National Water Supply Expansion Program

Frequently Asked Questions

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Questions and Answers

Canada-Yukon Water Supply Expansion Program

1) What is the National Water Supply Expansion Program (NWSEP)?
The NWSEP is a multi-year program administered by the federal government, in agreement and with additional contributions by provincial and territorial governments across Canada, to help the agriculture community develop and enhance agricultural water supplies. Through the NWSEP, Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada (AAFC) is working with each province and territory to provide assistance - technical and financial - to the agriculture community for projects which best address the objectives of the NWSEP.

2) What is the Canada-Yukon Water Supply Expansion Program (CYWSEP)?
The CYWSEP is the Yukon Territory component of the NWSEP. The CYWSEP will be carried out under the authority of the NWSEP, specifically targeting the agriculture community within the territory. Through the CYWSEP, the federal government is providing $100,000, with the Yukon Territorial Government providing $20,000, to the agriculture community for water projects. The Yukon Government is also contributing in-kind support through technical assistance and other territorial programs and activities which address water resources in rural areas.

3) When does the program end?
The CYWSEP concludes on March 31, 2008. All projects must be completed by this date.

4) What are the benefits of the CYWSEP?
The benefits of the CYWSEP are far reaching. Producers will benefit through technical and financial assistance for projects designed to develop agricultural water supplies in the Yukon Territory.

As a result of increased effectiveness and usage of water resources, the producer will benefit through increased production in their operation. In turn, the local and regional community will benefit through healthy and reliable water supplies and a stronger rural economy.

Producers and the industry will also benefit through the completion of studies aimed at providing information (e.g. groundwater studies) to target future water development projects, or from the research projects that improve water conservation, thus allowing limited water supplies to last longer and benefit a wider range of users.

5) Who is eligible for assistance under the CYWSEP?
In the Yukon Territory, eligible applicants for CYWSEP assistance include commercial agricultural producers and/or incorporated groups of farmers and ranchers, agricultural and conservation groups, rural communities and municipalities, agri-businesses and rural enterprises, educational institutions, and territorial government agencies and Crown corporations.

To be eligible, projects must have an agricultural water supply component. For multi-user water supply projects, CYWSEP funding may be limited to that part of a project which benefits agricultural producers.

6) Are projects that involve only partial agricultural water use eligible (e.g. a regional pipeline that supplies a mixture of agricultural producers and rural residential acreages)?
Yes, but funding will be limited to that portion of the project that is judged by the rating committee to be required to meet the agricultural water supply needs.

7) Are there technical requirements that applicant groups will be required to meet for projects to be eligible?
Yes, some projects (e.g. dugouts) may have to be a minimum size to be eligible. This is required so that the project provides a secure and reliable water supply during periods of drought.

Some projects may also be required to contain design elements that protect the water supply and others in the area from future contamination (e.g. draining of water back into a well will not be allowed).

Information on technical standards is available from the Yukon Agriculture Branch.

8) How and when should applications be submitted for the CYWSEP?
Applications for the CYWSEP are available at the Yukon Agriculture Branch of the Department of Energy, Mines and Resources, and can be submitted to:

Canada-Yukon Water Supply Expansion Program
c/o Yukon Agriculture Branch - Department of Energy, Mines and Resources
P.O. Box 2703
Whitehorse, Yukon Y1A 2C6.

Application can be submitted throughout the year and will be reviewed at the 1st of each month.

Note: Applications cannot be submitted electronically.

Projects will be reviewed and rated once the submission is received by an appointed federal-territorial program committee. Once a proposal has been approved, the applicant will be notified in writing by AAFC. All projects started before receipt of written approval will not be eligible for financial assistance.

Applicants should be aware that projects must obtain all environmental and regulatory approvals prior to construction.

9) Where can I get information about the program?
Information about the CYWSEP is available from the Yukon Agriculture Branch of the Department of Energy, Mines and Resources at (867) 393-7410 or 1 800 661-0408 (ext 7410), or from the program Web site.

10) Which projects are eligible for financial assistance under the CYWSEP?
Financial Assistance will be provided for:
Tier 1 - On-farm water infrastructure projects - Smaller scale water development projects, such as dugouts, wells and pasture pipelines, which provide secure, safe and reliable water supplies for agricultural producers or water users in areas directly affected by drought or that have other water supply constraints.
Tier 2 - Multi-user water infrastructure projects - Larger scale infrastructure projects which provide a long-term water source for multiple agricultural users and promote economic growth in an area or region, such as tank loaders, regional pipelines and reservoirs.
Tier 3 - Strategic initiatives - These consist of activities that will serve to increase opportunities for strategic partnerships and to enhance an understanding of the operational and developmental limitations to the water resources in rural communities and regions, such as regional groundwater studies, groundwater exploration or testing, regional water management planning and feasibility studies, and information extension activities.

11) Are multi-year projects eligible for CYWSEP assistance?
Multi-year projects may be eligible for assistance based on committee approval, although all funding will be allocated and all projects must be completed by March 31, 2008.

12) Who decides which projects receive financial assistance and how will they be selected? Which projects will receive priority over others and why (selection process)?
A federal-territorial committee has been established to evaluate each proposal and determine which receive financial assistance. Projects will be scored using a rating system. Projects which best address the objectives of the CYWSEP, address territorial and/or regional priorities, and have the most benefits to the user, area and/or region will be selected.

13) Define:
Eligible costs - All costs reasonably incurred for a specific proposal prior to March 31, 2008, which include costs of goods, services and/or construction directly resulting from the project/study.
Strategic work - A study, planning activity or project carried out for the specific purpose of developing a product and/or achieving an end-result serving the general public over a wide spread area, region or sector.

14) Will there be a National water program after March 31, 2008?
The NWSEP will be re-evaluated before March 31, 2008, to determine whether additional programming will be implemented.