Alberta (Rural Roots Canada) – For the first time since 1999, the Alberta Government is updating the water act – allowing for more flexibility for license holders.

The act will allow license holders to consolidate multiple water allocations into a single license, enabling minor changes without lengthy approvals, supporting irrigation expansion, and mandating review times for applications.

Agriculture and Irrigation Minister RJ Sigurdson says the Bill 7 Water Amendment Act is vital to irrigation districts, farmers, ranchers, and agri-food processors so they can feed the world.

“Our agricultural industry is growing, and we need to ensure this growth is met with reliable water access and the support our farmers and ranchers need to thrive,” says Sigurdson.

Water transfers and cooperative sharing will also be simplified to allow farmers to move water more easily between users within the same water basin.

READ MORE: Alberta Assembles a Water Advisory Committee to Prepare for Dry Season

Sigurdson says much of the input on the changes came from the agricultural community.

“I want to thank all the farmers and ranchers, the irrigation districts and municipalities that provided so much input that informed a lot of these changes.”

In 2023, the Alberta government allocated about 9.73 billion cubic metres of water, of which more than 96 per cent came from surface water sources.

The government says that in 2023, 28 per cent of irrigation districts’ allocations were unused.

For a complete breakdown of Bill 7, click here.