foods. Initiatives like the Ontario School Food and Beverage Policy (Policy/Program Memorandum No. 150/PPM150) can improve the "food landscape" at schools simply by changing what is available for purchase. By providing students with healthier food choices, the Policy may help encourage students to consume more nutritious foods while simultaneously discouraging them from eating foods that contain excessive amounts of fat, sugar, and sodium. This is part of a larger effort to develop healthier learning environments for Ontario students.

Creating an Inclusive Environment

When teaching about healthy eating, it is essential for educators to demonstrate sensitivity and good judgment. Children and youth, like all people, will have relationships with food that are complex. One reason children avoid foods is because of allergies or sensitivities. When learners have serious, or even life-threatening allergies to food, their eating experiences are significantly altered. While almost any food can trigger an allergic response, studies have shown that between 80 to 90 % of food allergies in children involve cow's milk, eggs, peanuts, wheat, soy, tree nuts, or fish.[2] Since many of these foods are considered good choices for healthy eating, it is easy to see how learners with allergies may be concerned about getting the nutrients they require. As such, educators should reassure learners that they can still have healthy diets, even when allergies prevent them from eating certain foods. One way to do this is to emphasize that vitamins and nutrients found in these foods are also present in many others. Consider using Canada's Food Guide to help learners find alternative foods that fall into the applicable category.

Culture also plays a significant role in our relationships with food. In every culture, food is eaten for many reasons other than hunger: It can provide comfort and security; it can be a symbol of hospitality or social status; or it can hold religious significance. Culture influences what and how we eat, as well as how we prepare and serve our food.[3] Just as some learners avoid foods due to allergies, others may not eat foods from all four food groups because of family, cultural, or religious reasons.

Careful consideration should be paid to the ways educators talk about food and nutrition. It is important that they do not make learners feel that one value system or food practice is superior to another, and that no foods, food groups, or eating practices are criticized. Educators must avoid making assumptions about students based on their country of origin, culture, or religion. On the contrary, educators need to create an inclusive environment by recognizing and celebrating both the wonderful variety of foods consumed by their learners, and the multitude of ways those foods are enjoyed.

The Ontario Ministry of Education's Health and Physical Education curriculum guidelines clearly outline that students should learn to examine their food choices and make decisions while working within the parameters they can control.[4] This has some significant implications for educators. Educators must be aware that learners have variable amounts of control over the food they eat at home and bring to school. Both the kinds of food and the amounts available at home will dictate how a child eats. In particular, young children, and those who live in poverty, may have very little control over their diets - and they may not be able to eat healthy foods every day. Children who live in poverty often eat less healthy foods than their more affluent counterparts.[5] Fresh fruits and vegetables are expensive and may be out-of-reach for many families. For these reasons, educators must be respectful and use sensitivity when teaching about healthy eating.

The Role of Teachers and Educators

Healthy eating is a cornerstone of our general health and is linked to the prevention of many chronic diseases. Nutrition education can help kids develop lifelong healthy eating attitudes and behaviours.[6] When we establish healthy eating patterns in our early years, we set ourselves on a path for overall health and well-being.

Educators and teachers play a critical role in nutrition education. If teachers talk about healthy eating with confidence and sensitivity, while also making healthy food choices themselves, they can be terrific role models.[6] When teachers create nurturing learning environments in the implementation of Ontario's Health and Physical Education curriculum, they not only assist learners in gaining skills and knowledge with regard to healthy eating, but they also empower their learners to make healthier food choices. Children need opportunities to practise critical thinking about nutrition, so they learn to recognize factors (media, friends, culture) that influence their own eating decisions. This, in turn, encourages learners to develop a sense of personal responsibility about their nutrition.

Canada's Food Guide

Canada's Food Guide is just that - a guide to healthy eating for Canadians. It is based on a wide range of scientific evidence including nutrient standards and the role of nutrition in preventing chronic disease. It outlines both how much food we need as well as what types of foods are best for our health. Canada's Food Guide has been revised to include foods eaten by people from many countries and cultural backgrounds. It now reflects Canada's cultural diversity rather than simply outlining the food and dietary practices of the general Canadian population. If we follow the suggestions in Canada's Food Guide, we can make sure our food choices meet the daily requirements for vitamins, minerals, and other nutrients, as well as reduce our risks of obesity, type 2 diabetes, heart disease, certain types of cancer, and osteoporosis.[7] Eating well, in accordance with Canada's Food Guide, will contribute to good overall health.

Eating Well with Canada's Food Guide - A Resource for Educators and Communicators is a useful guide, designed to help educators teach about Canada's Food Guide.

For educators teaching about nutrition in First Nations, Métis, and Inuit (FNMI) communities, there are special considerations. Aboriginal cultures have distinct values and traditions, and sometimes different food choices from those of the general Canadian population.[8] As such, when teaching about nutrition in FNMI communities, educators must find both suitable strategies and content that reflect and respect the beliefs, practices, history, and culture of their learners. For further information, please refer to Eating Well with Canada's Food Guide - First Nations, Inuit and Métis. It is available in four native languages (Inuktitut, Ojibwe, Plains Cree, and Woods Cree).

Nutrition Facts Table

Nutrition Facts tables are charts that outline the nutritional values of our foods. Health Canada requires that food manufacturers print a Nutrition Facts table on almost all packaged foods.[9] Please note that not all foods are not required to have a Nutrition Facts table such as fresh vegetables and fruits; raw meat and poultry (except when it is ground); raw fish and seafood; foods prepared or processed at the store (bakery items, salads, etc.); foods that contain very few nutrients such as coffee, tea, herbs and spices; and alcoholic beverages. Since it looks similar on all packaging, it is generally simple to find and easy to read. Nutrition Facts tables provide information about the number of calories, and the amount of 13 core nutrients found in the food as calculated from the serving size.

The information on a Nutrition Facts table is based on the serving size, which is clearly listed at the top of the table. Nutrition Facts tables outline the Percent Daily Value (% DV) of particular nutrients. This will tell you if the food contains a little or a lot of the nutrients listed on the Nutrition Facts tables, including fat (saturated and trans fat), carbohydrates (fibre and sugar), protein, vitamin A, vitamin C, sodium, calcium, and iron. In general, dietitians agree that 5% DV or less is considered "a little", while 15-20% DV or more is considered "a lot."[10]

While they may look complicated at first, especially to children, Nutrition Facts tables can be easily understood when broken down into five simple categories: serving size, percent daily value, calories, nutrients to consume in greater quantities, and nutrients to consume in lesser quantities.

An ingredient list shows all the ingredients in a packaged food, from most to least. It can be used to learn about the composition of a particular food. Since many people have indicated they find the current ingredient list difficult read, Health Canada is proposing to improve both the Nutrition Facts table and the list of ingredients so they are easier to understand. In the meantime, it is crucial to teach children and youth how to read and understand Nutrition Facts tables and ingredient lists. This way, educators can help learners identify a food's nutritional value, and consequently compare food products to make better choices.

More information on Nutrition Facts tables and how to use them.

Importance of Hydration

Approximately, two-thirds of the human body is comprised of water.[11] It helps your body work in many ways.

Water:

keeps your skin healthy;

regulates your body temperature;

acts as a cushion between cells, muscles, and joints;

transports nutrients throughout your body;

breaks down food so your body can absorb nutrients; and

helps rid your body of waste.[12]

Every day, our bodies lose water by sweating, getting rid of waste, and even breathing! This means we need to consume enough water and fluids every day to stay hydrated and keep our bodies healthy. While water is generally considered the preferred option - because it is free of calories and effectively quenches thirst - all fluids help to hydrate your body.[13] Low-fat milk and unsweetened fortified soy beverages (as well as juices that are made from 100% pure fruit or vegetables) are also smart options for staying hydrated.[14] Additionally, eating vegetables and fruit also helps hydrate your body because they contain lots of water.[12] Beverages that are high in calories, sugar, fat, and caffeine are not healthy options for hydration. Fruit-flavoured drinks, pop, powdered drink mixes, and sport and energy drinks are not recommended.

How much fluid you need daily depends on your age and gender. Children ages one to three need about 4 cups (1 litre) daily, those ages four to eight require 5.5 cups (1.3 litres), while older kids and teens need even more - 7 cups (1.8 litres) for girls and 10.5 cups (2.6 litres) for boys. Even though these amounts may sound sizeable, remember that all fluids consumed count toward your daily water requirements.[15]

Talking About Eating Disorders and Disordered Eating

Another mental health issue facing youths is eating disorders. The risk factors of disordered eating and eating disorders are prevalent, serious, and often chronic. Risk factors range from body dissatisfaction, or negative body image, to restrictive dieting and disordered eating patterns (such as binge eating and compensatory behaviours that are used to counteract the ingestion of calories, such as self-induced vomiting, laxative use, and excessive exercise). Eating disorders can be life-threatening and should be assessed by an experienced mental health professional if there are suspected concerns. Understanding the warning signs can help educators to support youths at risk, and to put in place supports to help a youth struggling with symptoms associated with eating problems.

The occurrence of other mental health problems is common (but not necessarily a prerequisite) with disordered eating and includes depression, anxiety disorders, and substance abuse.[16], [17] A number of risk factors for the development of clinical eating disorders, such as negative body image, restrictive dieting, binge eating and purging behaviours, are found to be present among at least a segment of individuals who are overweight/obese.[18] This has led prevention experts to develop and consider shared intervention strategies that can be applied across a broad spectrum of weight-related issues.[19], [20], [21], [22]

The effects of eating problems are especially critical during key developmental periods, such as adolescence.[23], [24] Many young people with eating problems do not believe there is anything wrong and therefore do not acknowledge the problem or seek the help they need. Continued support and encouragement to seek help is often needed. Often, the behaviours associated with disordered eating are not reflective of the child or adolescent making a voluntary decision, for example, not to eat. Some of these behaviours, such as dieting, have an obsessive quality that may be difficult to control. You may notice youths who have a sense of accomplishment with maintaining a level of thinness. Sometimes, you may observe denial from the young person when asked if he or she fears gaining weight, yet the patterns of behaviour suggest otherwise.

It is important to note that the appearance of a young person may not reflect whether disordered eating is occurring.[25] If there are problems with eating, the effects can influence the young person's appearance and weight in different ways. It may also affect the child's growth and development. On the flip side, some children may have a healthy weight and eat healthy even if their weight is a bit above or below the average, therefore having a broader understanding of eating disorders and related behaviour can be helpful.

Best Practices in Healthy Eating

Behaviours such as dieting, talking about appearance, and worrying about gaining weight are common at different stages of development, especially in the adolescent years. This preoccupation can be spurred on by having adults around them, including educators, focus on their appearance or talk about dieting and weight loss in front of them.[26] It is important to observe, however, if the young person's daily activities, functioning in school and in a social setting, or mood is affected, these could be signs of a possible problem with eating. Current research dictates that information about eating disorders and their symptoms should not be taught in class (by educators or by learners).[27]

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Healthy eating means consuming a variety of foods from the four food groups described in Canada's Food Guide. These foods - that contain protein, carbohydrates, fat, water, vitamins, and minerals - will provide the nutrients needed to keep you healthy, give you energy, and make you feel great.

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By providing ongoing opportunities for discussing and learning about mental health and mental illness, educators can initiate dialogue with learners who need additional help.

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Mental health is a fundamental dimension of overall health and an essential resource for living that influences how learners feel, perceive, think, communicate, and understand the world.[1] Children and youths' understanding of positive influences on mental health (e.g., life, love, school, friendships, family) involves the development of their understanding of mental health indicators and behaviours (e.g., depression, anxiety, substance use, low self-esteem). Without good mental health, young people may be unable to fulfill their full potential or play an active part in everyday life. Discussions and activities relating to mental health can address many areas, from enhancing our emotional well-being, to treating and preventing severe mental illness, and preventing suicide.[2] By providing ongoing opportunities for discussing and learning about mental health and mental illness, educators can initiate dialogue with learners who need additional help.

Talking About Mental Health and Mental Illness

Mental health and mental illness can be challenging topics to teach and discuss because of the wide range of experiences, information (or misinformation), and understandings of what mental health and mental illness are. Learners (and adults) receive this information from those around them, including their peers, siblings, parents, the media, and other adults such as yourself. So it is important to think about how your own perceptions of mental health and mental illness might impact how we discuss this important issue.

Oftentimes, the perceptions that learners have regarding mental health and mental illness are interconnected with their own personal experiences. For example, some learners may have a friend or family member who has experienced, or currently experiences, mental illness. Some of your learners might themselves have personally experienced poor mental health or mental illness. In fact, 1 in 7 students in Ontario from Grades 7-12 rate their mental health as poor/fair.[3]

Stigma, which refers to negative attitudes (prejudice) and negative behaviour (discrimination), also has a profound impact on the way young people (and adults) discuss mental health and mental illness, and treat people experiencing mental illness.[4] Cultural background can also have an impact on how young people talk (or don't talk about) these issues.

Some Definitions

Confusion may exist between the concepts of mental health and mental illness. For example, sometimes people may use the term "mental health" when they actually mean "mental illness." Two widely accepted definitions[5] of each of these terms follow:

Mental health: "the capacity of each and all of us to feel, think, act in ways that enhance our ability to enjoy life and deal with the challenges we face"

Mental illness: "a biological condition of the brain that causes alterations in thinking, mood, or behaviour associated with significant distress and impaired functioning"

Just like "health," "mental health" is a positive concept.[6] "Mental illness," on the other hand, though related to mental health, is distinct. Mental illness refers to illnesses that can include depression, anxiety, or schizophrenia to name a few.5 Just as mental health and mental illness are related, so are mental health and health. How we feel in our mind affects how we feel in our body, and vice versa.

Mental Health and Mental Illness Are Different, but Connected, Concepts

As the definitions for mental health and mental illness above suggest, mental health and mental illness are two different concepts. But they are not just opposites of one another. Often, people assume that you either have mental health or you have mental illness. But it is not that simple.

Like our physical health, our mental health is a component of each one of us that is always with us.[7] This means that even if we have a mental illness, we can still have the potential to have good mental health with the right treatment and supports. Think about someone who has diabetes, which is a physical illness. With the right treatment and support, a person who has diabetes can still live an otherwise healthy life and function well. Similarly, even if someone has a mental illness, if they are receiving the right treatment (like medication or therapy) and have the social supports they need (e.g., friends and family who care about them), they can still cope and do well in life. Ultimately, reframing mental health as a positive concept and something that is attainable for all, even those with mental illness, can bring a positive and hopeful tone to discussions with young people about mental health.[2]

Those who are interested in learning more about the connections between mental health and mental illness may be interested in the Dual Continua Model developed by a sociologist named Corey Keyes. Keyes describes mental health and mental illness as existing along intersecting continua: one continuum spans from poor mental health to optimal mental health, and the intersecting continuum ranges from no symptoms to serious mental illness.[8] An adaptation of the Keyes model by the Canadian Institute for Health Information (2009) can be viewed on page 14 of The Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, Dalla Lana School of Public Health, University of Toronto, and Toronto Public Health's Best practice guidelines for mental health promotion programs: Children (7-12) and youth (13-19) at porticonetwork.ca.

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Mental health is a fundamental dimension of overall health and an essential resource for living that influences how learners feel, perceive, think, communicate, and understand the world.[1] Children and youths' understanding of positive influences on mental health (e.g., life, love, school, friendships, family) involves the development of their understanding of mental health indicators and behaviours (e.g., depression, anxiety, substance use, low self-esteem).

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Classroom resources, professional development and networking for Ontario’s science educators. For public and private schools from Kindergarten through college and university.

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Whether your learning style is online learning, participating in webinars or workshops, or attending our annual conference, STAO offers a variety of professional learning opportunities to help you be the best teacher you can be. Our professional development opportunities focus on member's needs and are accessible online when you need them.

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STAO | Science Teachers' Association of Ontario

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Whether your learning style is online learning, participating in webinars or workshops, or attending our annual conference, STAO offers a variety of professional learning opportunities to help you be the best teacher you can be. Our professional development opportunities focus on member's needs and are accessible online when you need them.

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Free Lesson Plans to support learners as they explore Canada's energy future

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What's New?
Watch our new video:
Arctic Roads: Canada in a Changing Climate

Steve Wolfe and Peter Morse, two permafrost scientists with the Geological Survey of Canada, travelled to the western Canadian Artic to investigate permafrost conditions along the Inuvik to Tuktoyaktuk highway (click here).
Try our Free Lesson Plans for your Classroom:
Exploring Canada's Energy Future

A teacher's guide, activities and infographics designed to help students navigate the importance of energy in Canada (click here).
To What Degree?
Encourages students to think about climate change adaptation and mitigation through a variety of fun activities (click here).

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Watch our new video: Arctic Roads: Canada in a Changing Climate Steve Wolfe and Peter Morse, two permafrost scientists with the Geological Survey of Canada, travelled to the western Canadian Artic to investigate permafrost conditions along the Inuvik to Tuktoyaktuk highway (click here).

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Ocean Wise Education works with audiences of all backgrounds and sizes, schools youth-serving agencies, and community groups to individuals and families. Each of the areas are targeted to a range of ages and developmental stages, covering young ocean enthusiasts from toddlers to late teens. The unifying Principles of Ocean Literacy are woven throughout all of our programs, providing a common thread and a shared language to work with the other ocean conservation leaders.

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Ocean Education

Educating young and curious minds is the key to ocean conservation. Ocean Wise education connects youth globally through digital, in-person and mobile programs that encourage ocean literacy and foster a sense of stewardship from an early age.

Ocean Wise Education works with audiences of all backgrounds and sizes, schools youth-serving agencies, and community groups to individuals and families. Each of the areas are targeted to a range of ages and developmental stages, covering young ocean enthusiasts from toddlers to late teens. The unifying Principles of Ocean Literacy are woven throughout all of our programs, providing a common thread and a shared language to work with the other ocean conservation leaders.

Ocean Wise Education Programs

Online Learning Programs

Ocean Wise Online Learning is an interactive environment that furthers understanding and connections to the ocean. We engage thousands of individuals, helping participants understand ocean literacy.
Learn More

Mobile Programs

Mobile Programs is the traveling education stream of Ocean Wise®. We bring ocean education to schools, youth groups, and communities coast to coast. To date we have engaged over 625,000 students, youth and community members.
Learn More

Service Learning

Service learning provides an experiential pathway for people of all ages to learn about our oceans while becoming an engaged citizen in their community.
Learn More

Activity Centre & Resources

We know it's a juggling act right now with the kids at home. Our educators and animal experts have compiled resources for kids to learn to care for the ocean - and the animals in it - from the comfort of home.
Learn More

Ocean Communities

Connect to other Ocean champions through our interactive sharing spaces:

Ocean Literacy

For teachers and youth group leaders interested in resources to support learning about our Oceans, explore our offerings below:

Elementary

Middle School

High School

Educators

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Educating young and curious minds is the key to ocean conservation. Ocean Wise education connects youth globally through digital, in-person and mobile programs that encourage ocean literacy and foster a sense of stewardship from an early age. Ocean Wise Education works with audiences of all backgrounds and sizes, schools youth-serving agencies, and community groups to individuals and families.

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 Idea Lab - A CC UNESCO initiative to inspire innovation

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 Idea Lab - A CC UNESCO initiative to inspire innovation

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IdeaLab is a forum for reflecting on current topics of interest to Canadians. Experts from the Canadian Commission for UNESCO’s broad network explore a variety of topics such as disinformation, Indigenous cultural heritage, climate change, and education. IdeaLab offers new perspectives to encourage intersectoral and cross-disciplinary dialogue.

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An initiative to encourage innovation

IdeaLab is a forum for reflecting on current topics of interest to Canadians. Experts from the Canadian Commission for UNESCO's broad network explore a variety of topics such as disinformation, Indigenous cultural heritage, climate change, and education. IdeaLab offers new perspectives to encourage intersectoral and cross-disciplinary dialogue.

Land as teacher: understanding Indigenous land-based education

What is Indigenous land-based education and what is it not? Four Indigenous voices from across the country share their insights on what it means to them, why it's important for both Indigenous and non-Indigenous Peoples, and how it can support reconciliation efforts in Canada.

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An initiative to encourage innovation IdeaLab is a forum for reflecting on current topics of interest to Canadians. Experts from the Canadian Commission for UNESCO's broad network explore a variety of topics such as disinformation, Indigenous cultural heritage, climate change, and education. IdeaLab offers new perspectives to encourage intersectoral and cross-disciplinary dialogue.

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Coalition of Inclusive Municipalities | CC UNESCO

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Coalition of Inclusive Municipalities | CC UNESCO

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This network brings together municipalities that want to improve their policies against racism, discrimination, exclusion and intolerance. Its strength lies in the shared experiences of its members. Together, the municipalities undertake initiatives to eliminate all forms of discrimination with a view to building open and inclusive societies.

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This network brings together municipalities that want to improve their policies against racism, discrimination, exclusion and intolerance. Its strength lies in the shared experiences of its members. Together, the municipalities undertake initiatives to eliminate all forms of discrimination with a view to building open and inclusive societies.

The Network in Canada

In Canada, 82 cities are members of the Coalition of Inclusive Municipalities. They advance initiatives to:

improve their practices to promote social inclusion

establish policies to eradicate all forms of racism and discrimination

promote human rights and diversity

The cities follow through on the Coalition's commitments for respecting, protecting and promoting human rights and diversity.

Because it values and respects all its members, an inclusive municipality builds a society without fences, where everyone has an equal chance at participating in its economic, political, social, cultural and recreational life, and to thrive there.

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This network brings together municipalities that want to improve their policies against racism, discrimination, exclusion and intolerance. Its strength lies in the shared experiences of its members. Together, the municipalities undertake initiatives to eliminate all forms of discrimination with a view to building open and inclusive societies.

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Food Waste | Recycling Council of Ontario

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Food Waste | Recycling Council of Ontario

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Improving Management and Recovery of Food and Food Waste in the Industrial, Commercial, and Institutional Sector

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What you need to know about how waste is managed in the province, including Ontario’s new approach to reducing litter and waste in our communities.

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Overview

Our Made-in-Ontario Environment Plan commits to shifting to a waste management approach where producers are responsible for the waste generated from their products and packaging, and waste is seen as a resource that can be recovered, reused and reintegrated back into the economy. This will support the health of both Ontario's environment, communities and economy.

Our new approach will:

reduce litter and waste in our communities

protect the environment

drive innovation, performance and competitiveness

stimulate economic growth and development

Feedback on the province's Reducing Litter and Waste in Our Communities discussion paper is currently being reviewed and will be taken into consideration as the government begins to implement the next steps of its new waste management approach.

