Canada at a Glance, Environment edition
Water

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Chart 1 Drainage regions with the largest withdrawals of surface water, 2013

Data table for Chart 1
Table summary
This table displays the results of Data table for Chart 1 2013, calculated using cubic kilometres units of measure (appearing as column headers).
  2013
cubic kilometres
Canada 33.5
Great Lakes 23.5
St. Lawrence 2.0
South Saskatchewan 1.9
Source: Statistics Canada, Human Activity and the Environment (16-201-X).
Table 1
Industrial and household water use
Table summary
This table displays the results of Industrial and household water use 2011, 2013 and 2011 to 2013, calculated using thousands of cubic metres and % change units of measure (appearing as column headers).
2011 2013 2011 to 2013
thousands of cubic metres % change
Total, industries and households 35 512 245 37 892 004 6.7
Households 3 506 234 3 239 158 -7.6
Industries 32 006 011 34 652 846 8.3
Agriculture, forestry, fishing and hunting 1 809 101 2 007 230 11.0
Mining, quarrying, and oil and gas extraction 760 417 982 221 29.2
Utilities 24 640 919 26 520 076 7.6
Construction 8 007 9 447 18.0
Manufacturing 3 789 983 3 954 280 4.3
Wholesale trade 57 259 73 288 28.0
Retail trade 45 269 58 065 28.3
Transportation and warehousing 49 974 59 789 19.6
Information and cultural industries 6 637 8 840 33.2
Finance, insurance, real estate, rental and leasing and holding companies 258 004 307 835 19.3
Professional, scientific and technical services 13 200 13 735 4.1
Administrative and support, waste management and remediation services 12 956 17 184 32.6
Educational services 15 365 15 675 2.0
Health care and social assistance 70 793 85 810 21.2
Arts, entertainment and recreation 4 981 6 174 24.0
Accommodation and food services 49 606 58 760 18.5
Non-profit institutions serving households 199 945 237 512 18.8
Government servicesTable 01 Note 1 191 566 211 358 10.3
Other services 22 032 25 569 16.1
Note 1

Includes educational services, universities, hospitals, nursing and residential care facilities, and other government services.

Return to note 1 referrer

Source: Statistics Canada, CANSIM table 153-0116.

Chart 2 Water use by final demand, 2013

Data table for Chart 2
Table summary
This table displays the results of Data table for Chart 2 % (appearing as column headers).
  %
Government net current expenditure 7.3
International exports 30.4
Consumption expenditure of non-profit institutions serving households 1.5
Personal expenditure (households) 52.6
Machinery and equipment, construction and inventories 8.1
Source: Statistics Canada, CANSIM table 153-0129.
Table 2
Households that drink primarily bottled water
Table summary
This table displays the results of Households that drink primarily bottled water 2007, 2011 and 2015, calculated using % of households units of measure (appearing as column headers).
2007 2011 2015
% of households
Canada 30 22 19
Newfoundland and Labrador 28 27 26
Prince Edward Island 20 14Note E: Use with caution 9Note E: Use with caution
Nova Scotia 28 17 20
New Brunswick 29 25 21
Quebec 28 27 24
Ontario 34 23 20
Manitoba 37 25 26
Saskatchewan 28 20 19
Alberta 29 24 14
British Columbia 24 11 10
E use with caution
Source: Statistics Canada, CANSIM table 153-0063.

Chart 3 Main source of water of Canadian households, 2015

Data table for Chart 3
Table summary
This table displays the results of Data table for Chart 3 % of households (appearing as column headers).
  % of households
Municipal source 89
Private well 9
Surface source 1
Source: Statistics Canada, CANSIM table 153-0062.
Table 3
Households' treatment of their main water source, by type of treatment
Table summary
This table displays the results of Households' treatment of their main water source. The information is grouped by (appearing as row headers), 2007, 2011 and 2015, calculated using % of households units of measure (appearing as column headers).
  2007 2011 2015
% of households
Treated water prior to consumption 47 50 51
Used a filter or purifier 41 43 44
Used a filter or purifier on the main supply pipe 8 8 9
Used an on-tap filter or purifier 10 16 18
Used a jug filter 26 25 25
Were informed of a boil water advisory in the previous 12 months Note ..: not available for a specific reference period 7 10
Did not treat water prior to consumption 53 49 49
.. not available for a specific reference period
Source: Statistics Canada, CANSIM table 153-0123.

Chart 4 Water conservation practices of households, 2015

Data table for Chart 4
Data table for Chart 4
Table summary
This table displays the results of Data table for Chart 4 % of households (appearing as column headers).
% of households
Low-volume toilet 51
Low-flow shower head 62
Barrel or cistern 15
Source: Statistics Canada, CANSIM tables 153-0104 and 153-0171.
Table 4
Average daily use of residential potable water per capitaTable 04 Note 1
Table summary
This table displays the results of Average daily use of residential potable water per capita. The information is grouped by (appearing as row headers), 2011, 2013 and 2011 to 2013, calculated using litres and % change units of measure (appearing as column headers).
  2011 2013 2011 to 2013
litres % change
Canada 251 223 -11.2
Newfoundland and Labrador 530 628 18.5
Prince Edward Island 284 281 -1.1
Nova Scotia 225 219 -2.7
New Brunswick 293 233 -20.5
Quebec 364 255 -29.9
Ontario 208 200 -3.8
Manitoba 173 170 -1.7
Saskatchewan 200 197 -1.5
Alberta 187 169 -9.6
British Columbia 312 296 -5.1
Yukon 573 476 -16.9
Northwest Territories 214 241 12.6
Nunavut 112 149 33.0
Note 1

These figures represent the results for plants that reported the percentage of potable water used by the residential sector.

Return to note 1 referrer

Source: Statistics Canada, CANSIM table 153-0127.


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ISSN: 1701-5766

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Published by authority of the Minister responsible for Statistics Canada.

© Minister of Industry, 2017

All rights reserved. Use of this publication is governed by the Statistics Canada Open Licence Agreement.

Catalogue no. 12-581-X

Frequency: Annual

Ottawa

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