Water Licence Application Processing in OneStop

Water Licensing in OneStop

As of June 2, 2025, the AER will use OneStop to process applications for energy- and mineral-related water use licences (including temporary diversion licences) and water use submissions. Criteria for how water use licences are approved under the Water Act remain unchanged. 

Water Licensing Legacy Data Import

Some authorizations and submissions that were submitted to the AER before June 2, 2025, are still being added to the system. If you have been impacted by the missing legacy data (authorizations/submissions made before June 2, 2025) in OneStop, you may be unable to complete an application for renewal, amendment, or water use submission.

Water Licensing Data Migration List

As the AER continues to move legacy data into OneStop, we will update the water licensing data migration list with the authorizations, submissions, and applications that are available in the system.

If you have found your authorization in the water licensing data migration list but cannot find the authorization in OneStop when you complete a search, please log this as a bug in the OneStop Error Reporting Form.

Submission Deadlines

If you have missed or are going to miss a submission deadline due to data challenges related to the OneStop transition, the AER will not consider your unsuccessful submission a violation of the terms and conditions of your licence.

Thank you for your patience as we work to resolve the legacy data issues.

We have incorporated a water licence application and authorization process within OneStop for energy- and mineral-related water licence applications and water use submissions. This change was in response to the Government of Alberta retiring legacy systems formerly used by the AER to process water licence applications. The water licence approval criteria under the Water Act remain unchanged. 

Alberta Environment and Protected Areas will continue to use the Digital Regulatory Assurance System (DRAS) to process Water Act applications unrelated to energy or minerals.

The Government of Alberta (GoA) has retired the following systems:

• Water Act Temporary Diversion Licence Review System (WATERS)
• Water Act portion of the Environmental Management System (EMS)
• Water Use Reporting System (WURS)
• Water Use Reporting System Data Query (WURSDQ)

We will use OneStop to process energy- and mineral-related water licence applications (including applications for temporary diversion licences) and water use submissions.

Learn more about how we regulate.  

There is no change to the process or technology used for Water Act approvals.  

Continue to submit the following Water Act approval applications and notifications for activities that require our approval under the Water Act  through OneStop: 

• new applications
• amendment applications
• code of practice notifications

Please continue to submit Water Act approval applications for coal mines and oil sands mines to EPEA.WA.Applications@aer.ca and submit Water Act approval applications for Mineral Resource Development to MRDAMine.Application@aer.ca.

Starting June 2, submit applications for water licences (including temporary diversion licences) to OneStop, including submissions regarding water use monitoring and reporting.

You can view water licence applications through the Public Notice of Applications webpage and our decisions on the Publication of Decision webpage. 

We are obliged under the Water Act to provide a licensee with a notice of renewal. We will post a public notice of the renewal application once received. The public can view the application through the Public Notice of Applications webpage.

If you currently have access to OneStop, then you will automatically have access to the new water licensing functionality. Please use your existing credentials to log in to OneStop.    

If you do not currently have access to OneStop, check with your company to see if you have a BA code and DDS Administrator, who can set up your access to OneStop. Please note they must assign you access to the Water Application Search, Save and Submit roles.

If you do not have a BA code and DDS Administrator, watch the Getting Started video to learn how to set up access to OneStop.    

As the AER continues to move legacy data (authorizations/submissions made before June 2, 2025) into OneStop, we will update the water licensing data migration list with the authorizations, submissions, and applications that are available in the system.

If you have found your authorization in the water licensing data migration list but cannot find the authorization in OneStop when you complete a search, please log this as a bug in the OneStop Error Reporting Form.   

Please use the new OneStop Error Reporting Form to submit any system errors you experience in OneStop. The Form ensures all necessary details are captured and tracked so system errors can be addressed as quickly as possible.  Support staff work to resolve issues promptly, however, some cases may require up to 7 business days to address.

Please send site-specific water licensing questions about applications, submissions, and reporting to epea.wa.applications@aer.ca. We will help to answer questions regarding reporting deadlines, compliance concerns, specific applications, or reports.  

Guides for navigating Water Licensing functionality can be found on the OneStop Help page. You can also visit the Help Centre within OneStop for on-demand support. If you require additional support, please email inquiries@aer.ca or call (403) 297-8311.

All Water Act licence applications, including temporary diversion licences and amendments, that are not related to energy or mineral development must be submitted through the Government of Alberta’s Digital Regulatory Assurance System (DRAS).