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In late June, the Council of the Great Lakes Region (CGLR) in collaboration with the Toronto Region Board of Trade, hosted the Great Lakes Sustainable Growth Forum. This significant event united leaders from various sectors to tackle critical challenges, explore how to responsibly grow the Great Lakes regional economy, and protect the Great Lakes - one of North America's key economic regions.

Two students from the faculties of Science and Mathematics are exploring new ways to bring cultivated seafood to the table. Kevin Shen (BCS ’24) and Rikard Saqe’s idea to apply computational modelling to understand how fish cells grow and transform, has earned them more than $700,000 in grants from the Good Food Institute (GFI), Mitacs and New Harvest to scale their research efforts.    

This year, from August 11-15, the International Water Association (IWA) World Water Congress & Exhibition will take place at the Metro Toronto Convention Centre in downtown Toronto, Ontario. This prestigious conference is a global event for water professionals, covering the entire water cycle and drawing over 10,000 experts, thought leaders, decision-makers, researchers, and business representatives. The focus will be on innovative water solutions that shape the future of water management.

Canadian wine is a $11 billion industry and has experienced substantial growth over the past decade. In the past, its success has hinged on grape growers and winemakers having a thorough understanding of the region’s climate, soil, and terrain because even small deviations can have detrimental impact on yield and quality. Now they must also consider climate change and its impact on vineyards.

In Ontario, the energy landscape is rapidly evolving. With advancements in sustainable alternatives and the push towards electrification, the energy sector is poised for transformation. But amidst this transition, it's essential to ensure that no one is left behind. This is where my research comes in. My study, "Inclusive Energy Futures: Understanding Social Impacts in Ontario's Energy Sector Transformation," delves into the heart of Ontario's energy revolution, aiming to shed light on how this transformation can pave the way for inclusive energy futures.

Albert Jiang, postdoctoral fellow in the School of Environment Enterprise and Development and Department of Systems Design Engineering, has won the prestigious Banting Postdoctoral Fellowship for his research helping small island states adapt to climate change.

Jiang will work alongside Water Institute members Dr. Simron Singh and Dr. Kumaraswamy Ponnambalam to understand the hydrology related climate change effects small island states are facing, like the rise of sea levels or heavy precipitation. These findings aim to prepare states for the consequences of climate change and their corresponding social impacts.

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.

On May 30, the Grand River Conservation Authority (GRCA) hosted a Lunch and Learn event with members of the Microplastics Fingerprinting project, a project supported by the Water Institute. Held at the GRCA headquarters in Cambridge, the event was attended by around 20 GRCA members, including staff focused on water infrastructure, source water protection, water quality, and conservation services. This event was organized by Nancy Goucher as part of the project’s knowledge mobilization strategy.