Blue Box Program transition to producer responsibility

Ontario is transitioning the current Blue Box Program to a producer responsibility model. The new model means transitioning costs of the Blue Box Program away from municipal taxpayers and making producers of products and packaging fully responsible for the litter they create.

The model will improve recycling across the province by:

We finalized our blue box regulation and will begin to transfer responsibility to producers starting July 1, 2023. By December 31, 2025, producers will be fully responsible for providing blue box services across Ontario. See when your community will be transferred.

The new plan will ensure that the Blue Box Program continues to be convenient and accessible for all Ontarians by:

standardizing what goes in the blue box across the province

taking the cost burden off municipalities and allowing producers to innovate

expanding recycling services to more communities, including smaller, rural and remote communities

putting recycling systems in places like parks, schools, apartment buildings or industrial sources

providing producers with greater options for recycling while maintaining Ontario's alcoholic beverage deposit return program

setting high targets to drive collection from more sources

Standardizing what goes in the blue box across the province

We are proposing a consistent list of materials that residents can recycle at more locations. This means:

less confusion about what goes in the blue box

recycling will be as easy as possible

Taking the cost burden off municipalities and allowing producers to innovate

The cost of the current Blue Box system is not sustainable and is expected to increase significantly in the coming years.

The new regulation shifts the cost of operating the current system from municipalities to the producers who create the product and packaging waste. At the same time, we are giving producers the tools to find efficiencies and lower costs. This will:

allow producers to find cost efficiencies to improve the collection and management of materials

encourage producers to make packaging that is easier to recycle

put valuable materials back into the economy

Minimizing the costs for consumers and families

The new model will create competition in the market for producers to find new and innovative ways to manage their products and minimize costs to consumers for their everyday purchases.

Additional costs for most consumer goods would be less than a penny. The estimated costs increase for common items are:

a penny or less for a cup of coffee, a can of soup, or a plastic bag or plastic cutlery that comes with a take-out meal

one cent for a box of cereal

two cents for a pack of yogurt cups

three cents for a pizza

Expanding to more communities, including smaller, rural and remote communities

If you currently use the blue box system, you will continue to have recycling under producer responsibility, no matter how big or small your community is. This includes municipalities with populations under 5,000.

Producers will have to ensure that all communities outside the Far North have some form of blue box service. This will mean curbside recycling collection in communities where there is garbage curbside collection or recycling depots where garbage is collected at depots. In some limited cases alternative collection systems may be setup by producers (such as a mail back program).

Some form of blue box service will be made available to each municipality in this province. This will help ensure the blue box remains viable over the long term, and that it remains at the heart of residential recycling in Ontario.

Putting recycling systems in places like parks, schools, apartment buildings or industrial sources

Public space (such as parks and sidewalks) recycling is part of a comprehensive approach to reduce waste and litter in our communities and environment.

The new producer responsibility model will also see recycling services extended to additional locations such as:

Commercial and industrial buildings are not currently part of municipal residential blue box collection programs. Recycling in these buildings will continue to be separate from this enhanced Blue Box Program.

Providing producers with greater options for recycling, while maintaining Ontario's alcoholic beverage deposit return program

Our framework ensures that programs like the Beer Store's deposit return program can continue.

Setting high targets to drive collection from more sources

We will have the highest recycling targets in North America. These tough but fair targets will:

drive producers to collect recycling from a broad number of sources

ensure producers reach a diversion rate that will be effective

encourage innovation and competition

help create a better collection system for all communities

Municipal Hazardous or Special Waste Program transition to producer responsibility

Ontario is transitioning the current Municipal Hazardous or Special Waste ( MHSW) Program to a producer responsibility model, which makes producers environmentally accountable and financially responsible for managing their products at end-of-life, and will:

ensure these hazardous and special products are properly and safely collected and managed

protect our environment by keeping these products out of our landfills

Beginning October 1, 2021, the new Hazardous and Special Products regulation will apply to producers of products such as paints, solvents, pesticides, oil filters, antifreeze, oil containers, pressurized containers, mercury-containing devices and fertilizers. This will replace the existing municipal hazardous and special products program, which will end September 30, 2021.

Waste diversion programs

Our Made-in-Ontario Environment Plan commits to making producers responsible for the waste generated from their products and packaging.

Ontario has several diversion programs to reuse, recycle or safely dispose of waste:

1. Tire Collection and Recovery requirements under a new regulatory framework, which makes tire producers responsible for creating an accessible, convenient and free tire collection and recycling or retreading network across the province, is now in place. This replaces the Used Tires Program which ceased operation on December 31, 2018.

2. Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment requirements under a new regulatory framework, which makes producers of electronic equipment like computers, televisions and stereos responsible for creating an accessible, convenient and free collection and recycling or refurbishing network across the province, is now in place. This replaces the Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment Program which ends on January 1, 2021.

3. Hazardous and Special Products requirements under a new regulatory framework, which makes producers of products such as paints, pesticides, solvents, oil filters, antifreeze and pressurized containers responsible for creating an accessible, convenient and free collection network, is now in place. This will be phased in to replace the Municipal Hazardous or Special Waste Program, starting on October 1, 2021.

4. Battery Collection and Recovery requirements under a new regulatory framework, which makes producers of all primary and rechargeable batteries that weigh less than 5kg responsible for creating an accessible, convenient and free battery collection and recycling or refurbishing network across the province, is now in place. This replaces the Used Battery Program which ceases operation on July 1, 2020.

5. Blue Box Program recycles printed paper and packaging (plastics, paper, glass, aluminum, steel).

6. The Ontario Deposit Return Program for beverage and alcohol containers.

Learn more about how Ontario is making producers responsible for managing the waste generated from their products and packaging to promote innovation, reduce waste and lower costs for taxpayers.

Waste types

Hazardous waste

Hazardous waste is primarily generated by industrial and manufacturing processes, and includes a broad range of materials such as:

materials from manufacturing (for example, waste acids, contaminated sludges and chemicals)

biomedical wastes from hospitals and other health care facilities

waste solvents

waste pesticides

polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs)

industrial lubricants and oils containing heavy metals

perchloroethylene (perc) waste from dry cleaners

discarded batteries

Learn more about how to properly dispose of hazardous waste.
Household products such as paints, solvents, pesticides, oil filters, antifreeze, oil containers, pressurized containers and mercury-containing devices are also hazardous to the environment or human health if not managed properly. To keep these out of our landfills, we are making producers of these products responsible for their collection and management, either through recycling or disposal.

Non-hazardous waste

Non-hazardous waste is generated by households, as well as businesses and organizations in the industrial, commercial and institutional (IC&I) sector. It includes:

printed paper and packaging (plastics, paper, glass, aluminum, steel, other material)

organics from food and yard waste

tires

cement, metals and glass from construction and demolition

Pharmaceuticals and sharps

Pharmaceutical or sharp (needle) producers must establish a minimum number of locations where these products can be collected and properly disposed.

A minimum number of collection locations is required, based on either:

the lesser of a specified percentage of the number of retail locations where products are sold

a specified percentage of the total number of pharmacies in Ontario as of October 1 in the preceding year

Ontario determines the number of pharmacies accredited under the Drug and Pharmacies Regulation Act, in consultation with the Ontario College of Pharmacists.

For 2020, the minimum number of collection locations required is 4,089 and for 2021 is 4,178.
Find the nearest collection locations.
Food and organic waste

Ontario residents generate a lot of food and organic waste - about 3.5 million tonnes every year. It is equivalent to filling up the Rogers Centre in Toronto nearly five times. It comes from our homes, our offices, our businesses. And all too often, it ends up in a landfill, creating greenhouse gas pollution as it breaks down. In fact, 4% of Ontario's greenhouse gas emissions come from waste.

To reduce food and organic waste, the province has issued the Food and Organics Waste Policy Statement that will:

Household food and organic waste mainly includes:

food waste (cooked or raw)

yard and garden waste

Industrial, commercial and institutional (for example, restaurants, grocery stores, hospitals, universities, food processors) food and organic waste includes:

food waste (cooked or raw)

food processing/manufacturing waste and by-products

leaf and yard waste

other sources of organic materials not listed above including biosolids

The industrial, commercial and institutional sectors also work to redirect surplus food that is suitable for donation (perishable and non-perishable) while ensuring health and safety concerns are also met. This helps ensure that edible food is not lost to disposal.

Ontario's rules and regulations ensure that food and organic waste is processed and used safely. These rules are specific to the diversion method.

A large amount of organic green bin and leaf and yard wastes are diverted from disposal through municipally operated programs. Please contact your local municipality for more information.

Surplus Food Redistribution Infrastructure Program

The Surplus Food Redistribution Program will provide support to help food rescue organizations, First Nation communities and Indigenous organizations get surplus food from grocery stores, restaurants, farms and other businesses to vulnerable communities impacted by COVID-19, helping prevent nutritious food from ending up in landfills.

This program provides funding:

The food rescue organizations selected to receive support as part of the new program include:

Indigenous communities and organizations include:

These organizations and Indigenous communities can use the funding to support the purchase of refrigerated trucks, storage space and other equipment to help ensure that unused, nutritious food from places like grocery stores and restaurants does not go to waste.

For more information on the Surplus Food Redistribution Program email RRPB.mail@ontario.ca.

Related legislation

The policies, rules and regulations that guide Ontario's resource recovery and waste reduction include:

The Environmental Protection Act addresses waste collection, disposal and environmental approvals, including:

Landfill design standards under

Standards for disposal sites, the management, tracking and disposal of hazardous and liquid industrial waste under

Requirements for landfill gas collection under

Requirements for municipal Blue Box programs under O. Reg. 101/94

Requirements for IC&I sector to reduce waste and recover resource under '3Rs' regulations: O. Reg. 102/94, O. Reg. 103/94 and O. Reg. 104/94

Requirements for producers of pharmaceuticals and sharps to establish free collection locations across Ontario for pharmaceuticals and sharps they no longer need under

Ontario Compost Quality Standards under and Guidelines for the Production of Compost

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Our Made-in-Ontario Environment Plan commits to shifting to a waste management approach where producers are responsible for the waste generated from their products and packaging, and waste is seen as a resource that can be recovered, reused and reintegrated back into the economy. This will support the health of both Ontario's environment, communities and economy.

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The water we drink, wash with or swim in can cause illness. This includes swimming pools, beaches, spas and showers. We offer expertise on monitoring and protecting water from hazards such as microbial or chemical contaminants.

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Resources, information and links related to monitoring and protecting our water from hazards, such as microbial or chemical contaminants.

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Wastewater is what residents and businesses flush down toilets and empty down sinks and drains. This material then travels through the sanitary sewer system to one of four wastewater treatment plants.

The safe and effective treatment of wastewater is important to the continued health and well-being of Toronto’s residents.

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Ashbridges Bay Wastewater Treatment Plant

Wastewater is what residents and businesses flush down toilets and empty down sinks and drains. This material then travels through the sanitary sewer system to one of four wastewater treatment plants.

The safe and effective treatment of wastewater is important to the continued health and well-being of Toronto's residents.

Toronto's wastewater treatment process operates under strict regulations and meets or exceeds standards set by the province and federal government to protect public health and the environment.

Collecting &amp; Treating Wastewater

Wastewater is collected and treated 24 hours a day, 7 days at week via:

3,730 km of sanitary, 1,411 km of combined and 401 km of trunk sewers

507,548 sewer service connections

87 wastewater pumping stations

four wastewater treatment plants

How treatment works

Preliminary treatment

Removes rocks, sticks, garbage, sand and gravel that is washed into the sewer system.

Removes hygiene products, such as tampons, dental floss and wipes, which are not supposed to be flushed.

Primary treatment

Separates organic solid matter (human waste) from wastewater.

Solids are removed and treated during solids processing (more below).

Secondary treatment

Plant technicians cultivate microscopic organisms that "eat" pollutants in the wastewater.

It takes several days for the microorganisms to mature and produce clear, clean water.

Removes phosphorus.

Disinfection

Water is disinfected to ensure that any remaining harmful pathogens are destroyed.

The water is then clean, clear and safe enough to be returned to the natural environment.

In most plants, some of the water is recycled within the facility for process use.

Solids processing

Solids removed during primary and secondary treatment are pumped into digesters.

A biological process using microorganisms, as well as heat, mixing and a long (10-20 day) holding time, breaks down the solids into simpler parts and releases methane.

The solids that leave processing are called biosolids, which are rich in organic material and nutrients.

The methane can be used to produce energy (heat and electricity) for the plant, reducing treatment costs and resources.

Wastewater Treatment Plant Information &amp; Reports

The City of Toronto has four wastewater treatment plants. Review the most recent reports submitted to the Ministry of the Environment, Conservation and Parks (MECP) regarding operations, capital projects, bypasses, maintenance costs, staffing, and health and safety initiatives.

The goal of odour management is to ensure odours are captured and treated on-site and do escape into the surrounding communities. Each plant has comprehensive systems under construction to manage odours produced during the wastewater treatment process. The main components include:

Enclosures and ventilation systems to contain and capture odourous air from larger sources in order to prevent it from leaving the plant property.

Biofilters, which use naturally occurring microorganisms to remove odorous compounds from the captured air.

Activated carbon scrubbers, which use carbon to clean the odourous air from numerous smaller sources.

Controlled ventilation systems, to collect and disperse treated air.

Best practice plant operations and housekeeping.

Current odour control upgrades

Ashbridges Bay Treatment Plant

Development of five projects spanning nine years that will be completed in 2019.
The long construction period is necessary to ensure ongoing and efficient operation of the plant during construction.

Key features:

Upgrades to biofilters and treatment facilities at the north end of the plant property at the preliminary treatment process area, commonly referred to the headworks.

Upgrades to the existing ventilation and odour control systems at the pumping stations across Lakeshore Blvd north of the plant.

Improvements to biofilters in the biosolids truck loading facility on the south side of the plant.

Highland Creek Treatment Plant

Major reconstruction of the headworks that incorporate full odour capture, control and treatment technologies, including biofilters. The work is expected to be completed in 2019.

Biofilter for existing sludge storage tanks will be complete in 2018.

Humber Treatment Plant

Construction of three large odour treatment facilities, as well as major upgrades to aging sewage processing equipment will be completed by the end of 2018.

Upgrades will reduce plant odours by more than 90%, and lead to more effective and reliable sewage treatment.

Odour management is a continual process, with regularly needs re-assessment and planning. Once the above initiatives are completed, further odour testing will be undertaken to confirm the odour reduction and help determine whether any remaining odour sources also need to be addressed.

Biosolids are the nutrient-rich, organic materials resulting from the treatment of sewage. Learn how the City manages biosolids.

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Wastewater is what residents and businesses flush down toilets and empty down sinks and drains. This material then travels through the sanitary sewer system to one of four wastewater treatment plants. The safe and effective treatment of wastewater is important to the continued health and well-being of Toronto's residents.

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Disinfection of Drinking Water; A clear distinction is made between primary disinfection and secondary disinfection, which are often completely separate treatment processes and provide different outcomes. The former is intended to provide disinfection before the water is delivered to the first consumer and the latter ensures maintenance of a disinfectant residual throughout the distribution system.

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Preamble

This procedure is a supporting document for Ontario legislation and regulations related to drinking water and specific to water disinfection and any pre-disinfection processes that may be necessary to ensure effectiveness of disinfection. (Note: Provisions of Ontario Regulation 170/03, "Drinking-Water Systems", ("Regulation") a regulation under the Safe Drinking Water Act, 2002 (" SDWA"), adopt this Procedure by reference. For instance, the Procedure is adopted by reference in the provisions in Schedules 1 and 2 to the Regulation that deal with requirements for primary and secondary disinfection.) This procedure supersedes the MOE Procedure B13-3, "Chlorination of Potable Water Supplies in Ontario, January 2001."

The specific requirements in the Regulation to which this procedure pertains are as follows:

all municipal drinking-water systems and regulated non-municipal drinking-water systems that are required to provide a minimum level of treatment must have a treatment process that consists of disinfection as a minimum, if the system obtains water from a raw water supply which is ground water;

all regulated drinking-water systems that obtain water from a raw water supply which is surface water or ground water under the direct influence of surface water, must provide a minimum level of treatment consisting of chemically assisted filtration and disinfection or other treatment capable of producing water of equal or better quality;

all drinking water entering a distribution system that has been treated and is otherwise ready for consumption must contain a disinfectant residual that persists throughout the distribution system unless a point of entry treatment approach is used as permitted by the Regulation; and,

effectiveness of the provided treatment must be adequately monitored.

The underlying reasons for these requirements are: to ensure an adequate level of removal or inactivation of pathogenic organisms that may be present in the raw water; to prevent re-contamination of drinking water within the distribution system; and, to maintain drinking water quality throughout the distribution system.

Disinfection is the key element to the achievement of these goals, and any need for pre or post-disinfection treatment related to the achievement of these goals derives from the limitations of the disinfection process. For this reason, although it also addresses these pre- or post-disinfection processes, this procedure is referred to as a disinfection procedure.

The intent of this Procedure is to ensure that new microbiological challenges and new developments in treatment technologies and practices are addressed both in the design of new drinking-water systems and in the upgrading, expansion, and maintenance of existing systems.

1. Disinfection of drinking water

1.1 Introduction

This Procedure provides guidance for:

disinfection (primary disinfection), including any pre-disinfection treatment necessary to achieve the required level of removal or inactivation of pathogens potentially present in the source water;

the maintenance of a disinfectant residual in a distribution system (secondary disinfection);

control of disinfection by-products; and,

disinfection following drinking-water system construction or repair.

A clear distinction is made between primary disinfection and secondary disinfection, which are often completely separate treatment processes and provide different outcomes. The former is intended to provide disinfection before the water is delivered to the first consumer and the latter ensures maintenance of a disinfectant residual throughout the distribution system.

1.2 Design and construction of disinfection facilities

The design and construction of both primary and secondary disinfection facilities should normally conform to the criteria set out in the Recommended Standards for Water Works ("Ten State Standards") published by the Great Lakes - Upper Mississippi River Board of State and Provincial Public Health and Environmental Managers (of which Ontario is a member) or, when a site-specific application of an alternative design has been approved by the Ministry, to the construction, operation, and performance requirements criteria stipulated in the approval.

The design recommendations in the Ten State Standards should be considered as representing sound principles of good engineering practice. Variance from the detailed design recommendations may be appropriate, depending on site-specific circumstances associated with an individual drinking-water system. In this context, the Ten State Standards document should be considered as a guideline in the Ontario regulatory framework.

In assessing an application for approval of a drinking-water system, the Ministry's review team will also be regarding the design recommendations in the Ten State Standards as representative of sound engineering principles and a proponent may be required to demonstrate that any submitted design addresses the issues otherwise addressed by a 'Ten State' recommendation.

The Ten State Standards also include administrative procedures, policy statements, and reporting requirements (including Engineers' Reports) as recommendations. It is important to note that while these may also represent sound principles and good practices, the specific requirements of Ontario legislation, regulations, policies, processes and procedures will prevail over these recommendations.

It is further recognized that the Ten State Standards document focuses on public water supplies which include larger systems; however, many principles and recommended standards contained within the document will also have relevance to even the smallest of drinking-water systems. The designer of a drinking-water system that does not require an approval, and the Professional Engineer undertaking an Engineering Evaluation Report for the system in accordance with regulatory requirements, should have regard to the design recommendations of the Ten State Standards, but also use professional expertise to determine the site-specific relevancy and appropriateness of any single requirement in the context of the drinking-water system being designed or assessed.

The requirements contained elsewhere in this procedure are critical to the design or assessment of treatment processes for all drinking-water systems.

2. Pathogen removal/disinfection requirements

Drinking water disinfection and any pre-disinfection treatment requirements in Ontario are specific to the type of raw water supply a drinking-water system will be relying upon. Design of the treatment processes should consider the characterization, variability and vulnerability of the raw water supply. All water supplies should be individually assessed by measuring relevant water quality parameters and utilizing, where chemical disinfection is used, the CT tables provided to determine the appropriate disinfectant dosage. This section outlines the disinfection (primary disinfection) requirements by the type or raw water supply, with variations based on vulnerability of the raw water supply, and includes any applicable pre-disinfection treatment (filtration) requirements.

2.1 Ground water

For the purpose of this document, a raw water supply which is ground water means water located in subsurface aquifer(s) where the aquifer overburden and soil act as an effective filter that removes micro-organisms and other particles by straining and antagonistic effect, to a level where the water supply may already be potable but disinfection is required as an additional health risk barrier, unless the Director has granted a drinking-water system relief, or requirements for exemption have been met in accordance with Ontario Regulation 170/03, "Drinking-Water Systems".

Where the drinking-water system obtains water from a raw water supply which is ground water, the treatment process must, as a minimum, consist of disinfection and must be credited with achieving an overall performance that provides, at a minimum 2-log (99%) removal or inactivation of viruses before the water is delivered to the first consumer.

For example, with ground water of pH 7-8 and temperature 7-10 degrees Celsius ( °C), this requirement can be met by a minimum chlorine residual of 0.2 mg ⁄ L, measured as free chlorine, after 15 minutes of contact time determined as T ₁₀ at maximum flow rate. For ground water whose conditions are outside this range of pH or temperature, higher CT values may be needed to achieve the required minimum virus inactivation.

2.2 Surface water and ground water under direct influence of surface water

Surface water means water bodies (lakes, wetlands, ponds - including dug-outs), water courses (rivers, streams, water-filled drainage ditches), infiltration trenches, and areas of seasonal wetlands.

Ground water under the direct influence of surface water means ground water having incomplete or undependable subsurface filtration of surface water and infiltrating precipitation. The following drinking-water systems are deemed by the Drinking-Water Systems Regulation, to be drinking-water systems that obtain water from a raw water supply that is ground water under the direct influence of surface water:

A drinking-water system that obtains water from a well that is not a drilled well or that does not have a watertight casing that extends to a depth of at least 6 metres below ground level.

A drinking-water system that obtains water from an infiltration gallery.

A drinking-water system that is not capable of producing water at a rate greater than 0.58 litres per second and that obtains water from a well, any part of which is within 15 metres of surface water.

A drinking-water system that is capable of producing water at a rate greater than 0.58 litres per second and that obtains water from an overburden well, any part of which is within 100 metres of surface water.

A drinking-water system that is capable of producing water at a rate greater than 0.58 litres per second and that obtains water from a bedrock well, any part of which is within 500 metres of surface water.

A drinking-water system that exhibits evidence of contamination by surface water.

