| #Q001 | administrative | unknown | recommended | Establish clear definitions for regulated activities | other | Establish clear definitions for activities that may be subject to requirements under the CNWA, including “construct”, “place”, “alter”, “rebuild”, “remove”, “repair”, and “decommission”. | | high |
| #Q002 | administrative | unknown | recommended | Simplify administrative processes for routine works | other | Simplify administrative processes for routine works that incorporate standard specifications that comply with the Act’s requirements. | Applies to routine works incorporating standard specifications | high |
| #Q003 | administrative | unknown | recommended | Set clear criteria for non-interfering works | other | Set clear criteria for works that do not interfere with navigation, stating that it would give them greater certainty about how to comply with the CNWA’s no interference provisions. | | high |
| #Q004 | operational | operational | recommended | Preserve core operational requirements for bridges | other | Preserve all core operational requirements for bridges (i.e., standards for lights, navigation aids, identification panels, and predictable opening timelines). | | high |
| #Q005 | operational | operational | recommended | Modernized communication methods compatibility | other, recreational water | Ensure modernized communication methods (e.g., replace whistle or horn signals with radio communication) are compatible with traditional and non-commercial water users who may have limited communication methods or radio access. | | high |
| #Q006 | corrective_action | operational | recommended | Contingency plan for technological failure | other | To maintain safety for all waterway users, ensure a contingency plan be developed in case of technological failure. | In case of technological failure | high |
| #Q007 | reporting | reporting | recommended | Advance notice for bridge repair and maintenance | other | Ensure bridge repair and maintenance activities provide consistent advance notice, allowing for waterway users to plan travel routes accordingly. | During bridge repair and maintenance activities | high |
| #Q008 | administrative | unknown | recommended | Flexibility for routine bridge repair | other | Offer greater flexibility for routine bridge repair and maintenance activities, triggering regulatory requirements based on impact on navigation rather than activity type. | For routine bridge repair and maintenance activities | high |
| #Q009 | operational | operational | recommended | Predictable opening timelines for movable span bridges | other, recreational water | Ensure reliable access to navigation routes for commercial operators, recreational users, and emergency services by establishing predictable and transparent opening timelines for movable span bridges that consider multiple factors including vessel type, navigation season, and safety needs. | For movable span bridges | high |
| #Q010 | administrative | unknown | recommended | Protect navigation on small waterways | recreational water, other | Ensure navigation on small waterways that support only human-powered watercraft remains protected under the CNWA, recognizing their importance to Indigenous Peoples in exercising their rights. | On small waterways that support only human-powered watercraft | high |
| #Q011 | administrative | unknown | recommended | Evidence-based exclusion criteria | other | Establish exclusion criteria that is evidence-based and ensure consistent application across jurisdictions for efficient and predictable processes. | | high |
| #Q012 | design | operational | recommended | Minimum standards for high-risk works | other | Develop minimum standards for signage, lighting, and visibility for high-risk works – particularly those on rivers such as low-head dams. Build standards upon existing, well-known guidelines to ensure owners and operators clearly understand their responsibilities. | For high-risk works, particularly on rivers such as low-head dams | high |
| #Q013 | administrative | operational | recommended | Clear requirements for contiguous areas | other | Promote public transparency through establishing clear requirements for contiguous areas that maintain safety standards around high-risk works. | Around high-risk works | high |
| #Q014 | administrative | operational | recommended | Integrate local and Indigenous knowledge | other | Integrate local and Indigenous knowledge, such as insights from Elders and land users, on water levels, ice conditions, and current flows to enhance community safety and support regulatory compliance for high-risk works. | For high-risk works | high |
| #Q015 | design | operational | recommended | Measurable thresholds for non-interfering works | recreational water, other | criteria include measurable thresholds that: Align with navigational clearance requirements, including vertical, horizontal, and depth clearances, as well as visibility requirements, and alterations to water level and flow that could hinder navigation; Account for seasonal high-water conditions, not just summer baseflow; and Enable greater proponent self-assessment and fewer applications for non-interfering works. | For works that do not interfere with navigation | high |
| #Q016 | reporting | reporting | recommended | Notification of temporary navigation interference | recreational water, other | Ensure waterway users are notified when an activity could block, narrow, or alter a navigable water -even if the activity is temporary. | When an activity could block, narrow, or alter a navigable water | high |