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FINDING SUSTAINABLE PATHWAYS

OUR PROCESS

Our process helps Canada achieve sustainable development solutions that integrate environmental and economic considerations to ensure the lasting prosperity and well-being of our nation.

RESEARCH

We rigorously research and conduct high quality analysis on issues of sustainable development. Our thinking is original and thought provoking.

CONVENE

We convene opinion leaders and experts from across Canada around our table to share their knowledge and diverse perspectives. We stimulate debate and integrate polarities. We create a context for possibilities to emerge.

ADVISE

We generate ideas and provide realistic solutions to advise governments, Parliament and Canadians. We proceed with resolve and optimism to bring Canada’s economy and environment closer together.

Water Forecasts and Water Pricing Responses – February 16, 2011 – Ottawa, Ontario

Meeting Overview

In the report Changing Currents: Water Sustainability and the Future of Canada’s Natural Resource Sectors, the NRTEE made the implicit assumption that water use in the natural resource sectors will rise in the future with increased production.  However, it was pointed out that this is not always the case and in fact the water use intensity in some sectors is falling at a rate faster than production was rising. As a result, water use in some sectors, in aggregate, may actually be falling.  As a result, the NRTEE has set out to investigate this question by using numerical modeling to highlight how water use in the natural resource sectors might changing in time.

This work will forecast water use for the natural resource sectors out to 2030 and then determine the impact of water pricing on water use.

Forecast water use in the natural resource sector.

A disaggregated forecast of future water use in the natural resource sectors between now and 2030 was built using a regionally disaggregated computable general equilibrium model of Canada.  The modeling forecasts for all sectors are based on credible forecasts of economic activity for the natural resource sectors.

Determine impacts of water pricing on the natural resource sectors. 

This research involved conducting water-pricing runs to estimate demand responses. The overarching objective is to demonstrate the opportunity of water pricing to address allocation in light of future water scarcity.

The meeting of the advisory committee is intended to:

  • Review with the NRTEE the preliminary findings of this research
  • Provide us with ideas and suggestions to further strengthen the research and perhaps build upon it
  • Ultimately provide us with information and insights that will enable us to make recommendations to governments in our next report (Fall 2011)

Photos

Agenda

9:00 – 9:15 NRTEE Welcome, housekeeping, and agenda overview, Water Program overview, introductions Jill  Baker,NRTEE
9:15-10:30 Presentation and Discussion:Modeling inputs and Water Forecasts Steven Groves, MKJA
10:45 – 12:00 Presentation and Discussion:Modeling Approach Nic Rivers,MKJA
1:00 – 2:30 Presentation and Discussion:Findings on sectoral responses to water pricing Nic Rivers,MKJA
2:30 – 3:00 Discussion:Areas for further refinement and investigation Dave Sawyer,EnviroEconomics
3:00 – 3:15 Closing Remarks  

Participants

Roger Cook
Director, Environment
Forest Products Association of Canada

Gilbert Deschamps
Senior Policy Analyst
Assembly of First Nations

Pascale Groulx
Policy Advisor, Horizontal Policy and Cabinet Affairs
Natural Resources Canada

Mark Henry
Research Officer, Environment Accounts and Statistics
Statistics Canada

Christopher Hilkene
NRTEE Member
National Round Table on the Environment and the Economy (NRTEE)

Irving Leblanc
A/Director, Housing and Infrastructure
Assembly of First Nations

Priya Patel
Electricity and Economic Policy Analyst
Canadian Electricity Association

Tara Payment
Environment and Regulatory Analyst,
Western Operations
Canadian Association of Petroleum Producers

Steven Renzetti
Professor, Department of Economics
Brock University

Carl Sonnen
Consultant
Informetrica Ltd.

Michel Villeneuve
Manager, Water Resource Strategies
Environment Canada

Facilitators

Steven Groves
Consultant analyst

Nic Rivers
Consultant
MK Jaccard and Associates Inc.

Dave Sawyer
Principal
EnviroEconomics Ltd.

Staff

Jill Baker

Senior Policy Advisor
National Round Table on the Environment and the Economy (NRTEE)

René Drolet

Director or Policy & Research
National Round Table on the Environment and the Economy (NRTEE)

Denise Edwards

Administrative Assistant
National Round Table on the Environment and the Economy (NRTEE)

David McLaughlin

President and CEO
National Round Table on the Environment and the Economy (NRTEE)

Sandeep Pandher
Policy Advisor

National Round Table on the Environment and the Economy (NRTEE)

Photos

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