A drinking-water system in respect of which a written report has been prepared by a professional engineer or professional hydrogeologist that concludes that the system's raw water supply is ground water under the direct influence of surface water and that includes a statement of his or her reasons for reaching that conclusion.

Drinking-water systems that obtain water from a raw water supply which is surface water or ground water under the direct influence of surface water must have a treatment process that is capable of producing water of equal or better quality than a combination of well-operated chemically assisted filtration and disinfection processes would provide. This treatment process must achieve an overall performance that provides at a minimum a 2-log (99%) removal or inactivation of Cryptosporidium oocysts, a 3-log (99.9%) removal or inactivation of Giardia cysts and a 4-log (99.99%) removal or inactivation of viruses before the water is delivered to the first consumer.

At least 0.5-log removal or inactivation of Giardia cysts and 2-log removal or inactivation of viruses must be provided through the disinfection portion of the overall water treatment process.

Chemically assisted direct or conventional filtration and disinfection, and slow sand filtration and disinfection processes operating in accordance with performance criteria provided in subsections 3.4.1, 3.4.2 and 3.4.3 that have been credited with a 3-log (99.9%) removal or inactivation of Giardia cysts, will also be credited with 2-log (99%) removal or inactivation of Cryptosporidium oocysts. Where chlorination is used for primary disinfection, the 2-log removal credit for Cryptosporidium oocysts is considered to be attributed to these filtration processes because chlorine at reasonable doses and contact times is considered to be essentially ineffective in inactivating Cryptosporidium oocysts.

In the case of membrane and cartridge filtration or other filtration processes that only rely on physical characteristics of the filtration medium, the 2-log removal or inactivation of Cryptosporidium oocysts can only be assigned to the process specifically tested and confirmed by an independent testing agency or the approving Director for this removal or inactivation of Cryptosporidium oocysts or removal of surrogate particles.

Higher log removal or inactivation may be needed for a raw water supply where there is a presence of sewage effluent or other sources of microbial contamination - runoff from livestock operation, manure storage, handling or spreading, etc.

The determination of any additional log removal or inactivation required may also be based upon pathogen monitoring of raw water. This process may be subject to errors, however, when carefully planned, applied and interpreted, it may represent a useful tool in making process design decisions. Where drinking-water systems are required to have an approval, these considerations should be further discussed during pre-submission consultation to determine the sources of microbial contamination.

For drinking-water systems that are subject to an approval and that rely on a raw water supply which is ground water under the direct influence of surface water, the approving Director may accept that disinfection alone is capable of producing water of equal quality if:

a hydrogeologist report, prepared in accordance with the Ministry's "Terms of Reference for Hydrogeological Study to Examine Ground Water Sources Potentially Under Direct Influence of Surface Water. October 2001" concludes that adequate in-situ filtration is provided by the aquifer overburden, and,

wellhead protection measures are being, or will be, implemented in accordance with conditions imposed in the approval.

Should the approving Director concur that it is acceptable that the required treatment is achieved through disinfection alone, the disinfection process or combination of disinfection processes used in these circumstances must be capable of providing an effective inactivation of oocysts, cysts, and viruses. In this context, primary disinfection may need to use both ultraviolet disinfection and chemical disinfection. In this connection, the reader's attention is directed to section 3.2 of this procedure, Ultraviolet ( UV) Disinfection.

3. Disinfection (primary disinfection)

Disinfection (primary disinfection) is a process or a series of processes intended to inactivate human pathogens such as viruses, bacteria and protozoa, potentially present in influent water before the water is delivered to the first consumer.

The entire process of primary disinfection must be completed within the water treatment component of the system, which may include a dedicated part of the piping upstream of the first consumer connection. Where point of entry treatment units are permitted by the Regulation, primary disinfection must be completed within the point of entry treatment unit. Be aware that if point of entry treatment units are to be used at a drinking-water system, the Regulation imposes specific requirements in relation to such units, and these requirements should be carefully reviewed.

Effective disinfection of adequately filtered influent water or raw water of suitable quality can be accomplished by either chemical or physical means such as the use of chlorine, chlorine dioxide, ozone or ultraviolet light. However, the disinfection processes will not be as effective on influent waters of inferior quality.

Because of this limitation in the effectiveness of disinfection processes, in order to achieve the required level of inactivation of pathogens potentially present in a particular raw water supply, depending on the quality of the raw water as well as certain other site-specific conditions, it may be necessary to introduce some additional contamination barriers and/or treatment processes ahead of the primary disinfection stage. These additional requirements will be addressed as part of the Ministry approval or as part of the Engineer's consideration during the preparation of the Engineering Evaluation Report for systems that do not require an approval.

The following subsections identify specific requirements related to the use of different disinfection processes; the need for and use of different pre-disinfection treatment processes; as well as the pathogen removal or inactivation credits given to these processes and the criteria the processes must meet to qualify for these credits.

3.1 Chemical disinfection

The selection of an appropriate disinfection process depends upon site-specific conditions and raw water characterization that is unique to each drinking-water system. Process selection decisions must consider and balance the need to inactivate human pathogens while minimizing the production of disinfection by-products. Commonly accepted chemical disinfectants are free chlorine, monochloramine, chlorine dioxide and ozone.

Free chlorine residual disinfection ("Chlorination") is the application of chlorine to water to produce a free chlorine residual (directly or through oxidation of any naturally present ammonia and/or other nitrogenous substances).

Free chlorine, in the form of hypochlorous acid, is considered a powerful disinfectant that is effective against a very broad range of pathogens. The free chlorine residual from primary disinfection may also be used to maintain a persistent residual within the water distribution system (secondary disinfection). In this case, where ammonia and other nitrogenous substances are present in the influent water, the application of chlorine should be such that the resulting free chlorine residual, at the end of the primary disinfection process, comprises more than 80% of the total chlorine residual as only the free chlorine residual is considered a disinfectant for the purpose of secondary disinfection. In situations where breakpoint chlorination is being practiced (to oxidize natural raw water ammonia by the break-point chemistry), it will be effectively complete before the water leaves the disinfection equipment. If this provision were not in place, it is possible that the residual required to protect the water in the distribution system might be prematurely and rapidly lost through continuing break point chemistry.

Free residual chlorination may be achieved through the use of chlorine gas, sodium hypochlorite, calcium hypochlorite or free chlorine producing electrochemical process.

Combined chlorine residual disinfection ("Chloramination") is the application of ammonia and chlorine, with the ammonia addition downstream of the application of chlorine at the mass ratio of chlorine to ammonia of approximately 4.5:1 to produce a combined chlorine residual predominantly in the form of monochloramine. Table 14 presents CT values for the inactivation of viruses by chloramines during primary disinfection. This table is only applicable for indicating virus inactivation efficiencies if chlorine is added prior to ammonia.

Monochloramine is a weak disinfectant and it is rarely suitable for use as a primary disinfectant, because at the normally used concentrations it requires very long contact time to achieve adequate disinfection. Because of its high persistence characteristics, monochloramine is more commonly used as a secondary disinfectant to maintain chlorine residual in the water distribution system. In the secondary disinfection process, the sequence of addition of chlorine and ammonia does not affect the efficiency or effectiveness of the formation of combined chlorine residual. In fact, the chemicals can be added in any sequence, or simultaneously, provided proportioning is correctly balanced and a rapid mixing occurs immediately subsequent to the addition.

Chlorine dioxide disinfection involves on-site generation of chlorine dioxide through the reaction of sodium chlorite with chlorine gas, hypochlorous acid or hydrochloric acid, or through the use of an electrochemical process. Chlorine dioxide is a powerful disinfectant that is generally more rapidly effective than chlorine, but less than ozone. The chlorine dioxide residual from primary disinfection may also be used to maintain a residual through part or all of the water distribution system.

Ozone disinfection involves on-site generation of ozone through electrical treatment of oxygen or dry air. Although ozone is a highly effective disinfectant, it does not produce a persistent residual, and is not suitable for the purpose of the maintenance of disinfectant residual in the water distribution system. There is a potential for distribution system biofilm proliferation unless a biofiltration step is included downstream of ozone application.

Note: Where primary chemical disinfectants other than free chlorine are selected, the suitability and effectiveness of these processes must be established on a site-specific basis and the rationale for the selection should be documented by the designer of the drinking-water system or the professional engineer who is responsible for preparing a report on the system.

3.1.1 CT Disinfection concept

The CT disinfection concept uses the combination of a disinfectant residual concentration (in mg ⁄ L) and the effective disinfectant contact time (in minutes), to quantify the capability of a chemical disinfection system to provide effective pathogen inactivation to the required level. The use of this concept involves determining the CT values required at the actual, often variable, operating conditions (flow, temperature, and pH) and ensuring that the employed disinfection process achieves these values at all times.

Chemical disinfection CT values are calculated by multiplying the disinfectant residual concentration (in mg ⁄ L) by the disinfectant contact time (in minutes).

CT = Concentration ( mg ⁄ L) × Time (minutes)

The chemical disinfectant residual is measured at the end of each treatment step ( e.g., clarification, if a portion of the overall disinfection process is accomplished before filtration) and the contact time used is T ₁₀ - the length of time during which not more than 10% of the influent water would pass through that process. The use of T ₁₀ ensures that 90% of the water will therefore have a longer contact time.

Actual T ₁₀ values can be significantly different from calculated hydraulic detention times (T) and should be determined by a tracer study, mathematical modeling or by calculations using typical baffle conditions. The following table summarizes factors applicable to typical baffle conditions.

Unbaffled (mixed flow) separate inlet/outlet

0.1

No baffles, agitated basin, very low length to width ratio, high inlet and outlet flow velocities

Poor

0.3

Single or multiple unbaffled inlets and outlets, no intra-basin baffles

Average

0.5

Baffled inlet or outlet with some intra-basin baffles

Superior

0.7

Perforated inlet baffle, serpentine or perforated intra-basin baffles, outlet weir or perforated launders

Perfect (plug flow)

1

Very high length to width ratio (pipeline flow)

CT values can be determined for each process step of the treatment train and summed, where the pH level and chlorine residual remain constant. Calculations should be based on the disinfectant residual concentration as continuously measured at the end of, or at intermediate points within, each process step. Disinfectant concentrations will be assumed to be constant upstream of any monitoring station, at all upstream points up to the next upstream monitoring location or the disinfectant addition point.

The summed total (calculated) CT value is then compared to the required CT value, which is determined from the CT tables appended to this procedure. The tables identify the free chlorine and other chemical disinfectants CT values required for specific values of log inactivation of Giardia cysts and target viruses (hepatitis A) at specific temperatures and pH levels.

The calculated CT value should, at all times during plant operation, be equal to or greater than the required overall CT value.

Where pH and chlorine levels change significantly in different sections of the disinfectant exposed treatment, a more accurate estimate of the overall treatment is obtainable by adding log inactivation values for each type of microbial threat in each section.

Where appropriate, the Integrated Disinfection Design Framework ( IDDF) method for accounting disinfection decay and true process hydraulic should be used for determining the CT values and associated logs of microbial inactivation in the interest of maximizing pathogen control while minimizing disinfection by-product formation.

3.2 Ultraviolet (UV) Disinfection

The application of ultraviolet ( UV) light is an acceptable primary disinfection process. A particular type and design of UV reactor may be considered acceptable if it has been shown to achieve the required level of disinfection through reactor biodosimetry testing using MS-2 bacteriophage and/or Bacillus subtilis spores to establish the flow maxima that the equipment can deliver under different UV transmittances and still achieve the target design dose. Where the considered technology uses UV light source providing radiation at wavelengths different from continuous monochromatic 254 nm wavelength light that is close to the maximally effective germicidal wavelengths of 260-265 nm, the dose delivered by the considered technology must be validated also by empirical biodosimetry testing and the dose must be expressed as a 254 nm-equivalent UV dose.

While the use of UV light may be acceptable for the purpose of primary disinfection, it does not provide a disinfectant residual. Where the regulation requires the provision of secondary disinfection for a drinking-water system, primary disinfection must be followed by another process, normally chlorination, which introduces and maintains a persistent disinfectant residual throughout the distribution system.

3.2.1 Ground Water

For ground water which is not under the direct influence of surface water, UV light is acceptable as a primary disinfection process, provided that the UV reactor's 254 nm-equivalent UV pass through dose of at least 40 is maintained throughout the life time of the lamp.

3.2.2 Surface Water and Ground Water under Direct Influence of Surface Water

Drinking-water systems that obtain water from a raw water supply which is surface water or ground water under the direct influence of surface water must have a treatment process that is capable of producing water of equal or better quality than a combination of well-operated chemically assisted filtration and disinfection. The use of UV light may only be acceptable as a primary disinfection process in combination with chemically assisted filtration (or an equivalent treatment process). UV light on its own is not an acceptable substitute for the chemically assisted filtration step. Where there is a presence of sewage effluent, a primary disinfection process (following chemically assisted filtration) using UV light alone may not be adequate to inactivate certain viruses ( e.g., adenovirus). In such cases, a two-stage primary disinfection process consisting of UV light and chemical disinfection, with a proper contact time may be needed. When monochromatic 254 nm wavelength UV light is used in combination with chlorine it does not interfere significantly with the chlorine based disinfection process.

For some drinking-water systems that are subject to an approval and that rely on a raw water supply which is ground water under the direct influence of surface water, the approving Director may accept that disinfection without chemically assisted filtration is capable of producing water of equal quality if:

a hydrogeologist report, prepared in accordance with the Ministry's "Terms of Reference for Hydrogeological Study to Examine Ground Water Sources Potentially Under Direct Influence of Surface Water, October 2001", concludes that adequate in-situ filtration is provided by the aquifer overburden, and,

wellhead protection measures are being implemented in accordance with conditions imposed by the approval.

For drinking-water systems meeting the above criteria, the approving Director may concur that the required treatment performance can be achieved through disinfection alone, a two stage primary disinfection process consisting of UV light ( UV reactor's 254 nm-equivalent UV pass through dose of at least 20 ) combined with chemical disinfection so as to provide an overall 4.0 log inactivation of viruses.

3.3 Other Disinfectants

In the case of other disinfectants or a combination of disinfectants other than those discussed in this procedure it must be demonstrated and documented that the disinfection process in conjunction with filtration (where required) achieves the required level of pathogen removal or inactivation.

3.4 Filtration Process Pathogen Removal Credits

This subsection identifies various filtration technologies and the associated specific pathogen removal credits. These credits only apply when a professional engineer, exercising his or her professional judgement, concludes that the technology design satisfies the Recommended Standards for Water Works ("Ten State Standards") or when a site-specific application of the alternative design has been approved by the Ministry and the operation meets the required performance criteria as discussed in the following subsections. Where possible, the filtration system should be designed and operated to reduce turbidity levels as low as possible, with a goal of treated water turbidity of less than 0.1 NTU at all times. The credits in the following table represent the minimum log removal efficiencies as opposed to average removal efficiencies.

* Applies only when the process has been specifically tested and confirmed for this removal/inactivation or cryptosporidium cysts or removal of surrogate particles.

3.4.1 Conventional Filtration

Conventional filtration is the most common treatment process currently used by drinking-water systems that rely on raw water supplies which are surface water. This treatment process consists of chemical coagulation, rapid mixing, flocculation, and sedimentation followed by rapid sand filtration.

In order to be considered conventional filtration and meet or exceed the 2.5 log Giardia cyst removal, the 2.0 log Cryptosporidium oocyst removal and 2.0 log virus removal credits, the filtration process must meet the following criteria:

use a chemical coagulant at all times when the treatment plant is in operation;

monitor and adjust chemical dosages in response to variations in raw water quality;

maintain effective backwash procedures, including filter-to-waste or an equivalent procedure during filter ripening to ensure that the effluent turbidity requirements are met at all times;

continuously monitor filtrate turbidity from each filter; and,

meet the performance criterion for filtered water turbidity of less than or equal to 0.3 NTU in 95% of the measurements each month.

3.4.2 Direct Filtration

Direct filtration process consists of chemical coagulation, rapid mixing and flocculation followed by rapid sand filtration. It is very similar to a conventional filtration process but without the sedimentation step prior to filtration. Generally, the use of direct filtration process is limited to raw water supply sources with water turbidity of less than 20 NTU and colour less than 40 TCU. In order to meet or exceed the 2.0 log Giardia cyst removal, the 2.0 log Cryptosporidium oocyst removal and 1.0 log virus removal credit, the direct filtration process must meet the conventional filtration criteria above.

3.4.3 Slow Sand Filtration

Slow sand filtration is a biological and physical process, equivalent to chemically assisted filtration, where the processes of adsorption and biological flocculation that take place in the gelatinous microbial growth formed in the upper sand layer eliminate the need for chemical coagulation and flocculation. Generally, the use of a slow sand filtration process is limited to raw water supply sources (or influent water after pretreatment) having turbidity of less than 10 NTU and colour less than 15 TCU.

In order to meet or exceed the 2.0 log Giardia cyst removal, the 2.0 log Cryptosporidium oocyst removal and 2.0 log virus removal credits, the slow sand filtration process must meet the following criteria:

maintain an active biological layer;

regularly carry out effective filter cleaning procedures;

use filter-to-waste or an equivalent procedure during filter ripening periods;

continuously monitor filtrate turbidity from each filter or take a daily grab sample; and,

meet the performance criterion for filtered water turbidity of less than or equal to 1.0 NTU in 95% of the measurements each month.

3.4.4 Diatomaceous Earth Filtration (DE)

In order to meet or exceed the 2.0 log Giardia cyst removal, the 2.0 log Cryptosporidium oocyst removal and 1.0 log virus removal credit, the DE filtration process must meet the following criteria:

maintain a minimum thickness of pre-coat;

maintain effective filter cleaning procedures;

maintain full recycle or partial discharge to waste of water flow during filter precoat until the recycle stream turbidity falls to below 1.0 NTU;

continuously monitor filtrate turbidity from each filter; and,

meet the performance criterion for filtered water turbidity of less than or equal to 1.0 NTU in 95% of the measurements each month.

3.4.5 Cartridge/Bag Filters

This technology is designed to meet the low flow demands of small systems. These filters can effectively remove particles from water in the size range of Giardia cysts (5-10 microns) and Cryptosporidium oocysts (2-5 microns). Cartridge filters do not remove any significant proportion of influent viruses. Generally, the use of cartridge/bag filtration processes is limited to raw water supply sources (or influent water after pretreatment) having turbidity of less than 5 NTU and colour less than 5 TCU.

Cartridge and bag filters are made from fibre, and unlike membranes, have a broad range of pore/opening sizes which allow penetration of a few larger sized particles than the filter rating. This small penetration rate by oversized particles should be taken into consideration along with the quality of the raw water supply.

In order to claim the 2.0 log Cryptosporidium oocyst removal credit, the cartridge/bag filtration process must meet the following criteria:

use filter elements and housing certified for surrogate particle removal evaluation in accordance with testing procedures and manufacturing quality control specified in ANSI/NSF Standard 53 or equivalent;

continuously monitor filtrate turbidity from each filter or take a daily grab sample; and

ensure that differential pressures across the filter medium do not exceed manufacturer's rating and materials coming in contact with water conform to ANSI/NSF Standard 61.

Normally, the filter should meet the performance criterion for filtered water turbidity of less than or equal to 0.2 NTU in 95% of the measurements each month. Where it can be shown that turbidity results from the presence of inorganic particles of a size less than 2 microns, higher turbidity may be acceptable.

3.4.6 Membrane Filtration

Membrane filtration processes involve passage of the water through a thin synthetic organic polymer film in a straining filtration step. Membranes that require moderate to low pressures for adequate flow (micro and ultra-filters) must have chemically formed and uniformly sized pores that are 1 micron or less in diameter. Higher pressure membrane filters (nano and reverse osmosis filters) have no pores but allow water to permeate or diffuse through the membrane. Virus removal capability will vary with type and manufacturer of a particular membrane.

In order to claim 2.0+ log Cryptosporidium oocyst removal credit, the membrane filtration process must meet the following criteria:

maintain effective backwash procedures, including filter-to-waste or an equivalent procedure, to ensure that the effluent turbidity requirements are met at all times;

monitor integrity of the membrane by continuous particle counting or equivalently effective means (e.g., intermittent pressure decay measurements);

continuously monitor filtrate turbidity; and,

meet the performance criterion for filtered water turbidity of less than or equal to 0.1 NTU in 99% of the measurements each month.

3.4.7 Other Filtration Technologies

In the case of the provision of a filtration technology other than those discussed in this procedure, before using the technology, it must be demonstrated and documented that the filtration technology in conjunction with disinfection achieves the required level of pathogen removal or inactivation.

4. Disinfectant residual maintenance (secondary disinfection)

The maintenance of a disinfectant residual in the distribution system (secondary disinfection) is intended to maintain (or introduce and maintain) a persistent disinfectant residual to protect the water from microbiological re-contamination, reduce bacterial re-growth, control biofilm formation, and serve as an indicator of distribution system integrity (loss of disinfectant residual indicating that the system integrity has been compromised). Only chlorine, chlorine dioxide and monochloramine provide a persistent disinfectant residual and can be used for the maintenance of a residual in the distribution system.

Where the provision of secondary disinfection is required by the Regulation, the drinking-water system's distribution system must be operated such that at all times and at all locations within the distribution system, where there is a daily flow, there is at least a free chlorine residual of 0.05 mg ⁄ L at a pH 8.5 or lower , or chlorine dioxide residual of 0.05 mg ⁄ L, or where monochloramine is used, a combined chlorine residual of 0.25 mg ⁄ L.

The maximum chlorine residual at any time and at any location within the distribution system should not exceed 4.0 mg ⁄ L when measured as free chlorine, 0.8 mg ⁄ L when measured as chlorine dioxide, and 3.0 mg ⁄ L when measured as combined chlorine. (Note: A combined chlorine residual of 3.0 mg ⁄ L is equivalent to the maximum acceptable concentration of 3.0 mg ⁄ L for chloramines allowed by the Ontario Drinking-Water Quality Standards.)

Drinking-water systems using only chloramination as a secondary disinfection, where addition of ammonia is properly adjusted as required, would not show any free chlorine residual in tests of distribution system samples. For such systems the measurement of total chlorine residual only would be adequate to represent the value of combined chlorine residual.

In larger water distribution systems, maintenance of the minimum required residual may not be possible without the operation of re-chlorination facilities at one or more points within the distribution system. Rapid decay of a disinfectant residual may occur as a result of a number of other causes such as heavy encrustation or sediment accumulation and biofilm activity and may require investigation and specific corrective action such as engineered flow velocity increases, and swabbing or pigging/lining and/or main replacement.

