Annual freshwater withdrawals in Canada
Canada: Annual freshwater withdrawals was 36.13 billion billion cubic meters in 2022. ▼ Falling
Latest (2022)
36.13 billion billion cubic meters
Change on year
unchanged
World rank
19th
of 181 countries
All-time high
45.09 billion billion cubic meters
in 1991
All-time low
35.60 billion billion cubic meters
in 2011
Years of data
37
1986–2022
Annual freshwater withdrawals in Canada, 1986–2022
Source: AQUASTAT - FAO's Global Information System on Water and Agriculture, FAO, via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in billion cubic meters.
Analysis
In 2022, annual freshwater withdrawals in Canada stood at 36.13 billion billion cubic meters.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 0.9% over ten years.
Over the whole period, annual freshwater withdrawals in Canada peaked at 45.09 billion billion cubic meters in 1991 and was at its lowest, 35.60 billion billion cubic meters, in 2011.
Canada ranks 19th of 181 countries on this measure, in the top 10%.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 37 years of available data.
Annual freshwater withdrawals in Canada, year by year
| Year | billion cubic meters | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1986 | 42.20 billion billion cubic meters | — |
| 1987 | 42.78 billion billion cubic meters | +1.4% |
| 1988 | 43.36 billion billion cubic meters | +1.4% |
| 1989 | 43.94 billion billion cubic meters | +1.3% |
| 1990 | 44.51 billion billion cubic meters | +1.3% |
| 1991 | 45.09 billion billion cubic meters | +1.3% |
| 1992 | 44.52 billion billion cubic meters | -1.3% |
| 1993 | 43.94 billion billion cubic meters | -1.3% |
| 1994 | 43.36 billion billion cubic meters | -1.3% |
| 1995 | 42.79 billion billion cubic meters | -1.3% |
| 1996 | 42.21 billion billion cubic meters | -1.3% |
| 1997 | 42.13 billion billion cubic meters | -0.2% |
| 1998 | 42.05 billion billion cubic meters | -0.2% |
| 1999 | 41.97 billion billion cubic meters | -0.2% |
| 2000 | 41.89 billion billion cubic meters | -0.2% |
| 2001 | 41.80 billion billion cubic meters | -0.2% |
| 2002 | 41.72 billion billion cubic meters | -0.2% |
| 2003 | 41.64 billion billion cubic meters | -0.2% |
| 2004 | 41.56 billion billion cubic meters | -0.2% |
| 2005 | 41.48 billion billion cubic meters | -0.2% |
| 2006 | 41.40 billion billion cubic meters | -0.2% |
| 2007 | 41.32 billion billion cubic meters | -0.2% |
| 2008 | 40.06 billion billion cubic meters | -3.0% |
| 2009 | 38.80 billion billion cubic meters | -3.1% |
| 2010 | 37.20 billion billion cubic meters | -4.1% |
| 2011 | 35.60 billion billion cubic meters | -4.3% |
| 2012 | 36.44 billion billion cubic meters | +2.4% |
| 2013 | 37.28 billion billion cubic meters | +2.3% |
| 2014 | 36.51 billion billion cubic meters | -2.1% |
| 2015 | 35.73 billion billion cubic meters | -2.1% |
| 2016 | 35.99 billion billion cubic meters | +0.7% |
| 2017 | 36.25 billion billion cubic meters | +0.7% |
| 2018 | 36.25 billion billion cubic meters | +0.0% |
| 2019 | 36.25 billion billion cubic meters | +0.0% |
| 2020 | 36.25 billion billion cubic meters | +0.0% |
| 2021 | 36.13 billion billion cubic meters | -0.3% |
| 2022 | 36.13 billion billion cubic meters | +0.0% |
Canada compared with similar countries
- Canada's 36.13 billion billion cubic meters is above the median for high income countries, which is 1.70 billion billion cubic meters, 21.2× the median. (59 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 43.07 billion billion cubic meters | 42.20 billion billion cubic meters | 43.94 billion billion cubic meters | 4 |
| 1990s | 43.26 billion billion cubic meters | 41.97 billion billion cubic meters | 45.09 billion billion cubic meters | 10 |
| 2000s | 41.17 billion billion cubic meters | 38.80 billion billion cubic meters | 41.89 billion billion cubic meters | 10 |
| 2010s | 36.35 billion billion cubic meters | 35.60 billion billion cubic meters | 37.28 billion billion cubic meters | 10 |
| 2020s | 36.17 billion billion cubic meters | 36.13 billion billion cubic meters | 36.25 billion billion cubic meters | 3 |
Countries ranked near Canada
- 16 Uzbekistan 42.90 billion billion cubic meters compare
- 17 Iraq 42.42 billion billion cubic meters compare
- 18 Argentina 37.69 billion billion cubic meters compare
- 20 Bangladesh 35.87 billion billion cubic meters compare
- 21 Chile 35.37 billion billion cubic meters compare
- 22 Italy 33.78 billion billion cubic meters compare
More environment data for Canada
- Historical exposure to drought — Land soil moisture anomaly -2.52 Percentage change (2025)
- Historical exposure to drought — Cropland soil moisture anomaly -6.76 Percentage change (2025)
- Standard Deviation, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Standard Deviation 0.642 °C (2025)
- Temperature change 2.96 °C (2025)
- Total greenhouse gas emissions excluding LULUCF (Mt CO2e), annual 1.7 % change on previous year (2024)
- Total greenhouse gas emissions excluding LULUCF (Mt CO2e), per unit 0 Mt CO2e per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Total greenhouse gas emissions excluding LULUCF (Mt CO2e), per capita 0 Mt CO2e per person (2024)
- Methane (CH4) emissions from Agriculture (Mt CO2e), annual growth rate -0.3398 % change on previous year (2024)
- Methane (CH4) emissions from Agriculture (Mt CO2e), per unit of GDP 0 Mt CO2e per US$ of GDP (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is annual freshwater withdrawals in Canada?
- Annual freshwater withdrawals in Canada was 36.13 billion billion cubic meters in 2022, according to AQUASTAT - FAO's Global Information System on Water and Agriculture, FAO, via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest annual freshwater withdrawals recorded in Canada?
- The highest recorded value was 45.09 billion billion cubic meters in 1991.
- What is the lowest annual freshwater withdrawals recorded in Canada?
- The lowest recorded value was 35.60 billion billion cubic meters in 2011.
- How does Canada rank for annual freshwater withdrawals?
- Canada ranks 19th out of 181 countries with data for 2022.
- Is annual freshwater withdrawals rising or falling in Canada?
- Over the last ten years it is down 0.9%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Canada data come from?
- The figures come from AQUASTAT - FAO's Global Information System on Water and Agriculture, FAO, via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of Annual freshwater withdrawals. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Annual freshwater withdrawals refer to total water withdrawals, not counting evaporation losses from storage basins, measured in cubic meters (m³) per year. Total water withdrawals are the sum of withdrawals for agriculture, industry and municipal (domestic uses). Withdrawals also include water from desalination plants in countries where they are a significant source.