It is my pleasure to introduce the University of Waterloo’s Impact Report for the Global Water Futures research program. The report provides examples of the scientific and societal impact that Waterloo’s researchers have made through their participation in the program since its inception in 2016.
Global Water Futures (GWF) is a pan-Canadian research program that has re-energized Canada as a global leader in water science for cold regions around the world. GWF has successfully delivered new knowledge, data and modeling tools to design and assess the innovative water management solutions needed to address threats to Canada’s freshwater resources, aquatic ecosystems, and water supply. Working in partnership with Indigenous communities, government partners, and other end users, GWF researchers have enabled approaches to water governance that effectively address the interconnected social and ecological challenges faced by communities across the country and beyond.
GWF is one of the world’s largest water research programs thanks to a $78 million grant from the Canada First Research Excellence Fund (CFREF). The GWF program comprises four core partner institutions, University of Saskatchewan (lead institution), McMaster University, Wilfrid Laurier University, and University of Waterloo, as well as many associated universities and research institutes. This report highlights the specific contributions made by University of Waterloo researchers. For a complete overview of the program, please visit gwf.usask.ca.
With the program coming to a close, we take this opportunity to reflect on the value and benefits GWF has brought to the water research ecosystem at the University of Waterloo. We’ve broken boundaries in water science by promoting interdisciplinary research projects and education initiatives. We’ve trained over 300 “water” students and postdoctoral fellows who, in turn, are spearheading the growth and development of the ever-evolving water sector. GWF researchers at the University of Waterloo have published several hundredths of papers in peer-reviewed scientific journals, with many still in the pipeline. They have also produced plain language summaries and media releases to reach wider audiences beyond the academic community.
Water researchers at the University of Waterloo have successfully leveraged a further $115 million to carry on many of the valuable efforts initiated under GWF. One example is the funding received from the Canada Foundation for Innovation for the Global Water Futures Observatories (GWFO) that will sustain critical field observational and analytical capabilities to support water researchers at Waterloo. Together with over 100 partners and collaborators we will continue to create science-informed water solutions and advance Canada’s position as a water leader internationally.
This publication is a testament to the hard work and dedication of an extraordinary team of multidisciplinary researchers working to address a future that will be characterized by unprecedented water-related challenges for Canada and the world. The University of Waterloo’s GWF researchers are well-positioned to keep generating the innovative water science to forecast, prepare for, and manage water futures in the face of rising risks.
Sincerely,
Philippe Van Cappellen
Professor and Canada Excellence Research Chair in Ecohydrology Laureate
*Thank you to the Canada First Research Excellence Fund, which aims to help competitive post-secondary institutions
turn their strengths into world-leading innovations.
Waterloo Investments In Canadian Water Security
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Land Acknowledgement
We acknowledge that much of the work of the University of Waterloo
takes place on the traditional territory of the Neutral, Anishinaabeg
and Haudenosaunee peoples. Our main campus is situated on the Haldimand
Tract, the land granted to the Six Nations that includes six miles on each side
of the Grand River.
We further acknowledge that the work presented in this report
has occurred on lands across Canada that have rich Indigenous connections.
Through our research, we have worked together with Indigenous communities
to build lasting partnerships that respect, honour and value Indigenous cultures,
traditions and wisdom.
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