Note: The application of disinfectant for the maintenance of a residual does not require contact time.

5. Disinfection of drinking-water systems after construction or repairs

All parts of drinking-water systems in contact with drinking water which are taken out of service for inspection, repair or other activities that may lead to contamination before they are put back in service, must be disinfected in accordance with the provisions of the AWWA Standard for Disinfecting Water Mains (C651), AWWA Standard for Disinfection of Water Storage Facilities (C652), AWWA Standard for Disinfection of Water Treatment Plants (C653), and AWWA Standard for Disinfection of Wells (C654) or an equivalent procedure that ensures the safety of drinking water that is delivered to consumers.

6. Monitoring

6.1 Primary Disinfection

All systems providing primary disinfection must ensure that routine monitoring of the relevant parameters associated with the performance of the disinfection process is being carried out to ensure that water that is directed to consumers is being properly disinfected. Primary disinfection facilities for all municipal residential drinking-water systems must be equipped with continuous disinfection process monitoring and recording devices with alarms unless otherwise specified in the Regulation.

For drinking-water systems that are not required by the Regulation to have continuous monitoring equipment, it is strongly recommended that such systems consider installing such equipment. Non-municipal systems that do not have continuous monitoring equipment installed must analyze manual grab samples on a daily basis for the parameters specified in the Regulation.

Where appropriate instrumentation is available, consideration may be given to using continuous monitoring data to provide a real-time and recorded display of the relevant CT data and microbial inactivation/removal logs being achieved by the overall treatment process for all targeted microbial threats.

6.1.1 Free Chlorine Residual Disinfection

Except for situations identified below, the free chlorine residual analyzer(s) installed for the purpose of continuous monitoring of a primary disinfection process utilizing free chlorine residual, must take a continuous sample at the downstream end of the primary disinfection process. Where the complete primary disinfection is accomplished through a series of distinct disinfection processes/steps, a continuous sample must be taken at the downstream end of each such distinct process/step. In all cases, the location must be ahead of the point of addition of any post-disinfection chemicals, including those intended for the purpose of ensuring maintenance of disinfectant residual in the distribution system or preventing corrosion in the distribution system. For non-municipal or municipal non-residential systems where continuous monitoring devices are not installed, daily monitoring using manual grab samples at the same locations must be performed.

Where the chlorine contact time necessary to complete the process of primary disinfection is provided by a dedicated section of the piping upstream of the first consumer connection, the chlorine residual analyzer installed for the purpose of monitoring completion of the primary disinfection process may take a continuous sample at an intermediate location, between the point of the addition of chlorine and the down-stream end of the section of the piping used for the primary disinfection contact time, provided that the continuous sample adequately simulates the contact time.

For a raw water supply which is ground water, where the chlorine consumption characteristics of the influent water is sufficiently stable to allow establishment of a reliable chlorine depletion algorithm, a grab sample or a continuous sample may be taken at a location other than the downstream end of the section of the piping used for the primary disinfection contact time. In such a case, based on the established chlorine depletion algorithm, a minimum chlorine residual concentration, necessary to maintain the residual at the end of the dedicated chlorine contact section of the piping must be maintained at the level required for complete primary disinfection.

6.1.2 Chlorine Dioxide Residual Disinfection

The location and installation of chlorine dioxide residual analyzer(s) for continuous monitoring of a primary disinfection process utilizing chlorine dioxide residual should follow the recommendations provided in section 6.1.1. In addition, at frequencies appropriate for site-specific conditions (type of chlorine dioxide generator, water quality, etc.), grab samples should be taken from the same location and analyzed for chlorite and chlorate concentrations.

6.1.3 Monochloramine Residual Disinfection

The location and installation of total and free chlorine residual analyzer(s) for continuous monitoring of a primary disinfection process utilizing monochloramine chlorine residual should follow the recommendations provided in section 6.1.1. In addition, at frequencies appropriate for site-specific conditions and water quality, grab samples should be taken from the same location and analyzed for total chloramines and monochloramine concentrations.

6.1.4 Ultraviolet (UV) Light Disinfection

Equipment that records test results of the continuous monitoring equipment is strongly recommended for drinking-water systems using a surface water supply or a groundwater supply under the direct influence of surface water. All sensors that constitute part of the monitoring system must be calibrated at a frequency that maintains their necessary sensitivity and reliability in ensuring that the design UV dose is being achieved. Calibration frequencies are to be determined as part of the process of obtaining Ministry approval or should be provided to the owner by the Engineer in the Engineering Evaluation Report, with specific regard to the manufacturer's instructions.

6.1.5 Turbidity

Regulated drinking-water systems that obtain their water from a raw water supply that is surface water or ground water under the direct influence of surface water, may be required by the Regulation to be equipped with continuous water turbidity monitoring and recording devices with alarms on each filter effluent line.

If a drinking-water system is not required by the Regulation to have continuous monitoring equipment to monitor turbidity, it is, nonetheless, strongly recommended. Systems not required to have continuous monitoring and which choose not to install such equipment must ensure that a water sample is taken at least once a day on each filter effluent line and is tested for turbidity.

Water turbidity analyzers installed at water treatment plants utilizing a raw water supply which is surface water or ground water under direct influence of surface water, should take a continuous sample upstream of the primary disinfection process. For systems where continuous monitoring equipment is not installed, the daily water sample should be taken from this same location.

Every water turbidity analyzer installed for the purpose of monitoring the effectiveness of the filtration process (usually ahead of the primary disinfection process) must be calibrated at a frequency necessary to ensure the appropriate operation of the analyzer.

6.2 Maintenance of disinfectant residual in a distribution system

Information obtained through the monitoring of disinfectant residual in the distribution system in accordance with the Regulation, should be used to assess the effectiveness of secondary disinfection throughout the distribution system, as well as to control the level of disinfectant in the water leaving the water treatment plant and any re-chlorination facilities located within the distribution system.

It is recommended that the facilities provided for the purpose of the introduction, change, or adjustment of disinfectant residual in the distribution system at re-chlorination facilities or at the water treatment plant, be provided with equipment for continuous monitoring of the operation of the facilities and an alarm system.

Where a treatment process that is operated downstream of natural or engineered filtration produces turbidity solely due to oxidation or chemical precipitation, the turbidity does not present a health hazard. For aesthetic reasons, however, it is recommended that turbidity levels be maintained below 5.0 NTU. In such cases, turbidity may be monitored with grab samples taken at the entrance to the distribution system.

7. Disinfection by-products

Chemical disinfectants may be capable of producing by-products in quantities that may present long-term health risks to the drinking water consumer. The concentrations of disinfection by-products ( DBPs) produced are specific to the type of disinfectant, the chemical make-up of the naturally occurring organic precursors and their concentrations in water prior to chlorine (or other chemical disinfectant) addition, the concentration of the disinfectant in water, and the retention time in the drinking-water system before reaching the consumer's tap.

To control the formation of DBPs in the drinking-water systems, the following should be considered:

source water protection, including nutrient and algal management;

DBP precursor removal by optimization of chemical and physical treatment process prior to chemical disinfection; and,

disinfection strategy selection involving adjusting, and where possible, delaying and reducing the usage of, and minimizing, active chemical disinfectant contact and treated water storage time. When there is evidence to suggest such adjustments may be insufficiently effective, consideration should be given to the use of one or more disinfectants or pre-disinfection process steps selected from the following: disinfection with UV light, alternative chemical disinfection with chlorine dioxide or ozone, optimization of pretreatment oxidation, if present, or, using monochloramine as the distribution system disinfectant. It should be noted that the use of ozone in a pre-disinfection process has a potential for greater disinfection by-product formation when chlorine is added downstream.

Notwithstanding the above, the treatment processes must be designed and always operated to achieve the required removal or inactivation of pathogens as a priority with the minimization of disinfection by products formation as a secondary objective.

¹ The definition of the T10 contact time and explanation of the CT value concept are provided in subsection 3.1.1 ( CT Disinfection Concept).

² In a multi-barrier system for providing safe drinking water, the selection and protection of a reliable, high-quality drinking water source is the first barrier. In this context, many locations described as surface water would be unsuitable as a source water supply but are included in the description for full consideration as they may impact ground water.

³ Reference should be made to US EPA's guidance manuals (Long Term 1 Enhanced Surface Water Treatment Rule and Long Term 2 Enhanced Surface Water Treatment Rule)

⁴ Free (available) chlorine residual: The amount of chlorine available as dissolved gas (), hypochlorous acid ( HOCl), and hypochlorite ion ( OCl-), that is not combined with ammonia () or other compounds in water.

⁵ Total chlorine residual: The total amount of chlorine residual present after a given contact time in a water sample, regardless of the form of chlorine.

⁶ Combined (available) residual chlorine: The concentration of residual chlorine that is combined with ammonia (), organic nitrogen, or both in water as chloramine (or other chloroderivative), yet is still available to oxidize organic matter and act as a disinfectant. Combined chlorine can be accurately estimated as the difference between the measured total chlorine and measure or known free chlorine residual.

⁷ US EPA "Guidance Manual for Compliance with the Filtration and Disinfection Requirements for Public Water Systems Using Surface Water Sources", and Long Term 2 Enhanced Surface Water Treatment Rule for the table providing the CT values for inactivation of Cryptosporidium by ozone.

⁸ IDDF method is published by Awwa Research Foundation and American Water Works Association, 1998.

⁹ Because of the selective mechanisms of slow sand and DE filtration processes, filtrate turbidity levels exceeding 1.0 NTU can occur as a result of passage of inorganic particles through the filter without influencing the effective removal of harmful organisms. Temporary filtrate turbidity levels of over 1.0 NTU therefore should not be interpreted as indicating an adverse water condition with these processes in the absence of additional supporting evidence.

¹⁰ A maximum water pH of 8.5 is recommended for free chlorine residual maintenance for two reasons; the disinfecting power of free chlorine is rapidly and progressively reduced as pH levels rise over 7.0, and, pH levels tend to rise naturally in distribution systems as a result of biofilm activity.

¹¹ Continuous monitoring equipment is equipment that, at intervals appropriate for the process and parameter being monitored, automatically tests for the parameter directly in the stream (or in the case of UV disinfection, through the stream) of water being treated or distributed, or in a continuous sample taken from the stream of water being treated or distributed, where a continuous sample is a continuous stream of water flowing from the stream of water being treated or distributed to the continuous monitoring equipment.

¹² In circumstances where chlorine dioxide generation and chlorine dioxide demand is stable, consideration may be given to an alternative to continuous chlorine dioxide monitoring using continuous redox potential monitoring supplemented by intermittent assay of disinfectant chemical components.

¹³ Unlike chemical disinfectants, UV light appears not to form detectable amounts of potentially toxic by-products.

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Procedure for Disinfection of Drinking Water in Ontario

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Disinfection of Drinking Water; A clear distinction is made between primary disinfection and secondary disinfection, which are often completely separate treatment processes and provide different outcomes. The former is intended to provide disinfection before the water is delivered to the first consumer and the latter ensures maintenance of a disinfectant residual throughout the distribution system.

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Conservation Authorities are community-based watershed management agencies, whose mandate is to undertake watershed-based programs to protect people and property from flooding, and other natural hazards, and to conserve natural resources for economic, social and environmental benefits.

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A watershed is an area of land that catches rain and snow and drains or seeps into a marsh, stream, river, lake or groundwater. Homes, farms, cottages, forests, small towns, big cities and more can make up watersheds. Some cross municipal, provincial and even international borders. Watersheds come in all shapes and sizes and can vary from millions of acres, like the land that drains into the Great lakes, to a few acres that drain into a pond. Click here to see where your Conservation Authority fits into the large Great Lakes Basin watershed.

Benefits of a Healthy Watershed

Conservation Authorities deliver practical, cost effective programs that ensure healthy ecosystems which enable them to generate and maintain valuable goods and services, often preventing the need for costly technological solutions to environmental problems.

Human Health

A healthy watershed provides safe drinking water, food, enables us to adapt to the impacts of climate change more easily by cooling the air and absorbing greenhouse gas emissions, and provides natural areas for people to enjoy and maintain a healthy and active lifestyle.

Ecological Health

A healthy watershed conserves water, promotes streamflow, supports sustainable streams, rivers, lakes, and groundwater sources, enables healthy soil for crops and livestock, and provides habitat for wildlife and plants.

Economic Health

A healthy watershed produces energy and supplies water for agriculture, industry and households. Forests and wetlands help to prevent or reduce costly climate change and flooding impacts, manages drought, contributes to tourism, fisheries, forestry, agriculture and other industries.

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A watershed is an area of land that catches rain and snow and drains or seeps into a marsh, stream, river, lake or groundwater. Homes, farms, cottages, forests, small towns, big cities and more can make up watersheds. Some cross municipal, provincial and even international borders.

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Water testing for everyone.

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Digital Citizenship & Cyberbullying | OPHEA

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Digital Citizenship & Cyberbullying | OPHEA

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In order to support children and youth as well as educators in maintaining a safe and inclusive learning environment free from bullying and harassment in real life and online, a variety of policies have been put in place by the Ontario Ministry of Education.[1]

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The Healthy U video, for ages 15-18, provides us with a look into the life of a student blogger at a party. While Digital Citizenship is not addressed throughout this resource, this video provides an excellent teachable moment for youths' critical thinking of their life online.

In order to support children and youth as well as educators in maintaining a safe and inclusive learning environment free from bullying and harassment in real life and online, a variety of policies have been put in place by the Ontario Ministry of Education.[1]

Foundations for a Healthy School

Ontario's Foundations for a Healthy School resource promotes and supports child and student well-being. It encourages the integration of healthy schools policies, programs and initiatives into school and school board planning and implementation processes. The resource aligns with the K - 12 School Effectiveness framework by including five interconnected areas:

Curriculum, Teaching and Learning

School & Classroom Leadership

Student Engagement

Social & Physical Environments

Home, School & Community Partnerships

Planning and implementing activities relating to these five areas will help schools, school boards, parents and community partners work together to take a comprehensive approach to address priority health topics (e.g. physical activity or mental health) in their community.[2]

Safe Schools Act - Bill 212

New legislation added to Ontario's Safe School Act and effective February 1, 2010, Bill 212 - Keeping Our Kids Safe at School Act, recognizes bullying and cyberbullying as offences for which a student can be suspended or expelled from school.[3]

Bill 212 requires all school staff to respond to and report incidents of bullying/cyberbullying that occur both ON and OFF school property.

On School Property:

racist comments or behaviours

sexist comments or behaviours

graffiti

vandalism

any incident that has a negative impact on the school climate

Off School Property:
Bill 212 further extends the right of educators to discipline students for actions that take place off school property and are not associated with the school but where these actions have an impact on school climate.

Example: cyberbullying that occurs after school hours but affects a student's attendance at school.

Bullying Prevention and Intervention - Policy/Program Memorandum 144[1]

School Level Plans

School boards must require all their schools to revise their existing school-wide bullying prevention and intervention plans as part of their School Improvement Plan. Components of these plans must include the following:

The definition of bullying

Prevention and awareness-raising strategies

Intervention and support strategies, including plans to protect victims

Reporting requirements

Training strategies for members of the school community

Communication and outreach strategies

Monitoring and review processes

Safe Schools Teams

Each school must have in place a safe schools team responsible for school safety that is composed of at least one student (where appropriate), one parent, one teacher, one non-teaching staff member, one community partner, and the principal. An existing school committee (e.g., the healthy schools committee) can assume this role. The chair of the team must be a staff member.

Resources for Digital Citizenship and Cyberbullying Information:

There are many resources available for educators to help further your own knowledge of Internet Safety and to assist you in broadening the learning of children and youth.

Get Cyber Safe: Get Cyber Safe is a national public awareness campaign created to educate Canadians about Internet security and the simple steps they can take to protect themselves online. The campaign's goal is to bring together all levels of government, the public and private sectors, and the international community to help Canadians be safer online. To learn more visit www.getcybersafe.gc.ca.

Media Smarts: MediaSmarts is a Canadian not-for-profit charitable organization for digital and media literacy. Their vision is that children and youth have the critical thinking skills to engage with media as active and informed digital citizens.To learn more visit mediasmarts.ca.

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The Healthy U video, for ages 15-18, provides us with a look into the life of a student blogger at a party. While Digital Citizenship is not addressed throughout this resource, this video provides an excellent teachable moment for youths' critical thinking of their life online.

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Systems-thinking: A Little Film About a Big Idea

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Systems-thinking: A Little Film About a Big Idea

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Systems thinking explained through everyday experiences.

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Systems Thinking: A Little Film About a Big Idea | Introduction to Cabrera Research Lab

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This toolkit (formatted into 8 individual modules) is a user-friendly resource that was designed to support educators in building youth engagement practices and finding ways to make young people genuine partners in their work.

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Youth Engagement - Joint Consortium for School Health

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© 2021 Joint Consortium for School Health. All Rights Reserved.

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Learn about school programs that can help students discover the skilled trades and explore them as careers of choice.

To find more information on apprenticeship programs and services offered across Canada visit the federal government website.

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Overview

Ontario schools have programs that help students explore a wide range of careers, with an emphasis on the skilled trades.

The skilled trades offer students a variety of rewarding and lucrative career opportunities. With specialty training, hands-on work and jobs in high-demand, skilled trades give students a wide range of secure, high-paying and satisfying careers.

By 2021, one in five new jobs in Ontario is expected to be in trades-related occupations. With an aging workforce, employers are looking for skilled tradespeople who can help build and maintain our province and provide essential services.

Careers in the skilled trades

There are more than 140 skilled trades in Ontario. They fall under four sectors: construction, industrial, transportation and service.

There are a range of career opportunities, such as:

automotive service technician

carpenter

cook

crane operator

developmental services worker

electrician

elevating device mechanic

hairstylist

heavy equipment operation

horticulture technician

industrial mechanic millwright

plumber

refrigeration and air conditioning systems mechanic

sheet metal worker

steamfitter

welder

Job skills programs in secondary schools

High schools across Ontario offer job skills programs to help young people recognize skilled trades and apprenticeships as a career of choice.

Specialist High Skills Majors (SHSM)

This innovative program lets high school students in Grades 11 and 12 focus on a career path that matches their skills and interests while earning their Ontario Secondary School Diploma.

Students can:

concentrate their learning around a particular sector

gain important skills on the job with actual employers, at skills training centres and at school

earn industry certifications

Specialist High Skills Major ( SHSM) programs are available in 19 sectors including:

See the SHSM programs available at your local high school and school board and talk to your school's guidance or cooperative education department, or the SHSM coordinator at your school board.

Dual credit programs

Dual credit programs allow students in secondary school to take college or apprenticeship courses that count towards their Ontario Secondary School Diploma and a postsecondary certificate, diploma, degree or a Certificate of Apprenticeship. Dual credit programs can help students move from high school to college and apprenticeship programs.

Students can:

earn high school credits while studying at a publicly funded college or taking apprenticeship training

gain experience to transition to postsecondary education or apprenticeship

get a head start on learning and training for their future careers

Search for dual credit programs at your local publicly funded college and talk to the high school guidance counsellor to see if dual credit programs are offered at the school.

Ontario Youth Apprenticeship Program (OYAP)

This school-to-work program lets students explore and work in apprenticeships starting in Grade 11 or Grade 12 through cooperative education. Students can become registered apprentices and work towards becoming certified in a skilled trade, while completing their secondary school diplomas.

Contact the OYAP coordinator at your school board or the cooperative education or guidance department at your local high school to find out more.

Cooperative (co-op) education

Cooperative education allows high school students to earn credits while completing a work placement in the community along with classroom learning or online learning activities. Co-op work placements are arranged for students by their high school and must follow Ministry of Education policy and guidelines.

Students participating in co-op are assigned to a cooperative education teacher.

The co-op teacher ensures that students:

learn in safe, culturally responsive environments in the community

are actively involved in determining all aspects of their own learning

help decide how they demonstrate their learning

Benefits of co-op education

Students can apply two co-op credits towards their compulsory high school graduation requirements, with no limit on earning optional co-op credits.

Co-op s allow students to:

experience hands-on learning

test-drive career options

see the relevance of their classroom learning

earn credits through workplace experience

develop skills and habits required in the workplace

build a resumé for their postsecondary plans and future employment

All Ontario school boards with high schools offer co-op programs. Contact your cooperative education or guidance department, or your school principal for more information.

Learning about skilled trades in school

We are increasing skilled trades awareness and exposure in schools so there are more opportunities for students to develop interests and skills that can lead to careers in the skilled trades.

Education and career planning

Education and career/life planning helps students from kindergarten to Grade 12 develop the knowledge and skills they need to make informed choices for their education, career and life outside school. Learn about the education and career/life planning process.

The updated Grade 10 career studies course has an enhanced focus on education planning and career pathways that lead to the skilled trades. It also takes a deeper look at careers in high-growth industries such as STEM disciplines.

Experiential learning

Hands-on, real world learning, also known as experiential learning, can offer students across all grades the chance to learn beyond the classroom and explore different career options, while building their skills to prepare for the jobs of tomorrow.

Experiential learning opportunities can include:

career fairs

classroom visits/career talks from skilled tradespeople

cooperative education

job shadowing

one on one career mentorship

project-based learning

workplace tours

Leaders of experiential learning ( LELs) work closely with industry partners and the community to create experiential learning opportunities and job skills programs. LELs:

lead activities at the school board level

have an increasing focus on the skilled trades, technological education and apprenticeship

Working with partners

Ontario works with school boards and their partners to deliver science, technology, engineering and math ( STEM) and skilled trades experiential learning opportunities in elementary and high schools. Examples include:

FIRST Robotics Canada

FIRST Robotics Canada is a registered charity with a mission to inspire students to pursue further studies and careers in science, technology and engineering.

Students can build robots and take part in tournaments with competitions, judged awards and other forms of recognition, potentially including university and college scholarships.

Competitions start as early as elementary school and continue through high school. Learn more about the competitions.

FIRST Robotics also works to support integrating more girls and young women into STEM courses and careers.

Skills Ontario

Skills Ontario provides a broad range of programming and skills competitions designed to encourage students to explore, consider and prepare for careers in the skilled trades and technologies, and connect students with employers from skilled trades industries.

Programming options include:

career awareness workshops

Far North trades and tech days

in-school presentations

summer camp

Skills Ontario also has events and programs for:

Additional information

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Ontario schools have programs that help students explore a wide range of careers, with an emphasis on the skilled trades. The skilled trades offer students a variety of rewarding and lucrative career opportunities. With specialty training, hands-on work and jobs in high-demand, skilled trades give students a wide range of secure, high-paying and satisfying careers.

