The Narwhal https://thenarwhal.ca Deep Dives, Cold Facts, & Pointed Commentary en-US Copyright 2026 The Narwhal hourly 1 Canada Water Agency wasn’t quite sure how to explain Carney’s budget cuts to the public, documents show https://thenarwhal.ca/canada-water-agency-budget-cuts/ Tue, 07 Apr 2026 14:45:06 +0000 https://thenarwhal.ca/?p=158015 A $5-million budget cut meaning the loss of about 13 jobs comes right as the agency takes on creating Canada’s first National Water Security Strategy Carl Meyer News federal politics freshwater Great Lakes Ontario Photo: Christopher Katsarov Luna / The Narwhal Two people swim in Lake Superior, with a sandy shoreline in the background. ‘So still, so quiet’: Lake Erie, frozen in a moment of time https://thenarwhal.ca/frozen-lake-erie-photos/ Mon, 23 Feb 2026 15:22:26 +0000 https://thenarwhal.ca/?p=155130 The southernmost Great Lake froze over almost completely this month — bringing people from near and far to have a look Elaine Anselmi and Carlos Osorio Photo Essay freshwater Great Lakes Ontario A nuclear shift buoyed by billions — and the waters of the Great Lakes https://thenarwhal.ca/nuclear-power-fervour-great-lakes/ Wed, 18 Feb 2026 15:00:00 +0000 https://thenarwhal.ca/?p=154897 Restarting an aging reactor and building next-generation modular plants on the shores of the world’s largest freshwater system Keith Schneider In-Depth freshwater Great Lakes renewable energy water Photo: J. Carl Ganter / Circle of Blue The Palisades Nuclear Plant on the shore of Lake Michigan is lit up at twilight. The energy boom is coming for Great Lakes water https://thenarwhal.ca/energy-boom-great-lakes-water/ Thu, 12 Feb 2026 15:00:00 +0000 https://thenarwhal.ca/?p=154517 How Ontario, Quebec and six U.S. states power their growth will determine the future of the freshwater reserves Brett Walton Analysis freshwater Great Lakes nuclear energy oil and gas Ontario Photo: J. Carl Ganter / Circle of Blue Power lines are silhouetted against a twilight sky. B.C. government ‘lagging way behind’ on coal mine pollution research https://thenarwhal.ca/bc-coal-mining-pollution-research-gaps/ Thu, 18 Dec 2025 16:00:00 +0000 https://thenarwhal.ca/?p=151483 In neighbouring Alberta, government scientists are producing peer-reviewed studies on the impacts of coal mining. Why isn’t B.C.? Ainslie Cruickshank News B.C. coal Elk Valley freshwater mining Photo: Jesse Winter / The Narwhal Terraced slopes of black mining waste rock at Teck's Elk Valley mines Senior Alberta officials stalled release of coal mine pollution science https://thenarwhal.ca/alberta-stalled-coal-mine-pollution-study/ Mon, 15 Dec 2025 15:47:07 +0000 https://thenarwhal.ca/?p=151112 A government scientist was prevented from speaking to the media and community groups about his research, according to 600 pages of documents obtained by The Narwhal Ainslie Cruickshank Investigation News Alberta Alberta coal mining coal freshwater Photo: Callum Gunn an aerial photo of a coal mine atop a mountain dusted with snow A decade of fighting over a controversial mining project in Manitoba — and still no decision https://thenarwhal.ca/manitoba-sio-silica-timeline/ Fri, 12 Dec 2025 14:00:00 +0000 https://thenarwhal.ca/?p=150709 The Sio Silica sand mine southeast of Winnipeg was proposed, then rejected, then reviewed, then brought back in a new form. Here’s where it stands — and a look back at years of fierce opposition and political scandal Julia-Simone Rutgers In-Depth Critical Minerals freshwater Manitoba mining Winnipeg Photo: Mike Deal / Winnipeg Free Press Manitoba Premier Wab Kinew stands and speaks emphatically in the provincial legislature with MLAs seated around him. Alberta wants to release treated oilsands waste into the Athabasca River. Mikisew Cree First Nation says it’s ‘unacceptable’ https://thenarwhal.ca/alberta-oilsands-tailings-drinking-water/ Mon, 17 Nov 2025 13:00:00 +0000 https://thenarwhal.ca/?p=148929 Prime Minister Mark Carney promised a clean drinking water law for Indigenous communities, but it has yet to materialize Carl Meyer News Alberta federal policy freshwater Indigenous Rights oil and gas Photo: Amber Bracken / The Narwhal Steaming grey ponds set against a snowy earthen landscape Wildfires are threatening B.C.’s drinking water https://thenarwhal.ca/wildfires-threaten-drinking-water-bc/ Mon, 15 Sep 2025 12:00:00 +0000 https://thenarwhal.ca/?p=144768 Communities from Cranbrook to Kelowna know fire can contaminate reservoirs as well as burn homes. Experts say protecting watersheds must become as urgent as protecting schools or hospitals Anne Shibata Casselman and Kari Medig In-Depth B.C. freshwater water wildfires A wildfire burning a mountainside above Kid Creek near Kitchener, BC on Sept 10, 2025. B.C.’s long-promised watershed security strategy is done. It’s just not public https://thenarwhal.ca/bc-watershed-security-strategy/ Thu, 04 Sep 2025 12:00:00 +0000 https://thenarwhal.ca/?p=144091 The province has sat on the completed strategy for more than a year, despite calls from Indigenous leaders for public release Ainslie Cruickshank News B.C. biodiversity climate change drought flooding forestry freshwater water Photo: Taylor Roades / The Narwhal The Koksilah River in the Cowichan Valley B.C. Wildfire retardants help stop fires — but also impact ecosystems https://thenarwhal.ca/fire-retardant-wildfires-impact/ Tue, 02 Sep 2025 12:00:00 +0000 https://thenarwhal.ca/?p=143848 In the rush to put out wildfires, hundreds of millions of litres of fire retardant are dropped on forests across North America. New research shows the effects they can have on water and ecosystems — especially when accidents happen Drew Anderson News Alberta freshwater Wildfire Photo: Noah Berger / The Associated Press A helicopter flies over a stand of trees, dropping a bright red plume of fire retardant.