Breaking boundaries in water research

While Knowledge Mobilization (KM) is almost always part of funding proposals, it is still an evolving and relatively new area of practice. This was made clear at last week’s Canadian Knowledge Mobilization Forum in Montreal where more than half of the attendees indicated that they were in their positions for five years or less.

“As long as the sun shines, the grass grows, and the river flows.” When Treaties were signed in Canada, they were meant to last forever. At the time, it was inconceivable that water could stop flowing. Yet, in some places, that is now a potential reality. Fifty-three out of Canada’s 167 river basins are already in trouble because of water scarcity, pollution, and climate change.

On June 14, the Government of Canada announced more than $94.5 million will be invested in the Canada Research Chairs (CRC) Program to support 121 new and renewed chair holders at 39 postsecondary institutions across the country in a wide range of disciplines including health, sciences and engineering, social sciences and humanities.