Information on the Canadian Agricultural Partnership

Lower Qu'Appelle Watershed Stewards would like to give you a quick update on the deliver of the Canadian Agriculture Partnership program (CAP).

As of October 1, 2019 we no longer deliver technical service to our producers within our watershed. This was a decision based on the uptake for the program we had anticipated for - was not there.

Many RM's have likely received a visit or phone call from either Assiniboine Watershed, Lower Souris or Upper Souris Watershed groups that will assist producers in your area or the Ministry of Agriculture has technicians to assist as well.

Producers can call the Agriculture Knowledge Centre at 1-866-457-2377

for assistance and more information.

We also want to clarify that the Ministry of Agriculture along with the Canada Federal Agriculture financially partner to deliver this program to our many producers throughout the province. Ministry of Agriculture then partners with watershed stewardship groups and other agri environmental groups to advertise for them, hold workshops, educate and deliver technical services on the different programs that are available to producers, including funding that may be available for projects.

Recently, there has been a misconception that membership dollars are used solely to deliver this program. This is not true. Ministry of Agriculture enters into contracts with groups to deliver this program, a contractual arrangement to deliver it. In our case, we were offered $50,000 in the first year and $18,000 in the 2nd year. These funds were used to put on workshops, advertise, and have a technician available, these funds were always kept separate from the membership dollars received as well as the $74,500 operating grant we receive from Water Security Agency.

The membership dollars that LQWS receives, goes to support forging partnerships among citizens, scientists and professionals to foster the management and protection of our lakes, rivers and streams. Our mission statement remains the same of a "long term, stable, high-quality water supply for the people with water quality in the lower Qu'Appelle Lakes that will be able to support recreation, fishing and economic development within the ecological limits of the system".

We will continue to work with stakeholders and our partners including Ministry of Agriculture to continue our work with Source Water Protection and the key action items in our plan. This will include advancing our research work that we have done on the Agriculture Land Use and Water Quality. We understand that water quality is increasingly at risk due to nutrient pollution entering river systems from cities, industrial zones and agricultural areas and are typically the largest non-point source of water pollution. One of the action items will be to explore the potential effects of different Beneficial Management Practices (BMP's) in mitigating water pollution, and understand the functionality and value of the preferred policies and potential barriers to BMP implementation on the land.

We will continue to focus on other action items ranging from water use and future demand, drainage, and the protection of wetland and riparian areas and the overall health of our ecosystem.

LQWS would like to thank you for your past and continued support whether it be in-kind or financial. Without this, we wouldn't be able to continue with our program and research. Remember, our watershed plan was built by you for our future generations.