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Engaging Volunteers |Change Makers at Work

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Engaging Volunteers |Change Makers at Work

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Volunteering is a fundamental act of good citizenship. It’s also essential in our society. Volunteer Canada can support your organization to develop strategies for recruiting and managing volunteers from every walk of life, age and cultural group.

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Volunteer Canada

Volunteer Canada is a registered charity, providing national leadership and expertise on volunteerism to increase the participation, quality and diversity of volunteer experiences.

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Volunteer Canada is a registered charity, providing national leadership and expertise on volunteerism to increase the participation, quality and diversity of volunteer experiences.

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The Government of Canada and other national and international agencies have identified and validated nine key Essential Skills for the workplace.

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Good Essential Skills means you will understand and remember concepts introduced in technical training. The level of Essential Skills required for most trades is as high or higher that it is for many office jobs.Essential skills are used in nearly every job and at different levels of complexity.

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Career Cruising is a self-exploration and planning program that helps people of all ages achieve their potential in career and life

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Note: If you do not have an email address associated with your Career Cruising account, please contact your teacher/site administrator.

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myBlueprint | Building a career portfolio

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myBlueprint | Building a career portfolio

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This activity will help students create a career portfolio to present to potential employers and educators

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Simple student portfolios and career education resources

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Learn about the Species at Risk Act (SARA) and how it may affect you

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This section is designed to help you learn about the Species at Risk Act and how it may affect you.

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Healthy river ecosystems rely on clean water. The quality of water, and the health of rivers, depends on how people develop and use the surrounding land. These indicators measure the ability of river water to support plants and animals.

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National results

Key results

For the 2017 to 2019 period, water quality in rivers in Canada was rated fair to excellent at 82% of the monitored sites

Land development through agriculture, mining, forestry, high population density or a combination of these (mixed pressures) tends to have a negative impact on water quality

Water quality in Canadian rivers, national and by land use category, 2017 to 2019 period

Data table for the long description

Note: Percentages may not add up to 100 due to rounding.

Download data file (Excel/CSV; 1.23 kB)

Navigate data using the interactive map
How this indicator was calculated

Note: Water quality was evaluated at 173 sites across southern Canada using the Canadian Council of Ministers of the Environment's water quality index. For more information on land use classification and monitoring sites selection, consult the Data sources and methods section.
Source: Data assembled by Environment and Climate Change Canada from federal, provincial and joint water quality monitoring programs. Population, forestry, mining and land cover statistics for each site's drainage area were provided by Statistics Canada, Natural Resources Canada, Environment and Climate Change Canada, Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, the Government of Alberta and the University of Maryland.

For the 2017 to 2019 period,Footnote 1 water quality at 173 monitoring sites in southern Canadian riversFootnote 2 was rated:

excellent or good at 41% of monitoring sites

fair at 42% of sites

marginal at 16% of sites

poor at 2% of sites

By world standards, Canada has abundant, clean freshwater resources. The water in Canada's rivers varies naturally across the country based on the rocks and soil in the area and the climate. For example, water that flows through the rocky landscape of northern Ontario and Quebec is naturally different from water flowing through the deep soils of the Prairies. Depending on their composition, some soils may act as a filter while others may contribute elements to the water. However, it is how people have developed the land around lakes and rivers that has the largest impact on water quality at each site.

Water quality is generally good or excellent in undeveloped areas where native plants, trees and soils purify the water before it reaches the river. Adding development such as manufacturing and cities puts pressure on the landscape and increases the amount of chemicals being released into rivers every day. As well, many contaminants make their way into rivers after being released into the air through burning. Fertilizers and pesticides used to help crops grow and manure from livestock can wash into nearby rivers or seep into groundwater, impacting water quality in these areas. Some forestry activities, such as removing trees and other vegetation that would otherwise reduce the flow of surface water into rivers, may increase run-off of nutrients and contaminants into rivers. All of these developments change water quality in a river and put pressure on the plants and animals that live there.

Trends in water quality in Canadian rivers

Key results

Water quality has not changed between 2002 and 2019 at over half of the sites across southern Canada

Where it has changed, it has deteriorated more often than it has improved

Trends in water quality, Canada, 2002 to 2019

Data table for the long description

Change

Number of sites

Percentage of sites

Improving water quality

27

16

Deteriorating water quality

36

21

No change in water quality

109

63

Total

172

100

Note: Percentages may not add up to 100 due to rounding.

Download data file (Excel/CSV; 1.15 kB)

Navigate data using the interactive map
How this indicator was calculated

Note: The trend in water quality between the first year that data were reported for each site and 2019 was calculated at 172Footnote 3 sites across southern Canada. A Mann-Kendall test was used to assess whether there was a statistically-significant increasing or decreasing trend in the annual guideline deviation ratios at a site. The trend was calculated at each site using parameters specific to the site. Therefore, an improving or a deteriorating water quality does not necessarily imply a change in water quality category. For more information on the trend method used, consult the Data sources and methods and the Caveats and limitations sections.

Source: Data assembled by Environment and Climate Change Canada from federal, provincial and joint water quality monitoring programs.

The average water quality in a river tends to change slowly. Natural factors, such as snow and rainfall, affect water quality by washing pollution that builds up on the surface of roads and fields into the river. A dry year could mean better water quality, because less pollution is washed into the river. On the other hand, a drought could lead to worse quality as there is less water to dilute pollution from point sources like urban sewage outflows. A changing climate that results in longer or more frequent wet or dry periods will affect water quality in each river differently depending on its regional characteristics.

How the landscape is developed also impacts how quickly water quality changes. Altered landscapes, industrial and sewage effluents, and atmospheric depositionFootnote 4 can all affect water quality. Water quality in a river can be improved by modernizing wastewater treatment plants and factories, adopting environmental farming practices, protecting wetlands, or planting native vegetation along river banks, among other actions.

Regional results

Regional water quality in Canadian rivers

Key results

The Atlantic Ocean, Hudson Bay and Mackenzie River regions had the highest proportion of sites with good or excellent water quality (55%, 50%, and 40%, respectively)

The Pacific Ocean, Great Lakes and St. Lawrence River, and Atlantic Ocean regions had the highest proportion of sites with marginal or poor water quality (29%, 27% and 11%, respectively)

Water quality at the majority of sites across Canada was rated fair

Regional water quality, Canada, 2017 to 2019 period

Data table for the long description

Note: Percentages may not add up to 100 due to rounding.

Download data file (Excel/CSV; 1.50 kB)

Navigate data using the interactive map
How is this indicator calculated

Note: For the Regional water quality in Canadian rivers indicator, water quality was assessed at 191 sites across Canada using the Canadian Council of Ministers of the Environment's water quality index. Compared to the national indicator, the Regional water quality in Canadian rivers indicator uses 18 additional monitoring sites and includes more sites in the northern portions of the Mackenzie River and Pacific Ocean regions.
Source: Data assembled by Environment and Climate Change Canada from federal, provincial, territorial and joint water quality monitoring programs.

Water quality varies widely across Canada. For the 2017 to 2019 period:

The highest proportion of sites rated good or excellent was found in areas where there was very little human development upstream or in the least populated areas

The highest proportion of sites rated marginal or poor was found in areas where there was urban development or mining, combined with agriculture, forestry or a combination of all 4

blank space

Atlantic Ocean

Key results

Most sites in the Atlantic Ocean region are

in areas with forestry or in undeveloped areas

have fair to excellent water quality

Monitoring sites in high population density areas and with agriculture or forestry (mixed pressures) usually have worse water quality

Water quality by land use category, Atlantic Ocean region, 2017 to 2019 period

More information

Along the east coast of Canada, all rivers drain into the Atlantic Ocean. This region includes Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, Prince Edward Island, and Newfoundland and Labrador, along with part of eastern Quebec.

The region is home to approximately 2.3 million people, or 7% of Canada's population. The majority live in Nova Scotia, New Brunswick and on the island of Newfoundland.

Agriculture is mainly found in Prince Edward Island, Nova Scotia's Annapolis Valley, and New Brunswick where the soil and climate are suitable.

Mining and forestry are 2 of the region's largest industries. In Newfoundland and Labrador, iron ore, nickel, copper, cobalt and gold are mined. New Brunswick and Nova Scotia have many active aggregate, limestone, gypsum, coal and gold mines. Forestry, the largest industry in New Brunswick, is composed of solid wood and pulp production. Water pollution from mining and pulp and paper industries effluent is regulated, but limited releases to rivers and leaching from tailings and waste rock enclosures can have a local impact on water quality. Closed or abandoned metal mines may still be releasing harmful substances to the water. Also, mines are often located in areas where mineral content in the soil and in water may be naturally high.

For the 2017 to 2019 period,Footnote 1 water quality for 45 sites on rivers draining into the Atlantic Ocean was rated:

excellent or good at 55% of monitoring sites

fair at 33% of sites

marginal at 9% of sites

poor at 2% of sites

Water quality tends to be good to excellent in this region of Canada because large areas are undeveloped, and therefore not subject to impact from human activity, particularly in Labrador.

Calculated trends using data from 2002 to 2019Footnote 5 show that water quality has improved at 17 sites: 3 sites on the Saint John River ( Saint John River below St. Basile, Saint John River at Evandale and Saint John River below Upper Queensbury), the Aroostook River, the Nashwaak River, the Petitcodiac River, the Tobique River, the Big Presque Isle Stream, the Kennebecasis River, the Restigouche River, the Nepisiguit River, the Southwest Miramichi River and the Richibucto River in New Brunswick, the Gander River in Newfoundland and Labrador, and the Tusket River, the Roseway River and the Mersey River in Nova Scotia. These 17 sites are in areas where there is very little development or forestry around them, except for 2 sites on the Saint John River, the Nepisiguit River and Gander River, where there is either mining alone or mixed with higher population density or forestry.

Water quality has deteriorated at 5 sites: on the Main River in Newfoundland and Labrador, on the Annapolis River and the Cornwallis River in Nova Scotia, and on the Mill River and the Bear River in Prince Edward Island. There was no change in water quality at the remaining 23 sites.

Great Lakes and St. Lawrence River

Key results

Water quality in rivers in the Great Lakes and St. Lawrence River region is generally

fair to poor in southwestern Ontario and along the St. Lawrence River between Montreal and Quebec City

good in eastern Ontario

Monitoring sites in areas where there are mixed pressures tend to have worse water quality

Water quality by land use category, Great Lakes and St. Lawrence River region, 2017 to 2019 period

More information

Home to almost 60% of Canadians, close to 20 million people, the Great Lakes and St. Lawrence River region contains 6 of the country's 10 largest cities: Toronto, Montreal, Ottawa, Mississauga, Brampton and Hamilton. Most human activity in this area is associated with urbanization. The impact of increasing population density can be seen in the diminished water quality at sites on rivers.

Fertile soils and a relatively mild climate combine to create productive agricultural land in the Great Lakes and St. Lawrence River region. Agricultural land is steadily being covered by cities changing the stresses on water quality in the region.

Mining in the region is dominated by feldspar and quartz mines. Forestry is an important industry in Quebec and Ontario. Pulp and paper mills are mainly located near the Great Lakes and the St. Lawrence River or near their tributaries. Water pollution from mining and pulp and paper industries effluent is regulated, but limited releases to rivers and leaching from tailings and waste rock enclosures can have a local impact on water quality. Closed or abandoned metal mines may still be releasing harmful substances to the water.

For the 2017 to 2019 period, water quality for 58 sites on rivers in the Great Lakes and St. Lawrence River region was rated:

good at 28% of monitoring sites

fair at 45% of sites

marginal at 24% of sites

poor at 3% of sites

Calculated trends using data from 2002 to 2019Footnote 5 show no site with improved water quality. During that same period, water quality has deteriorated at 21 sites. Eighteen (18) of these sites are located in Ontario, on the Skootamata River, the Nottawasaga River, the Thames River, the Sydenham River, the Credit River, the Humber River, the Ausable River, the Saugeen River, the South Raisin River, the North Raisin River, the Bayfield River, the Gananoque River, the Delisle River, the Salmon River, the Kemptville Creek, the Rideau River, the Jock River, and the Fall River. Three (3) sites are located in Québec, on the Richelieu River, the La Chaloupe River and the St. Lawrence River at Lévis. Land use at a majority of these sites is either agriculture or a mix of agriculture and high population density.

There was no change in water quality at the remaining 37 sites.

Hudson Bay

Key results

Water quality in rivers close to the Rocky Mountains, in Saskatchewan, and north of Lake Winnipeg in the Hudson Bay region tends to be good or excellent. There is very little development in these areas

Water quality tends to be worse in areas where there is agriculture, or a mixture of agriculture and mining

Water quality by land use category, Hudson Bay region, 2017 to 2019 period

More information

The Nelson River originates at the northern tip of Lake Winnipeg and flows into the south-western corner of Hudson Bay. Its tributaries drain over 1 million km ² of land starting in the Rocky Mountains running through the Prairies and into Lake Winnipeg. Most of the 5.5 million people in the region live in its 5 major cities (Calgary, Edmonton, Winnipeg, Saskatoon and Regina).

Water quality in this region reflects the soils found on the prairies, which have naturally higher concentrations of many water quality components. As with other areas, human development can alter this water quality. Agriculture covers almost all the land in the Prairies. Mining, particularly the production of potash and fuels, is the second most important industry. Water quality tends to be worse where rivers run through agricultural and mining areas. Other factors can also play a significant role in water quality of this region, such as the natural characteristics of the basin, the continuum of the river, and weather conditions.

For the 2017 to 2019 period, water quality for 44 sites on rivers in the Hudson Bay region was rated:

excellent or good at 50% of monitoring sites

fair at 43% of sites

marginal at 7% of sites

Calculated trends using data from 2002 to 2019Footnote 5 show that water quality has improved at 6 sites: the Souris River, the La Salle River, the Cooks Creek, the Brokenhead River and 2 sites on the Assiniboine River ( Headingley and North-West of Treesbank) in Manitoba. Land use at these sites is either agriculture or a mix of agriculture and mining. Water quality has deteriorated at 2 sites: the Carrot River and the Assiniboine River in Saskatchewan, where there is extensive agriculture. In the case of the Carrot River, hydrology plays an important role in determining the source of the water flowing through the river, and therefore the parameters' values. There was no change in water quality at the remaining 36 sites.

Mackenzie River

Key results

Water quality in the Mackenzie River region is generally good to excellent in areas where there is little development

Water quality tends to be lower where there are multiple pressures

Water quality by land use category, Mackenzie River region, 2017 to 2019 period

More information

The Mackenzie River watershed is the largest in Canada, covering nearly 20% of the country and is one of the least developed. Its 2 largest tributaries, the Peace River and the Athabasca River, drain much of north-central Alberta and the Rocky Mountains in northern British Columbia. The majority of the 450 000 people living in the watershed live in the southern portions of the watershed.

Much of the watershed consists of unbroken wilderness. The most intensive land use in the region is oil and gas extraction in central Alberta. This land use along with forestry and agriculture result in water quality in these areas being degraded relative to water in the undeveloped parts of the watershed.

For the 2017 to 2019 period, water quality for 20 sites on rivers draining into Mackenzie River was rated:

excellent or good at 40% of monitoring sites

fair at 50% of sites

marginal at 10% of sites

Calculated trends using data from 2002 to 2019Footnote 5 show that water quality has deteriorated at 2 sites: the Smoky River and the Peace River in Alberta. These sites are in areas where there is a mix of mining, forestry and agricultural activities. Water quality has remained stable at 2 sites on the Athabasca River in Alberta ( Athabasca and Old Fort). Trends were not calculated at the remaining 16 sites.Footnote 6

Pacific Ocean

Key results

Water quality in the Pacific Ocean region is generally fair to good

Marginal or poor water quality is found where there is mining or a combination of mining, forestry activities and high population density

Water quality by land use category, Pacific Ocean region, 2017 to 2019 period

More information

Rivers draining into the Pacific Ocean flow through varied landscapes, from large areas with little development to one of Canada's largest cities: Vancouver. Roughly 4.4 million people, or 16% of Canadians, live in the Pacific Ocean watershed.

In the Okanagan Valley and Fraser Valley, soil conditions and climate are favourable for orchards, vineyards and cash crops. Cattle ranching is dominant throughout much of the other interior plateau and valley lands.

Mining and forestry are 2 of the region's largest industries. Coal, lead, zinc, copper, gold, silver, molybdenum and other precious metals are actively mined within the Pacific Ocean watershed. Forestry industry consists of pulp and paper and wood product manufacturing as well as logging. Soil erosion, water pollution from mine and pulp and paper effluent released to rivers, and seepage from tailings and waste rock impoundments may have an impact on water quality. Furthermore, mines are often located in areas where mineral content in the soil and in water may be naturally high.

For the 2017 to 2019 period, water quality for 24 sites on rivers draining into the Pacific Ocean was rated:

excellent or good at 38% of monitoring sites

fair at 34% of sites

marginal at 24% of sites

poor at 4% of sites

Calculated trends using data from 2002 to 2019Footnote 5 show that water quality has improved at 4 sites: the Cheakamus River, the Thompson River, the Columbia River and the Kettle River. The Cheakamus and Kettle Rivers are in relatively undeveloped areas of British Columbia. The Thompson and Columbia Rivers are in areas with forestry and mining activities. In addition, the Columbia River is influenced by numerous dams.

Water quality has deteriorated at 6 sites: the Quinsam River, the Nechako River, the Elk River, and the 3 main Fraser River sites ( Marguerite, Red Pass, and Hope). These sites are in areas where there are mining and forestry activities, except for Red Pass, which is in an undeveloped area. There has been no change in water quality status at the remaining 11 sites: Cowichan River, Pend d'Oreille River, Similkameen River, Okanagan River, Englishman River, Illecillewaet River, Sumas River, Salmon River at Hyder, Salmon River at Highway 1, and 2 sites on the Kootenay River ( Kootenay Crossing and Creston). Trends were not calculated at the remaining 3 sites.Footnote 6

About the indicators

About the indicators

What the indicators measure

These indicators provide a measure of the ability of river water across Canada to support plants and animals. At each monitoring site, specific water quality data are compared to water quality guidelines to create a rating for the site. If measured water quality remains within the guidelines, we assume that it can maintain a healthy ecosystem.

Water quality at a monitoring site is considered excellent when parameters in a river almost always meet their guidelines. Conversely, water quality is rated poor when parameters usually do not meet their guidelines, sometimes by a wide margin.

Why these indicators are important

Clean freshwater is an essential resource. It protects aquatic plant and animal biodiversity. We use it for manufacturing, energy production, irrigation, swimming, boating, fishing and for domestic use (for example, drinking, washing). Degraded water quality damages the health of all freshwater ecosystems, such as rivers, lakes, reservoirs and wetlands. It can also disrupt fisheries, tourism and agriculture, and make it more expensive to treat to drinking water standards.

These indicators provide information about the state of surface water quality and its change through time, to support water resource management. They are used to provide information about the status and trends in water quality for the Canada Water Act report and Environment and Climate Change Canada's annual departmental performance reports.

Pristine lakes and rivers

These indicators support the measurement of progress towards the following 2019 to 2022 Federal Sustainable Development Strategy long-term goal: Clean and healthy lakes and rivers support economic prosperity and the well-being of Canadians.

In addition, the indicators contribute to the Sustainable Development Goals of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. They are linked to the 2030 Agenda's Goal 6: Clean water and sanitation, and Target 6.3: "By 2030, improve water quality by reducing pollution, eliminating dumping and minimizing release of hazardous chemicals and materials, halving the proportion of untreated wastewater and substantially increasing recycling and safe reuse globally".

The indicators also contribute towards reporting on Target 10 of the 2020 Biodiversity target for Canada: "By 2020, pollution levels in Canadian waters, including pollution from excess nutrients, are reduced or maintained at levels that support healthy aquatic ecosystems."

Related indicators

The Nutrients in the St. Lawrence River, Phosphorus loading to Lake Erie, Reductions in phosphorus loads to Lake Winnipeg, and Nutrients in Lake Winnipeg indicators report the state of phosphorus and nitrogen levels and loadings in those 3 ecosystems.

The Phosphorus levels in the offshore waters of the Great Lakes indicator reports on the state of and trends in phosphorus levels in the open waters of the Canadian Great Lakes.

The Household use of chemical pesticides and fertilizers indicator reports on how many people in Canada use pesticides and fertilizers on their lawns and gardens.

Data sources and methods

Data sources and methods

Data sources

Water quality data are collected by federal, provincial and territorial monitoring programs from across Canada. The complete list of data sources from Federal and Provincial monitoring networks can be found in Annex A.

Water quality guidelines for the protection of aquatic life are used to calculate the indicators. They come from the Canadian Council of Ministers of the Environment, the United States Environmental Protection Agency, and provincial and territorial government sources. Where these guidelines do not exist, other guidelines, such as irrigation guidelines, are used. A complete list of water quality guidelines used by each jurisdiction can be found in Annex B.

Additional information from Statistics Canada, Natural Resources Canada, Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, and Environment and Climate Change Canada are used to assess land use.

More information

For the 2017 to 2019 period, water quality data from 173 sites were used to compile the national indicator. These data were drawn from monitoring sites in Canada's 16 southernmost drainage regions. The 16 regions were selected based on population and land use to create the water quality indicator core network for national water quality reporting.
Geographic extent of the 16 drainage regions selected for the national water quality indicator

Long description

The partial map of Canada shows the drainage regions included in the national water quality indicator. Of Canada's 25 drainage regions, 16 are used to report on water quality nationally.

The regional indicator groups these 16 drainage regions to 5 larger drainage regions, based on the water body in which rivers ultimately drain into:

Atlantic Ocean region (22, 23, 24, 25)

Great Lakes and St. Lawrence River region (19, 20, 21)

Hudson Bay region (10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15)

Mackenzie River region (6, 7)

Pacific Ocean region (1, 2, 3, 4, 5)

Parts of the Mackenzie River and Pacific Ocean regions fall outside of the 16 drainage regions (Figure 9). In order to ensure proper coverage of these regions in the regional indicator, data for 4 additional sites in Yukon, 4 sites in Alberta, 1 site in Saskatchewan, and 9 sites in the Northwest Territories were used. These additional 18 sites were not included in the national indicator nor the trend analysis. In the Atlantic Ocean region, the North Shore-Gaspé drainage region is not included in the Freshwater Quality Monitoring and Surveillance program.

Water quality is evaluated at an additional 134 monitoring sites across Canada. Although these additional sites were not used to calculate the indicators, water quality results for all 325 sites can be explored using the interactive water quality map. These additional sites are not included in the calculations because they do not meet the minimum data requirements detailed in the section below, or because including them would over represent the region.

