By Kendra Shields, Lujyne Amro, Diana Pena, Favour Ozordi and Cassandra Sherlock.
The recent Pollution Probe The “Right Here, Right Now” conference and gala was a dynamic and insightful gathering, fostering a shared commitment to environmental stewardship. A delegation from the Water Institute along with attendees from diverse backgrounds came together to collaborate on pressing issues regarding our readiness for a clean economy with a focus on clean air, clean water, and a healthy planet.
The conference kicked off with engaging discussions featuring panelists from Bruce Power, Chemistry Industry Association of Canada, Green Budget Coalition, and Université Laval. The conversations revolved around navigating the transition to new energy, transportation, and materials management systems essential to meet our environmental targets. Key questions explored Canada's readiness for this shift, identifying gaps, and addressing challenges and constraints.
Noteworthy highlights included calls for community engagement, regulatory reforms, and market transformations, along with discussions on innovative transportation solutions aligned with Canada's net-zero greenhouse gas emissions target. The discussion extended to safeguarding Canada's water resources, where policies and collaborative initiatives were explored to reduce pollution and address environmental threats to waterways.
A highlight of the event was the enriching networking experience. Participants representing industry, academia and non-governmental organizations, were in attendance and provided great insights during breakout and networking sessions.
As Water Institute representatives, our diverse group found valuable insights at the Pollution Probe Conference, enriching our individual research and knowledge. Despite our varied backgrounds, the shared experience fostered a deeper connection and contributed to our collective academic pursuits.
Top: Conference panelists Pat Dalzell, Bob Masterson, Céline Vaneeckhaute and Andrew Van Iterson.Below:Water Institute delegation Kendra Shields, Lujyne Amro, Diana Pena, Favour Ozordi, Cassandra Sherlock and Raisa Islam attending the Pollution Probe Conference and Gala at the Toronto Reference Library.