The Canadian Council of Ministers of the Environment (CCME) recognizes the importance of science in making good environmental decisions. On behalf of CCME, Environment Canada's National Water Research Institute organized a series of workshops on water quality, each of which is co-hosted by a province.

These workshops provide a forum in which leading scientists present the latest information on issues such as water quality impacts from agricultural practices, groundwater quality, and water quality issues that relate to water reuse and recycling. These workshops have drawn together many of Canada's key people in the areas of water research, knowledge development, policy development and program delivery. The objective is to share information and provide opportunities for policy makers to give input to the scientific community.