Data used to calculate the indicator includes a subset of around 40 water quality parameters, such as major ions, physical parameters, trace metals, nutrients and pesticides, as well as pH, temperature and hardness, required to calculate certain guidelines. Sample timing and frequency are set by monitoring programs and vary among sites.

Each data record is tagged with the site name, the date the sample was collected, the name and chemical form of the parameter. Land use and ecological information are also collected for each site. Water quality data, along with water quality indicator scores and site information from the monitoring programs, are stored in a central water quality indicator dictionary housed within a larger database at Environment and Climate Change Canada.

Land use characterization for all monitoring sites was updated in 2019. Land use at each site was determined using:

population density from Statistics Canada, Population 2016 by dissemination block level

mine locations using Natural Resources Canada's 2018 Map 900A: Principal Mineral Areas, Producing Mines, and Oil and Gas fields in Canada, 68th Edition

advanced mineral projects locations using Natural Resources Canada's Advances mineral projects inventory released in February 2019

oil sands locations using data provided by Alberta Energy, Government of Alberta 2011

pulp and paper locations using the Environment and Climate Change Canada's National Pollutant Release Inventory (NPRI): Geographic Distribution of NPRI-Reporting Facilities

forest loss estimated by time-series analysis of 654 178 Landsat 7 ETM+ images in characterizing global forest extent and change from Global Forest Change 2000 to 2012

agricultural activity locations using Natural Resources Canada's Land Cover 2010, Cropland class

estimation of livestock using the "Agri-Environmental Indicator (AEI): Livestock Emissions from Agriculture" dataset estimating net emissions produced by livestock from Soil Landscapes of Canada agricultural areas for census years from 1981 to 2011

land cover using Natural Resources Canada's Land Cover 2010

Data quality assurance and quality control

Data quality assurance/quality control is performed by the monitoring program providing data for the water quality indicators. Each monitoring program follows standardized methods for sample collection in the field. Chemical analyses are performed in Canadian laboratories accredited by the Canadian Association for Laboratory Accreditation or the Standards Council of Canada.

Environment and Climate Change Canada performs further quality assurance/quality control to ensure datasets meet minimum data requirements for the analysis and that calculation standards are respected. This process verifies the number of samples, sample timing, location of monitoring sites, and calculations. It can lead to the removal of water quality data due to low sampling frequencies, erroneous measurements, or where analytical detection limits are higher than the guidelines used in the calculation. Unusually high or low values in the monitoring datasets are double-checked and confirmed through consultation with the data provider.

Minimum data requirements

Calculating the water quality status for most sites requires a minimum of 4 samples per year collected over 3 years. A minimum of 3 samples per year is permitted for northern and remote sites, as access during winter months can be difficult, dangerous and costly. A sensitivity analysis found that there was no significant difference in the water quality index score when mid-winter samples were excluded.Footnote 7

Minimum sampling requirements for the 2017 to 2019 period were not met at 1 site in Manitoba, 1 site in the Northwest Territories, and 1 site in British Columbia for the national and regional indicators. These sites were excluded.

For a parameter to be included in the calculation of the indicators, a sample value must be available for each year for at least 33% of the total number of samples.

Data timeliness

The indicators were calculated using data from 2017 to 2019, the most recent data available from all monitoring programs.

Methods

Water quality is reported in these indicators by measuring a number of chemical and physical properties (parameters) in water. The results for each parameter are compared to its water quality guideline.Footnote 8

These indicators are calculated using the water quality index as endorsed by the Canadian Council of Ministers of the Environment.Footnote 9 For each site, 5 to 15 water quality parameters are compared to their guideline value using the index calculation. An index score between 1 and 100 is calculated based on these selected parameters. Sites are assigned a water quality category based on the score. The frequency and amplitude by which a parameter does not meet its guideline negatively impacts the water quality score for a given site. The results are grouped into 5 geographical regions for presentation in the Regional water quality in Canadian rivers indicator.

Trends in water quality at each site are evaluated using a guideline deviation ratio. This ratio is calculated by dividing each water quality parameter result by its guideline. Ratios from all parameters are summed, and then averaged annually from 2002 to 2019. The ratios are then multiplied by -1, so that improving water quality will show a positive slope. A Mann-Kendall test is used to assess whether there is a statistically significant increasing (improving water quality) or decreasing (deteriorating water quality) trend in the annual guideline deviation ratios at a site.

Annex B contains a complete list of parameters and guidelines used in each jurisdiction. Information on water quality parameters and guidelines used at individual sites can be found in the interactive water quality map.

More information

Parameter selection

Federal, provincial and territorial water quality experts select the parameters to be assessed at each site based on their knowledge of local water quality stressors. Selected parameters typically include at least one form of the following parameter groups: nutrients (for example, phosphorus, nitrate, nitrite, total nitrogen), metals (for example, zinc, copper, lead), and physico-chemical parameters (for example, pH, turbidity), as well as 2 to 4 regionally specific parameters (for example, chloride, ammonia, dissolved oxygen, pesticides). The water quality index score is based on these selected parameters.

Water quality guideline selection

Water quality guidelines for the protection of aquatic life are recommended limits or statements for a variety of chemical substances and physical parameters, which, if exceeded, may impair aquatic life. These guidelines are based on existing knowledge of a substance's environmental fate, behaviour, and chronic or, in a few cases, acute toxicity.

Federal, provincial or territorial water quality experts select the guidelines to use in the calculation of the water quality indicator based on their local relevance. The Canadian Freshwater Quality Guidelines for the Protection of Aquatic Life are recommended if locally relevant. Annex C provides a complete list of guidelines used by provinces and territories and their source.

Background concentrations of naturally-occurring substances and other local river characteristics can impact the measured concentration and toxicity of some substances. In these cases, site-specific guidelines may be developed using procedures based on background concentrationsFootnote 10 or a rapid assessment approach. The rapid assessment approach uses long-term monitoring data and adjusts for natural events, such as high flows, that may influence results.Footnote 11

Selection of national core sites for the development of the national indicator

Among Canada's 25 drainage regions (Figure 9), 16 were selected based on population and land use to create the water quality indicator core network for national water quality reporting. Within the 16 selected drainage regions, core sites were selected to ensure site drainage areas do not overlap and are independent of one another. The upstream drainage area of each monitoring site was delineated by Statistics Canada using the National Hydro Network.Footnote 12 Where the upstream drainage areas of monitoring sites overlapped, the site furthest downstream was retained for the core network, as the downstream site is impacted by the maximum area in the river basin and, to some degree, reflects the cumulative impact of all upstream stresses. For 14 large rivers, core sites were chosen in the upper, mid and lower portions of the main river and at the most downstream sites on each tributary, when available. Additional core sites were included on these rivers, because water travels thousands of kilometres from the source to the mouth of these rivers. Water quality changes along the way and cannot be summarized by a unique downstream monitoring site. The final selection of core sites ensures monitoring sites are well distributed among provinces and drainage regions.

The number of core sites changes from year to year because samples are missed or lost and, as a result, the site may not have the minimum data required to be reported.

Classification of sites

Land use was assessed in the drainage area of core sites and classified according to the criteria presented in Table 1 using the drainage area of each monitoring site.Footnote 13 Even if a site's land use classification is Agriculture, Forestry, Mining or Populated, it does not mean that these are the only activities taking place at that site. These land use classifications were determined to be the most representative of the environmental pressures on each site's drainage area, based on the data available at the time the analysis was done.

Note: [A]Either criteria must be met. [B]Livestock intensity was calculated by dividing the total estimated emissions of greenhouse gas by the basin area. The lower value was attributed an intensity value of 0 and the highest value, an intensity value of 1. [C]Mines includes metal mines and mills, non-metal mines, quarries, coal mines, and oil sands mines.

Calculating water quality status

The water quality indicators are calculated using the water quality index, as endorsed by the Canadian Council of Ministers of the Environment. The water quality index calculation considers 3 factors to summarize water quality at a site: scope, frequency and amplitude (Equation 1).

Scope (F₁) is the percentage of parameters for which the water quality guidelines are not met.

Frequency (F₂) is the percentage of samples for which the water quality guidelines are not met.

Amplitude (F₃) refers to the amount by which the water quality guidelines are not met.

The score is normalized to yield a score between 1 and 100. The full set of equations for the water quality index is described in the Canadian Council of Ministers of the Environment (2017) CCME Water Quality Index 2.0 User's Manual (PDF; 1.61 MB).
Equation 1.

Long description

The Canadian Council of Ministers of the Environment's water quality index score is calculated as 100 minus the square root of the ratio of the sum of the scope (F ₁) squared plus the frequency (F ₂) squared plus the amplitude (F ₃) squared divided by 3.

Water quality scores are grouped into 5 categories following the Canadian Council of Ministers of the Environment's water quality index (Table 2).

Ranking

Interpretation

Excellent
(95.0 to 100.0)

Water quality is protected with a virtual absence of threat of impairment; conditions are very close to natural.

Good
(80.0 to 94.9)

Water quality is protected with only a minor degree of threat or impairment; conditions rarely depart from natural or desirable levels.

Fair
(65.0 to 79.9)

Water quality is usually protected but occasionally threatened or impaired; conditions sometimes depart from natural or desirable levels.

Marginal
(45.0 to 64.9)

Water quality is frequently threatened or impaired; conditions often depart from natural or desirable levels.

Poor
(0 to 44.9)

Water quality is almost always threatened or impaired; conditions usually depart from natural or desired levels.

Three (3) years of data is used to calculate the indicator. This is to dampen temporal variability in the results caused by annual fluctuations in weather and hydrology, to make the water quality indicators more representative of how humans are impacting water quality in rivers.Footnote 11

Calculation of trends in the water quality

The water quality index formulation can only detect change once parameter values exceed their guidelines, making it a metric that is much less sensitive to change over time. In order to increase trend detection sensitivity, a separate set of calculations and metrics were carried out. This trend analysis allows for the detection of improving or deteriorating trends in water quality status at a site, whether they occur above or below guideline values.

For each year a guideline deviation ratio was calculated by dividing each parameter concentration (C) by its guideline value (G) for each sampling date. The logarithm of the ratios was calculated and averaged for each year to produce a mean annual value (Equation 2). The ratios were multiplied by -1 to invert the values so that improving water quality will show a positive slope to match how water quality is portrayed with the water quality index.
Equation 2.
For each year:

Long description

The guideline deviation ratio is calculated as minus 1 multipied by the sum of the logarithm of the annual average of the measured concentration (i) of parameter (j) divided by its guideline and divided by the total number of measurement and parameters over parameters (j) and measurements (i).

where,

i = parameters

j = samples

n = total number of samples

p = total number of parameters

C = measured concentration

G = guideline value

T = total number of samples per year

As the parameter concentrations get closer to their guidelines, the guideline deviation ratio gets closer to zero. A guideline deviation ratio below zero means the parameter concentrations are above their recommended guidelines. When parameter concentrations are well below the guidelines, the ratio is above 1.

3 parameters were exceptions:

Dissolved oxygen and total alkalinity have guidelines for which measurements must be above, rather than below like the majority of parameters. The ratio for dissolved oxygen was calculated by dividing the guideline by the concentration.

pH measurements must lie within a range of generally 6.5 and 9. The ratio for pH values less than 6.5 was calculated by dividing the lower guideline (6.5) by the concentration (measured pH). For pH values greater than 9, the ratio was calculated by dividing the concentration by the upper guideline (9).

Where temperature was used as a parameter, the absolute value of the ratio was used if temperatures were below zero.

Current parameters and guidelines at each site were used through the entire record to avoid mistaking methodological changes in the water quality indicator for water quality change. When historical data were missing for a parameter, the parameter was dropped from the trend analysis. Where there was a change in the analytical form of a parameter, and there was no way of converting to the new form, the old dataset was used.

A Mann-Kendall test using the zyp (version 0.10-1.1, 2019) and Kendall packages (version 2.2, 2011) of the statistical software R (version 3.5.2, 2018) was used to detect the presence of statistically-significant trends in the guideline deviation ratios. A count of sites with increasing, declining and no trends in the water quality indicator was compiled for the indicator of change through time.

The trend was calculated using different starting years for each site based on data availability. For this year's calculation, the starting year was: 2002 for 69 sites, 2003 for 53 sites, 2004 for 12 sites, 2005 for 7 sites, 2006 for 28 sites and 2007 for 3 sites.

Caveats and limitations

These indicators reflect the state of water quality in rivers in southern Canada. Northern Canada is under-represented.

The trends reported are based on annual ratios that aggregate parameter data. In the aggregation, negative and positive trends may cancel each other out. The trends may be different from analyses performed on a parameter by parameter basis.

An additional 18 non-core sites were included in the regional indicator to allow for coverage of the Mackenzie River region and the Pacific Ocean region, which are not included in the national water quality indicator.

The indicators only use data for a subset of variables where guidelines exist. They do not cover all potential water quality issues in Canada.

The indicators are based on the impacts of a number of parameters at each site. These concentrations do not show the effect of spills or other transient events unless samples were collected right after the spill happened or their effect on water quality is long-lasting.

More information

Water quality guidelines are derived from laboratory studies that do not consider, among other things, the impact of flow on sediment loads in a river. Although site-specific guidelines try to take into account the impact of elevated flows on parameter concentrations, elevated levels of naturally-occurring substances, such as minerals, nutrients, glacier deposits and soils, can lower water quality ratings.

The water quality indicators do not directly measure biological integrity; it measures whether physical and chemical characteristics of freshwaters are acceptable for aquatic life. Although physical and chemical measurements provide good proxies of biological integrity, only biological information provides a direct measurement of conditions for aquatic life.

The water quality indicators only assess the quality of surface waters. Groundwater is not considered in these indicators.

It can be difficult to compare water quality index scores among sites due to flexibility in the selection of parameters and guidelines to reflect local and regional water quality concerns. The water quality categories assigned based on the scores, however, are comparable. A site classified as marginal has water quality guidelines that are being exceeded frequently and/or by a considerable margin, even if the parameters and guidelines used to make that classification are not exactly the same at all sites.

Only parameters for which water quality guidelines exist can be included in the indicators. The absence of a water quality guideline for a parameter does not mean the parameter is unimportant.

The water quality indicator scores are sensitive to the number of parameters and samples used in their calculation. The number of parameters used in the indicators varies from 5 to 15 depending on the monitoring site, and between 9 and 36 samples can be used for a given parameter. In general, as the number of parameters, or samples, used to calculate the index increases, the score decreases because there is a greater chance of a guideline exceedance.Footnote 14

Water quality varies naturally with weather and hydrological cycles. Although the Water quality in Canadian rivers indicators use a 3-year average to dampen the influence of specific rain fall and snow melt events on the water quality scores, care must be taken in comparing one period to another.

Resources

Resources

References

Canadian Council of Ministers of the Environment (2006) A Sensitivity Analysis of the Canadian Water Quality Index. Retrieved on September 20, 2020.

Canadian Council of Ministers of the Environment (2009) Reducing the Sensitivity of the Water Quality Index to Episodic Events. Retrieved on September 20, 2020.

Canadian Council of Ministers of the Environment (2017) CCME Water Quality Index 2.0 User's Manual (PDF; 1.61 MB). Retrieved on June 6, 2021.

Government of Canada (2008) Technical Guidance Document for Water Quality Indicator Practitioners Reporting Under the Canadian Environmental Sustainability Indicators (CESI) Initiative 2008. Retrieved on September 20, 2020.

Henry M et al. (2009) Canadian Environmental Sustainability Indicators: Water Quality Index Representivity Report, Statistics Canada.

Natural Resources Canada (2005) Multi-Temporal Land Cover Maps of Canada Using NOAA AVHRR 1-km Data from 1985-2005, 1st Edition, Canada Centre for Remote Sensing. Retrieved on September 20, 2020.

Natural Resources Canada (2007) National Hydro Network. Retrieved on September 20, 2020.

Natural Resources Canada (2008) Land Cover Map of Canada 2005, Canada Centre for Remote Sensing. Retrieved on September 20, 2020.

Painter S and Waltho J (2004) Canadian Water Quality Index: A Sensitivity Analysis. Environment and Climate Change Canada.

Statistics Canada (2007) Behaviour Study on the Water Quality Index of the Canadian Council of Ministers of the Environment. Retrieved on September 20, 2020.

Statistics Canada (2009) Standard Drainage Area Classification (SDAC) 2003. Retrieved on September 20, 2020.

Related information

Navigate data using the interactive map
Access data files

Annexes
Annex A. Monitoring programs providing data on ambient water quality Annex B. Water quality guidelines used by each province and territory
Annex A. Monitoring programs providing data on ambient water quality

Province/Territory

Monitoring program

Organization(s)

Annex B. Water quality guidelines used by each province and territory

Abbreviations used in the following tables:

2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid (2,4-D)

2-methyl-4-chlorophenoxyacetic acid (MCPA)

calcium carbonate (CaCO₃)

hexavalent chromium (Cr(VI))

litre (L)

microgram (µg)

milligram (mg)

nephelometric turbidity unit (NTU)

nitrogen (N)

site-specific guidelines (SSG)

Ontario

Chromium

total

2 μg/L
guideline for Cr(VI) adjusted to total chromium

1

Ontario water quality guideline sources:

1. Canadian Council of Ministers of the Environment (2018) Canadian Water Quality Guidelines for the Protection of Aquatic Life Summary Table. Retrieved on September 20, 2020.

2. Government of Canada (2008) Technical Guidance Document for Water Quality Index Practitioners Reporting Under the Canadian Environmental Sustainability Indicators (CESI) Initiative 2008. Environment and Climate Change Canada and Statistics Canada. Retrieved on September 20, 2020.

3. Ontario Ministry of the Environment and Energy (1994) Water Management Policies, Guidelines, Provincial Water Quality Objectives. Retrieved on September 20, 2020.

Detailed data

Detailed data

Detailed federal, provincial and territorial monitoring sites data is available through the hyperlinks below.

Federal data files

Table descriptions (CSV; 10.8 kB)
Federal raw data (CSV; 172 MB)
Federal trend data (CSV; 435 kB)
Federal water quality index scores (CSV; 3.26 MB)

Provincial and territorial data files

Alberta data (CSV; 4.05 MB)
Manitoba data (CSV; 2.31 MB)
New Brunswick data (CSV; 4.67 MB)
Newfoundland and Labrador data (CSV; 3.92 MB)
Northwest Territories data (CSV; 538 kB)
Nova Scotia data (CSV; 135 kB)
Ontario data (CSV; 2.87 MB)
Prince Edward Island data (CSV; 1.27 MB)
Quebec data (CSV; 2.65 MB)
Saskatchewan data (CSV; 2.10 MB)

British Columbia and Yukon monitoring sites are managed through federal programs. The data for these sites are available in the Federal data files.

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National results For the 2017 to 2019 period, water quality in rivers in Canada was rated fair to excellent at 82% of the monitored sites Land development through agriculture, mining, forestry, high population density or a combination of these (mixed pressures) tends to have a negative impact on water quality Water quality in Canadian rivers, national and by land use category, 2017 to 2019 period Data table for the long description Note: Percentages may not add up to 100 due to rounding.

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This user-friendly material explains in simple terms the basics of weather.  It's filled with fast facts, activities, and experiments to help learners make sense of weather, climate and hazards.  The guide can be used as a stand-alone resource to make science class the best part of your students' day!

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This user-friendly material explains in simple terms the basics of weather. It's filled with fast facts, activities, and experiments to help you help them. You can use this guide as a stand-alone resource, or you can join in the program and make science class the best part of your students' day!

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This user-friendly material explains in simple terms the basics of weather. It's filled with fast facts, activities, and experiments to help you help them. You can use this guide as a stand-alone resource, or you can join in the program and make science class the best part of your students' day!

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Biomimicry3.8  | Emulating Nature's Genius

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Biomimicry3.8  | Emulating Nature's Genius

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Biomimicry 3.8 trains, equips, and connects change-makers with nature’s 3.8 billion years of brilliant designs and strategies.

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Scroll

Biomimicry is learning from and then emulating nature's forms, processes, and ecosystems to create more sustainable designs.

Spider webs, for example, represent nature's ability to deter collisions.

×

Spiders weave UV reflective strands of silk into their webs to prevent birds from flying through. Invisible to humans, the spider-inspired principle of including UV strands in glass has been used by Ornilux, a company that has create a transparent, bird-friendly glass.

This is an example of mimicking form.

See more case examples

Nature's chemical recipes can help us design sustainable foams and plastics.

×

In nature, carbon dioxide is a feedstock used in materials-production processes like photosynthesis. Novomer Inc., a sustainable materials company, created a process to convert carbon dioxide to produce a family of low-cost, high-performance organic chemicals that can be used to form sustainable foams and plastics. Since 2016, the process has been owned and used by Saudi Aramco.

This is an example of mimicking process.

See more case examples

And the native ecosystems of Australia can show us how to build a factory that functions like a forest.

×

Ecosystems provide ecosystem services like purifying water and storing carbon. If we emulate nature's genius, buildings can too. Interface Inc. has enlisted Biomimicry 3.8 to lead a groundbreaking project that is studying the existing biome and ecosystem site conditions, along with key reference habitats, so its manufacturing facilities can do business in a regenerative way.

This is an example of mimicking systems.

See more case examples

Biomimicry 3.8 trains, equips, and connects change-makers with nature's 3.8 billion years of brilliant designs and strategies.

Our founders developed the biomimicry methodology and training programs now employed around the world by designers, engineers, business leaders, architects, and other innovators. We work with a diverse set of inspired clients, professional learners, and partner organizations to share the power of biomimicry. See our full list of clients and collaborators

We are the recognized global leader in nature-inspired innovation services and biomimicry training for professionals.

Biomimicry ushers in an era based not on what we can extract from nature, but on what we can learn from her. This shift from learning about nature to learning from nature requires a new method of inquiry.

- Janine Benyus, Biomimicry 3.8 Co-Founder

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Biomimicry is learning from and then emulating natural forms, processes, and ecosystems to create more sustainable designs.

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EcoSchools Canada works to nurture environmental leaders, reduce the ecological impact of schools, and build sustainable school communities.

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A sustainable future begins at every EcoSchool

EcoSchools Canada offers a supports school communities as they assess, track, benchmark, and celebrate environmental excellence. We are the exclusive national operator of the EcoSchools program in Canada, and a member of the international network of EcoSchools programs, coordinated by the certification program for elementary through secondary schools that nurtures environmental learning and climate action. Our award-winning, curriculum-linked framework Foundation for Environmental Education.

