Environmental report shows poor water quality in Ontario and Quebec rivers.

According to a report released by Environment Canada, Southwestern Ontario and Quebec have some of Canada’s poorest quality river water. The report, “Water Quality in Canadian Rivers,” rates various rivers’ water quality in Canada from 2018 to 2020. Approximately 83 percent of monitored sites were rated as fair to excellent, while water quality had not changed in 60 percent of the locations studied between 2002 and 2020. However, the water quality had deteriorated in 30 percent of the locations. The report also notes that Canada has abundant and clean freshwater, but how people have developed the land around waterways has impacted the water quality. Additionally, municipalities across the country dump 374 billion gallons of raw sewage each year, not including releases from combined sewer overflows. The report attributed the diminished water quality to increasing population density and environmental factors such as snor and rainfall.