Canadians Ready for Water Infrastructure Investment, and Natural Infrastructure Has a Key Role

A July 2026 report by the International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD) presents findings from a national poll of 2,219 Canadians regarding water infrastructure. The results indicate a high public demand for urgent government action on water infrastructure and strong support for the implementation of natural infrastructure to address deficits and improve resilience.

• There is significant public urgency for government action on water infrastructure in Canada, with 72.5% of respondents viewing it as urgent. This sentiment is particularly strong among women (78.1%) and residents of Atlantic Canada (77.3%) and Quebec (74.3%).
• A majority of Canadians (63.8%) have experienced water-related issues in the last five years, with the most common being street or yard flooding (25.7%), seasonal water shortages (22.0%), and water main breaks (17.1%). Over half of Canadians (53.6%) believe these problems are occurring more frequently than they did 10 years ago.
• While 47% of Canadians are unfamiliar with the term "natural infrastructure," 71.1% consider its planning and implementation an urgent priority after receiving a brief overview. The most cited benefit is lower costs and savings (23.4%), and 67.6% of respondents would view elected officials more positively for supporting natural infrastructure.
• Indigenous respondents experience disproportionately higher rates of water infrastructure failures compared to non-Indigenous Canadians, including higher rates of boil-water advisories (21.0% vs 11.9%) and seasonal water shortages (30.0% vs 21.8%), leading to increased health impacts and missed work or school.
• Preferred funding mechanisms for natural infrastructure projects include applying for provincial or federal grants (53.5%) and reallocating existing municipal spending (41.6%).
• Regional data highlights specific vulnerabilities: the Prairies report the highest rate of water main breaks (33.2%), British Columbia reports the highest rate of seasonal water shortages (52%), and Quebec reports the highest rate of boil-water advisories (24%).
• Canada faces a substantial water infrastructure deficit, with the Federation of Canadian Municipalities estimating a CAD 270 billion deficit. Additionally, the Assembly of First Nations estimates CAD 349.2 billion is needed to bridge the infrastructure gap between First Nations and the rest of Canada.

APA

Puzyreva, M., Duncan, J., Kiwan, P., Albert, V., & Nanos, N. (2026). Canadians Ready for Water Infrastructure Investment, and Natural Infrastructure Has a Key Role. International Institute for Sustainable Development. https://www.iisd.org/system/files/2026-07/canada-water-infrastructure-investment.pdf

Chicago

Puzyreva, Marina, Justin Duncan, Petra Kiwan, Vanessa Albert, and Nik Nanos. Canadians Ready for Water Infrastructure Investment, and Natural Infrastructure Has a Key Role. International Institute for Sustainable Development, 2026. https://www.iisd.org/system/files/2026-07/canada-water-infrastructure-investment.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=Puzyreva |first1=Marina |last2=Duncan |first2=Justin |last3=Kiwan |first3=Petra |last4=Albert |first4=Vanessa |last5=Nanos |first5=Nik |title=Canadians Ready for Water Infrastructure Investment, and Natural Infrastructure Has a Key Role |publisher=International Institute for Sustainable Development |date=July 2026 |url=https://www.iisd.org/system/files/2026-07/canada-water-infrastructure-investment.pdf |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{puzyreva2026canadians, author = {Puzyreva, Marina and Duncan, Justin and Kiwan, Petra and Albert, Vanessa and Nanos, Nik}, title = {{Canadians Ready for Water Infrastructure Investment, and Natural Infrastructure Has a Key Role}}, institution = {International Institute for Sustainable Development}, year = {2026}, month = jul, url = {https://www.iisd.org/system/files/2026-07/canada-water-infrastructure-investment.pdf}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }