Title: The challenges of integration and related research issues to support sustainable water resources management in Québec, Canada

Authors: Luc Vescovi; Michel Lamontagne; Alain N. Rousseau; Jean Paul Raîche

Addresses: International Secretariat for Water, 9623 Lajeunesse Montréal, Québec H3L 2C7, Canada ' Réseau Environnement, 911 rue Jean-Talon Est Bureau 220, Montréal, Québec, H2R 1V5, Canada ' Institut national de la Recherche Scientifique, Eau, Terre et Environnement, 490, rue de la Couronne, Québec, G1K 9A9, Canada ' ROBVQ, 870 Avenue de Salaberry Bureau 106, Québec, G1R 2T9, Canada

Abstract: In an effort to reform water governance in Quebec, the government adopted, in June 2009 an act to declare the common nature of water resources and to reinforce their protection. The province also instituted Integrated Water Resources Management by Watershed (IWRM) for all of mainland Quebec. Shortly after, the Conseil de la Science et la Technologie (CST) gathered a group of experts to develop a research strategy to apply IWRM. The research strategy was developed as part of the Perspectives STS Project started in 2003 by the CST in concert with other ministerial partners. As a foresight-type study, the objective of the perspectives STS is to identify the challenges that Quebec will face over the next several years and to determine how research could contribute to the development of solutions. This paper summarises the discussions and consensus reached by the Committee of Experts. It presents the proposed research strategy.

Keywords: integrated water resources management; IWRM; integration; research strategy; foresight type study; Quebec; Canada; sustainable water resources management; sustainable development; sustainability; water governance.

DOI: 10.1504/IJW.2013.056670

International Journal of Water, 2013 Vol.7 No.4, pp.267 - 276

Received: 28 Jul 2011
Accepted: 03 Jul 2012
Published online: 21 Oct 2014 *

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