On 28 September 2026, Statistics Canada released the final results of its Biennial Drinking Water Plants Survey, providing updated national and provincial drinking water production and loss data for 2024. Conducted approximately every two years since 2011, the survey covers drinking water treatment plants serving populations of 300 or more.
The survey is being discontinued amid federal budget cuts, ending a longstanding source of standardized data on Canada’s drinking water systems. While certain data points, not yet announced, will be integrated into Canada’s Core Public Infrastructure Survey, the future of water loss tracking in Canada remains uncertain. The latest Biennial Drinking Water Plants Survey release may provide a final opportunity to assess national water loss trends, compare provincial performance, and examine infrastructure investment needs using a common reporting framework.
