The Government of Canada’s 2030 Emissions Reduction Plan to reach net zero by 2050 is outlined in the Canadian Net-Zero Emissions Accountability Act. A Net Zero Water roadmap is a document that outlines the strategy and action plan to achieve net zero greenhouse gas emissions by a specific time frame.
CWN is working with the Net Zero Water project’s National and Technical Advisory Committees, which includes municipal and private sector partners who are leading GHG mitigation innovation and implementation, to develop guidance for Canadian municipal water utilities for their GHG mitigation journey.
Project partners acknowledge that each municipality will have unique targets and a Net Zero Water roadmap for their water, wastewater and stormwater utilities, given the various municipal-specific drivers and provincial regulatory context. Across Canada, there is a desire to get started — and focus on progress over perfection.
The schematic below is the first iteration and identifies three distinct phases.
Resources to support your roadmap to Net Zero Water
Download our list of resources that can support your organization’s development of a Net Zero Water Roadmap. Check back for updates, as additional resources will be added over time.
Updated March 2025
Knowledge Products:
- Guidance for Canadian Water Utilities to Develop a Net Zero Water Roadmap
- Canadian Net Zero Water Roadmap: Background Research
- Process Emissions Webinar #1 Snapshot – Fundamentals
- Process Emissions Webinar #2 Snapshot – Methane Emissions
- Process Emissions Webinar #3 Snapshot – Nitrous Oxide Emissions
- Process Emissions Webinar #4 Snapshot – Opportunities for Process Emissions Reduction
- Case Study – Road to a Net-Zero Utility – EPCOR Edmonton Water & Wastewater Treatment Plants
- Case Study – Toronto Water’s GHG Inventory and Mitigation Journey
- Case Study – Durham Region Water and Wastewater GHG Emissions Management Strategy