What is Certification?

Learn about how you can support environmental action through our certification program for K-12 schools.

School Boards/Districts

Our schools represent over 65% of all school boards and districts in Canada! Learn more about how we can help your board or district meet your strategic sustainability goals.

EcoSchools during COVID-19

Despite changes to how schools operate, we're here to support you in achieving your EcoSchools certification goals this school year.

Get our newsletter with program updates, school stories, and upcoming contests and events delivered straight to your inbox. Sign up now.

To celebrate Nutrition Month this past March and explore the connection between meat and our environment, École élémentaire Pavillon de la jeunesse in Hamilton, Ontario, decided to host Meatless Mondays for their school community.

Students from Kâpapâmachakwêw - Wandering Spirit School in Toronto, Ontario, spend a lot of time learning on the land, and need proper outdoor clothing to stay warm, cool, or dry throughout the year. As part of their EcoSchools efforts, and to ensure everyone has access to gear, the school community came up with a great idea: the KWSS clothing library.

Walking, biking, or taking the bus to school are great ways students, teachers, and members of school communities can be active, get more fresh air, improve mental health, and reduce the number of cars on the road that produce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. St. John XXIII Catholic Elementary School in Mississauga, Ontario, took action this past November and December as part of the EcoSchools program by inviting everyone at their school to participate in a Walk to School campaign.

To celebrate Nutrition Month this past March and explore the connection between meat and our environment, École élémentaire Pavillon de la jeunesse in Hamilton, Ontario, decided to host Meatless Mondays for their school community.

Students from Kâpapâmachakwêw - Wandering Spirit School in Toronto, Ontario, spend a lot of time learning on the land, and need proper outdoor clothing to stay warm, cool, or dry throughout the year. As part of their EcoSchools efforts, and to ensure everyone has access to gear, the school community came up with a great idea: the KWSS clothing library.

Walking, biking, or taking the bus to school are great ways students, teachers, and members of school communities can be active, get more fresh air, improve mental health, and reduce the number of cars on the road that produce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. St. John XXIII Catholic Elementary School in Mississauga, Ontario, took action this past November and December as part of the EcoSchools program by inviting everyone at their school to participate in a Walk to School campaign.

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A sustainable future begins at every EcoSchool EcoSchools Canada offers a supports school communities as they assess, track, benchmark, and celebrate environmental excellence. We are the exclusive national operator of the EcoSchools program in Canada, and a member of the international network of EcoSchools programs, coordinated by the certification program for elementary through secondary schools that nurtures environmental learning and climate action.

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The living world holds answers for us to create a more resilient, regenerative, and beautiful world. It is time to quiet our cleverness, to observe and listen deeply, and reconnect to nature’s wisdom by asking, “How does nature solve this?”

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How does nature ...
produce color?

Humanity faces many challenges. Nature holds
solutions. To discover them, all we have to do is
ask. Begin your search here, or explore featured
content below to learn from other species'
successful strategies and adaptations.

Youth Design Challenge Gallery

Working with groups made me feel like I made an impact on the world. Youth Design Challenge Participant

The 2023-2024 Youth Design Challenge is here! Once again, students around the world will learn to use biomimicry to address some of the biggest environmental challenges we face. Learn more and view winners' projects from 2018 to the present.

Whether it is tool use among chimpanzees or song practice among zebra finches, the process of perfecting the craft lies in diligent practice. Karuna Skariah Educator

Education isn't just about memorization, but practicing into mastery. Looking to other species, we see that long-term success is all about incorporating new knowledge into your very being.

When materials that comprise living systems are subjected to repeated loads, they can weaken over time. This is called fatigue and it can lead to cracks and eventually failure. However, fatigue doesn't occur just anywhere on a material; the cracks usually start in areas subjected to elevated local stresses. Therefore, living systems often employ shapes, materials, and/or smooth transitions to decrease the potential for fatigue. An example of using shape is found in brown algae, an intertidal seaweed. Rather than being bent by the constant flow forces of waves and currents, its shape causes it to be pulled. This reduces stress by roughly 800 times compared to another species that bends with the flow, ultimately reducing structural fatigue.

Featured Pages for October 2023

Enjoy a hand-picked selection of pages, including seasonally themed, recently updated, or newly added Biological Strategies, Innovations, and more.

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Innovation Inspired by Nature - AskNature

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Framework for Advancing Circular Economy in MS/HS

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Framework for Advancing Circular Economy in MS/HS

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With this framework in hand, the next generation will lead the way in transitioning from a linear economy to a circular economy and reducing our dependence on finite resources to
create greater economic, social, and environmental resilience and health.

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Circular Economy Education – A Concept that Integrates Environmental Action in Schools

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Circular Economy Education – A Concept that Integrates Environmental Action in Schools

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The concept of a circular economy is a new and emerging perspective on sustainability. The perspective is built on the natural world where everything is seen as a resource for the next level of the food chain resulting in zero waste.

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The concept of a circular economy is a new and emerging perspective on sustainability. The perspective is built on the natural world where everything is seen as a resource for the next level of the food chain resulting in zero waste.
The Circular Economy concept challenges the current linear model of production and consumption. This linear model follows the following 4 steps:

Taking from nature;

Making the product;

Using the product;

Disposing of the waste, often resulting in polluting our resources.

This model has created an economy that is heavily dependent on the use of energy and other resources to produce and deliver the products and services, that result in the degrading of nature of which we are a part and on which we are dependent to meet our everyday needs.

Central to developing an understanding of the Circular Economy concept is the development of knowledge, values, attitudes/disposition and behaviour, which are result in positive actions that put the goal for moving towards "zero waste" as a key outcome. The entry point to circular economy education can be through any existing environmental education initiative like energy conservation, waste management, biodiversity education, climate change, etc.

If you are teaching for sustainability action in school, the circular economy as a concept helps to overcome the current silos of environmental action. It creates an opportunity to model the concepts and principles of the circular economy as a 'whole school' to strengthen the vision of a sustainable world. Any school, with some creative thinking, can easily take actions that would help in advancing a circular economy. The idea is to mirror natural processes to produce resource instead of waste. The critical thinking required is to review any resource that enters the school, follow the process it goes through and becomes something that is of no longer in use. Through the review find out how you can:

1. Simply rework your consumption to produce zero waste. This is achieved by using products or services that are durable, uses recyclable material, and are repairable.

2. Separate the biological resources that can be naturally composted, and elements that can be returned to the natural form from the other resources that can be reused or recycled. Materials like metals and plastics can be reused to produce things again.

3. Use renewable energy to decrease dependence on coal and other fossil fuels. Remember doing work by hand or legs is also using renewable energy.

The actions that help in increasing circularity are:

1. Refuse things that you do not need and things that you cannot recycle.

2. Reduce consumption. Think of sharing, renting or borrowing instead of buying.

3. Reuse and extend the life of a product by repairing, refurbishing, and repurposing things.

4. Recycle and recover things like metal, paper, plastic...

To illustrate, students can look at one of the common products that they are very much familiar with such as paper. They can ask the following questions to assess to what extent their practices are advancing circularity:

1. Are paper products made of recycled papers?

2. Where can paper use be reduced or eliminated?

3. Do the products have sustainability labels like - Forest Stewardship Council (FSC)?

4. What is done with used books - passed on to the next batch of students?

5. How and where can used paper be reused or safely disposed of?

The review process can be done with all the consumption choices we make to advance a circular economy. Remember what Albert Einstein said - "We cannot solve our problems with the same thinking that created them"

Foundation for Environmental Education is implementing the Eco-Schools Project for Advancing Circular Economy (E-SPACE).

To know more about the project visit: https://www.ecoschools.global/espace

Pramod Kumar Sharma, Senior Director of Education, Foundation for Environmental Education

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Circular Economy Education - A Concept that Integrates Environmental Action in Schools

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The concept of a circular economy is a new and emerging perspective on sustainability. The perspective is built on the natural world where everything is seen as a resource for the next level of the food chain resulting in zero waste. The Circular Economy concept challenges the current linear model of production and consumption.

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Picture a Scientist | ProQuest Academic 

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Picture a Scientist | ProQuest Academic 

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This documentary chronicles how through courage, perseverance and solidarity, women in the sciences have overcome brutal harassment and institutional discrimination in their fields. Meet a biologist, chemist and geologist who share their harrowing – and ultimately rewarding – experiences to advance scientific research and discovery by exposing gender inequalities. Come away with a deeper understanding of why we all need to become advocates for diverse representation, access and inclusion in STEM. Watch the trailer.

High Schools: Picture a Scientist can be watched through your academic library with ProQuest's Academic Video Online.

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Thank you for registering for our live panel discussion on March 24th with Dr. Jennifer Doudna and other leading female scientists on the topic advancing diversity and inclusion in STEM. Now it's time to get the conversation started by watching the documentary, Picture a Scientist.

Missed a step? Register for the live panel discussion here.

College, University and High Schools: Picture a Scientist can be watched through your academic library with ProQuest's Academic Video Online.

Faculty/Academic Librarians: Start watching Picture A Scientist if you're an Academic Video Online subscriber. Don't have access? Request a trial by filling out the form.

University/College Students: Start watching Picture A Scientist if you're an Academic Video Online subscriber. Don't have access? Trial access to Academic Video Online can only be requested by librarians and faculty. Contact your professor or academic library for access.

High School Librarians: Start watching the high school version of Picture a Scientist if you're an Academic Video Online subscriber. Don't have access? Request a trial by filling out the form.

High School Students/Teachers: Request access to the high school version of Picture a Scientist with a trial of Academic Video Online through your school library.

One-year access to Picture a Scientist available now on Film Platform.
Public Libraries and Others
Picture a Scientist cannot be accessed for streaming through public libraries however, if you are interested in hosting a screening of the film contact pictureascientistevent@rocofilms.com.

If you are not affiliated with an academic institution or library and want access to the film, click here.

About the Film

Picture a Scientist: This documentary chronicles how through courage, perseverance and solidarity, women in the sciences have overcome brutal harassment and institutional discrimination in their fields. Meet a biologist, chemist and geologist who share their harrowing - and ultimately rewarding - experiences to advance scientific research and discovery by exposing gender inequalities. Come away with a deeper understanding of why we all need to become advocates for diverse representation, access and inclusion in STEM. Watch the trailer.

Tribeca Film Festival, 2020

"Sweeping in scope yet intimately compelling." - Science

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Thank you for registering for our live panel discussion on March 24th with Dr. Jennifer Doudna and other leading female scientists on the topic advancing diversity and inclusion in STEM. Now it's time to get the conversation started by watching the documentary, Picture a Scientist. Missed a step?

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LSF's mission is to promote, through education, the knowledge, skills, values, perspectives, and practices essential to a sustainable future.

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LSF has established the Susan Langley Excellence in Sustainability Teaching Fund to honour Susan's passion and commitment to education and sustainability. The Susan Langley Excellence in Sustainability Teaching Fund will continue Susan's important legacy in "empowering our children to change the world". To make a contribution to the Fund please click here.

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The Atmospheric Science Literacy Framework is a component of a larger effort to develop a comprehensive literacy framework for the entire Earth System. Several other related frameworks have already been completed, including frameworks for Climate Literacy, Earth Science Literacy, Ocean Literacy and Energy Literacy.

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In November 2007, UCAR and CIRES hosted a workshop to develop a consensus framework for enhancing our nation's atmospheric science and climate literacy. The workshop was sponsored by the NSF and NOAA, and incorporated input from 60 participants including representatives from NAGT, NESTA, AMS and AGU. The workshop was held at UCAR's Center Green campus in Boulder, Colorado.

This page serves as an archive of the outcomes of that workshop. The alignment to specific science education standards presented in the Atmospheric Science Literacy Framework are less germane since the release of the Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS) in 2013. However, the Essential Principles and Fundamental Concepts presented in the Framework remain a good overview of key concepts in the atmospheric sciences.

Essential Principles and Fundamental Concepts of Atmospheric Science

People who are literate in atmospheric science understand the "big ideas" of the relevant scientific knowledge. Armed with this understanding, they will have the basis to communicate about the Earth's atmosphere in a meaningful way, and be equipped to make informed and responsible decisions about activities that impact the Earth's atmosphere. This framework for Atmospheric Science Literacy provides guidance to educators and the public on these big ideas. We have chosen to structure the framework with Essential Principles (EPs) at the highest level, on which more detailed information depends. Subordinate and more specific Fundamental Concepts (FCs) offer foundational knowledge which is needed to fully understand the Essential Principles.

The Atmospheric Science Literacy Framework is a component of a larger effort to develop a comprehensive literacy framework for the entire Earth System. Several other related frameworks have already been completed, including frameworks for Climate Literacy, Earth Science Literacy, Ocean Literacy and Energy Literacy. We expect that this and the other frameworks mentioned above will be incorporated into a larger Earth System literacy framework in future work.

Essential Principle 1: Earth has a thin atmosphere that sustains life.

Fundamental Concept 1.1

Earth's atmosphere is a mixture of gases with small, but important, quantities of liquid and solid particles.

Fundamental Concept 1.2

The atmosphere has mass, is bound to Earth by gravity, and exerts pressure which is greater near Earth's surface and decreases with altitude.

Fundamental Concept 1.3

The atmosphere, which is very thin relative to Earth's radius, varies vertically in layers which differ in composition, density, and temperature. The lowest 8-16 km of the atmosphere - the troposphere - contains most of Earth's weather systems.

Fundamental Concept 1.4

Earth's atmosphere sustains and protects living things. Its composition has changed over time, as it has been influenced by life and by geological and geochemical processes. Through photosynthesis, plants produce the oxygen in the atmosphere that makes life possible.

Fundamental Concept 1.5

Other bodies in the Solar System also have atmospheres. Their composition and motions vary considerably from those of Earth's atmosphere due to planetary size, place in the Solar System, speed of rotation, and other planetary processes.

Essential Principle 2: Energy from the Sun drives atmospheric processes.

Fundamental Concept 2.1

Earth receives energy in the form of electromagnetic radiation from the Sun. Some of this solar energy is absorbed by the atmosphere, some is scattered back to space, and some is transmitted through the atmosphere to be absorbed or reflected by Earth's surface. The solar energy reflected by Earth's surface is absorbed, scattered, or transmitted by the atmosphere.

Fundamental Concept 2.2

Energy from the Sun is transformed into other forms of energy in the Earth System. In the atmosphere these other forms include thermal energy of gas molecules, the kinetic energy of wind, and the latent heat of evaporation stored in water vapor.

Fundamental Concept 2.3

On human time scales, the energy emitted by the Sun is nearly constant, varying only very slightly due to solar activity. The amount of solar energy received at a point on Earth's surface varies due to Earth's spherical shape, its daily rotation about its tilted axis, its annual revolution around the Sun, and the slight elliptical shape of Earth's orbit, leading to important cycles such as day and night, and the seasons. In addition, cloud cover and aerosols can reduce the amount of solar energy that reaches Earth's surface.

Fundamental Concept 2.4

Solar energy drives many chemical, biological, and physical processes that affect Earth's atmosphere. These include processes such as photosynthesis, evaporation of liquid water to produce water vapor, formation of smog, and the formation and destruction of ozone.

Fundamental Concept 2.5

Earth also emits energy in the form of electromagnetic radiation. Almost all of the energy emitted comes from the solar energy absorbed by Earth's surface. This terrestrial energy is absorbed by atmospheric trace gases, such as water vapor, carbon dioxide, and other gases in Earth's atmosphere. It may be reemitted from the atmosphere, either to space, where it is lost to the Earth System, or back to Earth, where it is again absorbed, producing a "Greenhouse Effect". This natural Greenhouse Effect is necessary for life to exist on Earth.

Essential Principle 3: Atmospheric circulation transports matter and energy.

Fundamental Concept 3.1

Horizontal and vertical energy imbalances in the Earth System produced by unequal heating of Earth's surface create movement in the atmosphere and the ocean.

Fundamental Concept 3.2

Energy is exchanged within the atmosphere, as well as gained and lost across its interface with land and ocean through physical, geological, and biological processes organized in Earth System cycles (e.g. the water cycle). These exchanges help drive atmospheric circulations.

Fundamental Concept 3.3

Patterns of circulation in Earth's atmosphere can be observed at many different spatial scales from global to local. Temperature differences, the rotation of Earth on its axis, and the configuration of the continents and oceans establish the large-scale atmospheric circulation.

Fundamental Concept 3.4

Atmospheric transport of water affects the formation and development of clouds, precipitation, and weather systems, which are all important components of the global water cycle.

Fundamental Concept 3.5

Atmospheric circulations distribute matter and energy globally and establish weather and climate patterns.

Essential Principle 4: Earth's atmosphere changes over time and space, giving rise to weather and climate.

Fundamental Concept 4.1

Weather is the state of Earth's atmosphere at a particular place and time. The climate of a particular place encompasses the long term range of weather conditions at that place. Earth's global climate is determined by the energy received from the Sun and is regulated by atmospheric composition and by atmospheric and oceanic circulation.

Fundamental Concept 4.2

Weather changes over time periods ranging from seconds to weeks. Climate changes over intervals ranging from years to millennia. Earth's history has been marked by gradual variations in global climate caused by long-term cyclic variations in Earth's orbit and axial tilt, and modulated by changes over geologic time in the sizes and distribution of the continents. These gradual variations have been punctuated by relatively abrupt climatic shifts caused by volcanic eruptions and sudden redistributions of mass and energy in the Earth System.

Fundamental Concept 4.3

Both weather and climate vary by region based on latitude, altitude, land use, proximity to physical features such as the ocean and mountains, and ocean currents.

Fundamental Concept 4.4

Weather phenomena are important to human society. As evidenced in art, literature, and human culture over time, some atmospheric phenomena are beautiful, inspiring the human spirit. Severe weather, such as thunderstorms, tornadoes, and hurricanes, can bring rapid, dramatic changes to ecosystems and to individuals, property, and infrastructure.

Essential Principle 5: Earth's atmosphere continuously interacts with the other components of the Earth System.

Fundamental Concept 5.1

Earth's atmosphere exchanges energy and matter within the Earth System through physical processes such as photosynthesis, the water cycle, biogeochemical cycles, the rock cycle, and ocean currents.

Fundamental Concept 5.2

Interactions and feedbacks among the components of the Earth System can produce short-term oscillations (such as El Niño and La Niña conditions in the Pacific Ocean), long-term changes in the state of the system (such as global warming), and abrupt, unexpected events (such as sudden release of methane from permafrost).

Fundamental Concept 5.3

Earth's atmosphere plays an important role in biogeochemical cycles in the Earth System. For example, the atmosphere is a reservoir of carbon in the Earth System, storing carbon released from natural processes and fossil fuel burning. Plants extract carbon from the atmosphere through photosynthesis.

Fundamental Concept 5.4

As a result of the long time-scales inherent in some Earth System processes, the impacts of some events may be felt only slowly throughout the Earth System and may continue to be influential long after the original event has changes. For example, because of the long time-scale of deep ocean circulation, an abrupt regional change in ocean salinity may take centuries to be reflected in the global circulation of the ocean.

Essential Principle 6: We seek to understand the past, present, and future behavior of Earth's atmosphere through scientific observation and reasoning.

Fundamental Concept 6.1

Our understanding of Earth's atmosphere comes from analysis, interpretation, and synthesis of accurate and purposeful observations of the atmosphere, ocean, biosphere, land surface, and Polar Regions.

Fundamental Concept 6.2

Data about Earth's atmosphere are gathered by direct (in situ) measurement of temperature, precipitation, wind, pressure, and other variables, as well as by indirect (remote sensing) measurements taken at a distance using ground-based, satellite, and airborne measurements.

Fundamental Concept 6.3

Our understanding of Earth's atmosphere allows scientists to develop numerical (computer) models that can be used to simulate Earth's weather and climate. Such models are fundamental to modern weather analysis and forecasting and are essential to scientists' efforts to understand Earth's past climate and predict future climate.

Fundamental Concept 6.4

To generate predictions, numerical models must begin with observations of Earth's atmosphere and the planet's land and ocean surfaces. These data are used to provide starting conditions for models that are as complete as possible.

Fundamental Concept 6.5

Inaccuracies and the imprecision inherent in instruments, mathematical representations of physical processes, model resolution, and discrete numerical calculations limit the accuracy of the resulting simulations and predictions. Models improve with technological and theoretical advances, which improve data quality and quantity and our ability to represent physical processes. The chaotic nature and inherent complexity of some natural processes ultimately limits how far in advance atmospheric phenomena can be predicted, forcing the use of statistical projections.

Essential Principle 7: Earth's atmosphere and humans are inextricably linked.

Fundamental Concept 7.1

Most living organisms on Earth are dependent on Earth's atmosphere and its processes for survival. We require oxygen for breathing; rely on ozone in the stratosphere to protect us from harmful radiation from the Sun; depend on prevailing wind patterns to drive ocean upwelling and so supply food; rely on wind to power turbines, sails, and ventilators; and need rain for drinking water.

Fundamental Concept 7.2

Living organisms can and do change the composition of Earth's atmosphere and its processes. Many human activities, such as farming, forestry, building of cities, and burning of fossil fuels, alter atmosphere composition and thereby impact the functioning of ecosystems, human health, and climate on local, regional, and global scales.

Fundamental Concept 7.3

Human cultures around the world have adapted differently over hundreds to thousands of years to their unique local and regional weather and climate. Societies have different levels of vulnerability to rapidly changing weather and climate conditions. Severe weather can have major impact on individuals as well as society. Global and regional climate change may bring major changes to vulnerable cultures.

Fundamental Concept 7.4

Weather forecasts and predictions of future climate assist us in implementing mitigation strategies and adaptation to new climatic conditions.

Fundamental Concept 7.5

Citizens need to become educated about Earth's atmosphere to make informed decisions on issues at local, regional, and global scales.

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In November 2007, UCAR and CIRES hosted a workshop to develop a consensus framework for enhancing our nation's atmospheric science and climate literacy. The workshop was sponsored by the NSF and NOAA, and incorporated input from 60 participants including representatives from NAGT, NESTA, AMS and AGU.

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Tips and resources for educators ready to teach SDGs provided by #TeachSDGs Co-Founder and The Goals Project Founder, Jennifer Williams.

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EdCan Network - Teaching with the UN Sustainable Development Goals

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EdCan Network - Teaching with the UN Sustainable Development Goals

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This publication is dedicated to increase awareness in Canadian education networks about the potential of the UN SDG to transform teaching and learning across all grades and all subject areas.

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On a global scale, we're faced with complex societal and environmental challenges such as climate change, poverty, inequality and environmental degradation that we must address in order to achieve a more sustainable future for all. The United Nations' Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) lay out 17 action areas aimed at sustaining life (both human and non-human), ending poverty, and achieving social justice. These are the building blocks of global well-being. For educators, the SDGs have enormous educational importance and potential. They offer cross-curricular relevancy and invaluable learning opportunities for students to discover their crucial role in solving local, regional, and global problems, starting in their own community. Simultaneously, education ministries, school districts and school communities will discover that engaging with the SDGs can support students in the important goal of acquiring the six pan-Canadian Global Competencies identified by the Council of Ministers of Education, Canada (CMEC), to equip them to thrive in and shape their world.

In this issue, we explore how educators can engage students to become active global citizens and authentically address global issues in empowering and hopeful ways.

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On a global scale, we're faced with complex societal and environmental challenges such as climate change, poverty, inequality and environmental degradation that we must address in order to achieve a more sustainable future for all. The United Nations' Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) lay out 17 action areas aimed at sustaining life (both human and non-human), ending poverty, and achieving social justice.

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Equalizing Opportunities to Learn in Science 

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Equalizing Opportunities to Learn in Science 

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Equity as an expression of social justice is manifested in calls to remedy the injustices visited on entire groups of society that in the past have been underserved by their schools and have thereby suffered severely limited prospects careers in science and engineering.

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A Framework for K-12 Science Education: Practices, Crosscutting Concepts, and Core Ideas Get This Book

Science, engineering, and technology permeate nearly every facet of modern life and hold the key to solving many of humanity's most pressing current and future challenges. The United States' position in the global economy is declining, in part because U.S. workers lack fundamental knowledge in these fields. To address the critical issues of U.S. competitiveness and to better prepare the workforce, A Framework for K-12 Science Education proposes a new approach to K-12 science education that will capture students' interest and provide them with the necessary foundational knowledge in the field.

A Framework for K-12 Science Education outlines a broad set of expectations for students in science and engineering in grades K-12. These expectations will inform the development of new standards for K-12 science education and, subsequently, revisions to curriculum, instruction, assessment, and professional development for educators. This book identifies three dimensions that convey the core ideas and practices around which science and engineering education in these grades should be built. These three dimensions are: crosscutting concepts that unify the study of science through their common application across science and engineering; scientific and engineering practices; and disciplinary core ideas in the physical sciences, life sciences, and earth and space sciences and for engineering, technology, and the applications of science. The overarching goal is for all high school graduates to have sufficient knowledge of science and engineering to engage in public discussions on science-related issues, be careful consumers of scientific and technical information, and enter the careers of their choice.

A Framework for K-12 Science Education is the first step in a process that can inform state-level decisions and achieve a research-grounded basis for improving science instruction and learning across the country. The book will guide standards developers, teachers, curriculum designers, assessment developers, state and district science administrators, and educators who teach science in informal environments.

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Read "A Framework for K-12 Science Education: Practices, Crosscutting Concepts, and Core Ideas" at NAP.edu

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A Framework for K-12 Science Education: Practices, Crosscutting Concepts, and Core Ideas Get This Book Science, engineering, and technology permeate nearly every facet of modern life and hold the key to solving many of humanity's most pressing current and future challenges. The United States' position in the global economy is declining, in part because U.S.

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Manitoba Council for International Cooperation 

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Manitoba Council for International Cooperation 

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MCIC supports, connects and amplifies the work of our members and partners. We directly engage and collaborate with Manitobans for global sustainability. Check out their repository of lesson plans and resources that support teachers who are embedding the UN SDG in their practice.

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Ontario Power Generation produces reliable, low-cost power using our diverse mix of generating sources. They’re working to ensure a more sustainable future, a cleaner environment, a stronger economy and more liveable communities. See how OPG’s purpose goes beyond generating electricity.  Explore our interactive station map by simply selecting one of the power generation icons - Biomass, Gas, Hydroelectric, Nuclear and Solar.

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Learn about OPG's generation of clean, low-cost energy, and how we have an energy portfolio with the most diverse generating mix in Ontario.

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Electricity is the flow of electrons from a negatively charged body to a positively charged body. Electricity is a secondary energy source with a large number of applications that include heating, lighting, and powering electric motors.

Learn more about electricity in Canada

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What is electricity?

Electricity is the flow of electrons from a negatively charged body to a positively charged body. Electricity is a secondary energy source with a large number of applications that include heating, lighting, and powering electric motors.

Key facts

67% of Canada's electricity comes from renewable sources and 82% from non-GHG emitting sources

Canada is the world's third largest producer of hydroelectricity

Canada exports about 8% of the electricity it generates to the United States. There are 34 active major international transmission lines connecting Canada to the U.S.

Learn more about electricity in Canada

Electricity industry

The electricity industry performs three main activities:

Generating electricity by using various energy sources and technologies

High-voltage transmission of electricity, usually over long distances, from power plants to end-use markets

Distributing electricity to end-users, usually through low-voltage, local power distribution lines

In some provinces, electricity is provided by vertically integrated electric utilities that are often structured as provincial Crown corporations. Vertically integrated electric utilities dominate every part of the supply chain and are the primary Generator, Retailer and System Operator in the electricity market.

International context

Find out how Canada's electricity ranks on an international scale:

Generation

The Canadian energy industry generated 641.1 terawatt-hours (TWh) of electricity in 2018.

Find out about energy production by region and sources

Hydro

Hydro makes up 59.6% of Canada's electricity generation.
Provincial electricity supply from hydroelectricity:

Manitoba: 96.8%

Newfoundland and Labrador: 95.6%

Quebec: 93.9%

British Columbia: 88.7%

Yukon: 87.1%

Northwest Territories: 37.4%

Ontario: 24.1%

New Brunswick: 18.7%

Saskatchewan: 14.9%

Nova Scotia: 9.3%

Alberta: 2.7%

Nuclear

Nuclear makes up 14.8% of Canada's electricity generation.
Share of provincial electricity supply from nuclear power:

Ontario: 56.8%

New Brunswick: 35.9%

Coal

Coal makes up 7.4% of Canada's electricity generation.
Share of provincial electricity supply from coal:

Nova Scotia: 49.9%

Saskatchewan: 42.9%

Alberta: 39.8%

New Brunswick: 17.2%

Other

Other sources generate electricity in some provinces and territory.
Share of provincial electricity supply from other sources:

Share of provincial electricity supply from tidal power:

Trade

In 2019, Canada exported 60.4 TWh of electricity to the U.S and imported 13.4 TWh.

Prices

Since the means of producing electricity as well as the infrastructure to get it to its users varies across provinces, so do the prices of electricity for Canadian residents and industries.

Electricity energy use

The total electricity energy use in Canada in 2016 was 1,812 petajoules (PJ). The residential, commercial, industrial, transportation and agricultural sectors all share in the intensive demand for Canadian electricity.

*Secondary energy use

Electricity energy use varies greatly from province to province. Provinces with plentiful and cheap electricity from large scale electricity projects like British Columbia and Quebec, tend to use more electricity per person than those provinces who rely on other energy means to do things like heat their homes and water.

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Electricity is the flow of electrons from a negatively charged body to a positively charged body. Electricity is a secondary energy source with a large number of applications that include heating, lighting, and powering electric motors.

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The ENERGY STAR® symbol is the internationally recognized and trusted mark of high efficiency. The symbol means that a product, new home, building or industrial facility is certified as energy efficient.

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The ENERGY STAR ® symbol is the internationally recognized and trusted mark of high efficiency. The symbol means that a product, new home, building or industrial facility is certified as energy efficient.

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The ENERGY STAR and PORTFOLIO MANAGER names and the ENERGY STAR symbol are trademarks registered in Canada by the United States Environmental Protection Agency and are administered and promoted by Natural Resources Canada.

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The ENERGY STAR ® symbol is the internationally recognized and trusted mark of high efficiency. The symbol means that a product, new home, building or industrial facility is certified as energy efficient. . The ENERGY STAR and PORTFOLIO MANAGER names and the ENERGY STAR symbol are trademarks registered in Canada by the United States Environmental Protection Agency and are administered and promoted by Natural Resources Canada.

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Energy Literacy: Essential Principles and Fundamental Concepts for Energy Education 

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Energy Literacy: Essential Principles and Fundamental Concepts for Energy Education 

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Energy Literacy is an understanding of the nature and role of energy in the world and daily lives accompanied by the ability to apply this understanding to answer questions and solve problems.  The guide does not seek to identify all areas of energy understanding, but rather to focus on those that are essential for all citizens K-Gray. It presents energy concepts that, if understood and applied, will help individuals and communities make informed energy decisions.

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Energy Literacy Framework Resources

What is Energy Literacy?

Energy Literacy is an understanding of the nature and role of energy in the world and daily lives accompanied by the ability to apply this understanding to answer questions and solve problems.

An energy-literate person:

Can trace energy flows and think in terms of energy systems.

Knows how much energy they use, for what purpose, and where the energy comes from.

Can assess the credibility of information about energy.

Can communicate about energy and energy use in meaningful ways.

Is able to make informed energy use decisions based on an understanding of impacts and consequences.

What is the Energy Literacy Framework?

Energy Literacy: Essential Principles and Fundamental Concepts for Energy Education is an interdisciplinary approach to teaching and learning about energy. The framework identifies seven Essential Principles and a set of Fundamental Concepts to support each principle. The guide does not seek to identify all areas of energy understanding, but rather to focus on those that are essential for all citizens K-Gray. It presents energy concepts that, if understood and applied, will help individuals and communities make informed energy decisions.

Who led the development of the Energy Literacy document?

The Energy Literacy document is the culmination of public listening sessions and thousands of experts from diverse fields of study contributing to a dialogue about what an energy literate person should know and understand. This included over 20 recognized educational partners and 13 federal agencies that comprise the U.S. Global Change Research Program Partner agencies.

How should we approach energy literacy?

Energy Literacy looks at energy through the lens of natural science as well as social science. Energy issues require an understanding of civics, history, economics, sociology, psychology, and politics in addition to science, technology, engineering and mathematics. A comprehensive study of energy and curriculum designed using Energy Literacy should be interdisciplinary and use a systems-based approach to fully appreciate the complexities of energy issues.

Who is the audience for the framework?

The intended audience for the Energy Literacy document is anyone involved in energy education. Intended use of the document as a guide includes, but is not limited to, formal and informal energy education, standards development, curriculum design, assessment development, and educator trainings.

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Energy Literacy: Essential Principles for Energy Education

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Energy Literacy Framework Resources What is Energy Literacy? Energy Literacy is an understanding of the nature and role of energy in the world and daily lives accompanied by the ability to apply this understanding to answer questions and solve problems. An energy-literate person: Can trace energy flows and think in terms of energy systems. Knows how much energy they use, for what purpose, and where the energy comes from.

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Essential Principles of Climate Literacy

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Essential Principles of Climate Literacy

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This guide aims to promote greater climate science literacy by providing this educational framework of principles and concepts. The guide can also serve educators who teach climate science as a way to meet content standards in their science curricula.

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The Essential Principles of Climate Literacy

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Climate and energy are complex topics. There are many ways to approach climate and energy depending on the grade level, course topics and instructional method.

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Earth Science Literacy is an understanding of Earth's influence on you and of your influence on Earth. Earth Science Literacy Principles are defined by the scientists who carry out active research in many areas of Earth science and explain the complexities of how our planet works.

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PROJECT DESCRIPTION

The Earth Science Literacy Initiative (ESLI), funded by the National Science Foundation, has gathered and codified the underlying understandings of Earth sciences into a succinct document that will have broad-reaching applications in both public and private arenas. It establishes the "Big Ideas" and supporting concepts that all Americans should know about Earth sciences. The resulting Earth Science Literacy framework will also become part of the foundation, along with similar documents from the Oceans, Atmospheres and Climate communities, of a larger geoscience Earth Systems Literacy effort.

The primary outcome of the Earth Science Literacy Initiative is a community-based document that clearly and succinctly states the underlying principles and ideas of Earth science across a wide variety of research fields that are funded through the NSF-EAR program, including Geobiology and Low-Temperature Geochemistry, Geomorphology and Land-Use Dynamics, Geophysics, Hydrologic Sciences, Petrology and Geochemistry, Sedimentary Geology and Paleobiology, and Tectonics.

The Earth Science Literacy framework document of Big Ideas and supporting concepts is a community effort representing the current state-of-the-art research in Earth sciences. It has been written, evaluated, shaped, and revised by the top scientists working in Earth science. Because of its validity, authority, and succinct format, the ESL framework will be influential in a wide variety of scientific, educational, and political settings. Future governmental legislation will be guided by it, and future national and state educational standards will be based upon it.

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Earth Science Literacy Initiative - ESLI

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PROJECT DESCRIPTION The Earth Science Literacy Initiative (ESLI), funded by the National Science Foundation, has gathered and codified the underlying understandings of Earth sciences into a succinct document that will have broad-reaching applications in both public and private arenas. It establishes the "Big Ideas" and supporting concepts that all Americans should know about Earth sciences.

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The Ocean Literacy Framework is comprised of two consensus documents:

Ocean Literacy: The Essential Principles of Ocean Sciences K-12 (also known as the Ocean Literacy Principles); and

Ocean Literacy Scope and Sequence for Grades K-12 (also known as the Scope & Sequence).

These documents are also available for download at now cost.

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What is Ocean Literacy?

Ocean literacy is defined as an understanding of the ocean's influence on you and your influence on the ocean. An ocean-literate person understands:

the essential principles and fundamental concepts;

can communicate about the ocean in a meaningful way; and

is able to make informed and responsible decisions regarding the ocean and its resources.

What is the Ocean Literacy Framework?

The Ocean Literacy Framework is comprised of two consensus documents:

Ocean Literacy: The Essential Principles of Ocean Sciences K-12 (also known as the Ocean Literacy Principles); and

Ocean Literacy Scope and Sequence for Grades K-12 (also known as the Scope & Sequence).

Both of these documents are also available in print and download forms.

Use this Framework Shortcut to access the webpages for all seven principles and their associated conceptual flow diagrams.

There are seven Ocean Literacy principles and the complementary Scope and Sequence is comprised of 28 conceptual flow diagrams. The Ocean Literacy principles remain a work in progress; they reflect our efforts to date defining ocean literacy.

These Ocean Literacy Principles are correlated to the National Science Education Standards (NSES) Science Content Standards.

The Scope and Sequence shows, graphically,

the science concepts underlying the Principles and how they are connected;

developmental appropriateness - what students need to know to help them understand the higher-level concepts; and

how instruction of the concepts might "flow".

How was the Ocean Literacy Framework created?

The Ocean Literacy Framework was developed by many scientists and educators from the ocean sciences education community. Their efforts built on previous work to define ocean literacy, assess what the public knows about the ocean, and redress the lack of ocean-related content in state and national science education standards, instructional materials and assessments. Explore the Foundations section to learn about how the ocean sciences education community came together to create these documents and ignite a movement within ocean sciences and beyond.

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Ocean literacy is defined as an understanding of the ocean's influence on you and your influence on the ocean. An ocean-literate person understands: the essential principles and fundamental concepts; can communicate about the ocean in a meaningful way; and is able to make informed and responsible decisions regarding the ocean and its resources.

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Canadian Network for Ocean Education | CaNOE

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Canadian Network for Ocean Education | CaNOE

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Ocean literacy is understanding the ocean and our relationship with it. But the ocean isn’t so simple to understand! That’s why the Ocean Literacy Framework was developed.

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By: Sofia Goulart Growing up, I believed that ocean conservation and literacy in Canada was for those that have developed a personal connection to marine spaces or those that lived ...

By: Holly George PC: https://photolib.noaa.gov/ Signaling and communication is a fundamental and critical function for most, if not all, species on earth. Now more than ever, we as humans ...

Ocean Bridge connects Canadian youth from coast to coast to coast empowering them to make a difference towards ocean conservation. Started in 2018, Ocean Bridge youth spend the year completing ...

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By: Sofia Goulart Growing up, I believed that ocean conservation and literacy in Canada was for those that have developed a personal connection to marine spaces or those that lived ... By: Holly George PC: https://photolib.noaa.gov/ Signaling and communication is a fundamental and critical function for most, if not all, species on earth.

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On 5 December 2017, the United Nations proclaimed a Decade of Ocean Science for Sustainable Development, to be held from 2021 to 2030. This Decade will provide a common framework to ensure that ocean science can fully support countries’ actions to sustainably manage the Oceans and more particularly to achieve the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.

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Ocean Decade – The Science We Need For The Ocean We Want

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The Ocean Decade is a 10-year framework initiative to identify, generate and use critical ocean knowledge to manage the ocean sustainably.

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The Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) logo, including the colour wheel and 17 icons are available in the six official languages of the UN.  The SDG logo with the UN emblem is only available to UN System partners. All other entities should use the SDG logo without the UN emblem.
Please respect expressed guidelines for use when using the Sustainable Development Goals icons and colour wheel.

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Use the Goal of the Month for inspiration for lesson planning of as knowledge mobilization resources for bulletin boards in the Science department or around the school.

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peace, development and human rights Two billion people - one quarter of humanity - live in conflict-affected areas. Last year, 84 million were forcibly displaced because of conflict, violence and human rights violations and it is estimated that a record 274 million people in 2022

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See how the UN International Days observances are aligned to a specific SDGs. This information can be used to promote thematic teaching with vertical and horizontal alignment.

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The United Nations designates specific days, weeks, years and decades as occasions to mark particular events or topics in order to promote, through awareness and action, the objectives of the Organization.

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These are the international decades currently observed by the United Nations. The United Nations designates specific days, weeks, years and decades as occasions to mark particular events or topics in order to promote, through awareness and action, the objectives of the Organization.

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UNESCO Associated Schools Network (ASPnet)

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UNESCO Associated Schools Network (ASPnet)

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The UNESCO Associated Schools Network (ASPnet) links educational institutions across the world around a common goal: to build the defences of peace in the minds of children and young people. The over 11,500 ASPnet member schools in 182 countries work in support of international understanding, peace, intercultural dialogue, sustainable development and quality education in practice.

ASPnet - a driver for innovation and quality in education - is recognized as an effective tool for reaching target 4.7 on Global Citizenship Education (GCED) and Education for Sustainable Development (ESD) of Sustainable Development Goal 4 - Education 2030.

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Better understanding of the sustainable development goals

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As educators, how can we best respond to their concerns for the future of the planet? And how can we help to empower our students to make a difference to the world around them? If you want to bring Education for Sustainable Development (ESD) to the heart of your teaching and school life, and nurture a new generation of sustainability champions, this course is for you!

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This learning path was developed by WWF to help you further your understanding of sustainability and equip you with relevant information, tools, activities and good ideas from other skilled practitioners to make Education for Sustainable Development a cornerstone of your teaching practice.

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The quintessence of two actors mobilising for a singular purpose. Where great ideas grow!

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Futurecast: Earth Day 2030 is a passion project created in response to the United Nations Secretary-General 2019 call to action and our contribution to the Global Goals #TeachSDGs community initiatives. We recognize the important role education has to play in the development of knowledge, skills, values and actions required to create a sustainable world. The Decade of Action is a call for people everywhere to generate an unstoppable movement pushing for the eradication of poverty, win the race against climate change, and conquer injustice and gender inequality did not fall on deaf ears. Futurecast Earth Day 2030is a way to cultivate hope and engage learners and their families to consider how personal actions; no matter how small, can contribute to sustainable solutions in their communities locally, and globally. Futurecast is a promise. To be better and do better, for the Earth.

We could not imagine a more fitting way to show our love and appreciate for for the Earth and the life-giving resources she provides during this year marking the . 50th anniversary of Earth Day

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JaM collaborative - Who is JaM Collaborative?

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Futurecast: Earth Day 2030 is a passion project created in response to the United Nations Secretary-General 2019 call to action and our contribution to the Global Goals #TeachSDGs community initiatives. We recognize the important role education has to play in the development of knowledge, skills, values and actions required to create a sustainable world.

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In this two-part OTF Summer Institute, Kindergarten – Grade 12 Science educators will embark on a journey to transform Science teaching practices. Participants will be inspired to evaluate “why” the current state of Science knowledge construction needs to evolve, while exploring the key elements required to use the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) as a launching point for teaching in authentic contexts. Participants will collaboratively identify “how” to make the shift towards teaching for enduring impacts. This Institute will demonstrate how the SDGs and Education for Sustainable Development (ESD) can positively impact pedagogy and support students to take action in personally relevant ways in their communities, and beyond. This Summer Institute is facilitated by members of the Science Teachers’ Association of Ontario (STAO), a subject/division association in Ontario.

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Course Code: SI-8

Part 1 - August 24, 2021; Part 2 - August 25, 2021

Description:

In this two-part OTF Summer Institute, Kindergarten - Grade 12 Science educators will embark on a journey to transform Science teaching practices. Participants will be inspired to evaluate "why" the current state of Science knowledge construction needs to evolve, while exploring the key elements required to use the United Nations' Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) as a launching point for teaching in authentic contexts. Participants will collaboratively identify "how" to make the shift towards teaching for enduring impacts. This Institute will demonstrate how the SDGs and Education for Sustainable Development (ESD) can positively impact pedagogy and support students to take action in personally relevant ways in their communities, and beyond. This Summer Institute is facilitated by members of the Science Teachers' Association of Ontario (STAO), a subject/division association in Ontario.

Presenters: Janice Williams & Mahfuza Rahman

This two-part Institute takes place on August 24, 2021 and August 25, 2021 from 9:00 am to 12:00 pm.

*You only have to register for the first session if the institute you have selected is two parts. You will automatically be registered for both parts of the institute.

Click here to access the institute catalogue.

** A Zoom link will be sent in a separate email with login information one day before the institute**

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Pathways to Possibilities: Science Education and the United Nations' Sustainable Development Goals (Gr. K-12) | Ontario Teachers' Federation

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Course Code: SI-8 Part 1 - August 24, 2021; Part 2 - August 25, 2021 Description: In this two-part OTF Summer Institute, Kindergarten - Grade 12 Science educators will embark on a journey to transform Science teaching practices.

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Ontario Council for International Cooperation

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Ontario Council for International Cooperation

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Ontario Council for International Cooperation

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Consultations for Canada's Agenda 2030 National Strategy - Ontario Council for International Cooperation

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With funding from the Government of Canada, OCIC engaged with diverse communities and stakeholders in Canada's 2030 Agenda National Strategy by identifying priorities in specific Diaspora, Disability-Inclusion and Indigenous communities, and exploring how the strategy might contribute to their achievement.