News

Researchers, government agencies, private sector companies, and civil society organizations routinely collect environmental data to understand better how our world is changing and to predict what is likely to happen in the future. With no standard storage repository, researchers often duplicate data collection efforts and do not benefit from the insights afforded by historical data.

Water Institute executive director Roy Brouwer, professor in the Department of Economics and University of Waterloo Research Chair in Water Resources Economics, appeared on the Al Jazeera nine o’clock news this week to discuss his views on the situation surrounding the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD).

The forWater Network, a pan-Canadian collaboration of researchers and industry partners, gathered for their annual general meeting (AGM) to discuss research progress after the fourth year of working together. There was a lot to discuss. Over the course of two days, the Network shared 22 research presentations, 26 student posters, 5 interactive discussions, and one collaborative brainstorming session.

The Water Institute is pleased to announce that two research teams have been awarded funding in the recent 2021 seed grant competition. The Water Institute’s seed grant program was initiated in 2014 to stimulate interdisciplinary collaboration, international partnerships, and to encourage the development of research proposals that tackle increasingly complex global water issues. 

This year’s seed grant projects include diverse initiatives and collaborators: 

Congratulations to Laura Neary and Hannah Thibault who have been chosen as recipients of the 2021 Weston Family Awards in Northern Research! 

This spring, the Students of the Water Institute Graduate Section, SWIGS, opened their 2021 Water and You art contest to students in grades 4 to 7 in schools in Waterloo Region. The goal of the contest was to provide students with an opportunity to learn about water-related issues while expressing their creativity by creating original artwork that directly relates to a current water issue here in Canada or globally. This year's theme was WASH (Water, Sanitation and Hygiene). 

Sector Impacts and Adaptation chapter of Canada in a Changing Climate: National Issues Report released on June 28^th, 2021

Water Institute and Interdisciplinary Centre on Climate Change (IC3) members and Waterloo Professors Daniel Scott and Jason Thistlethwaite are contributing authors of the Sector Impacts and Adaptation chapter of the Canada in a Changing Climate: National Issues Report, released on June 28^th, 2021 by the Government of Canada.

In light of heavy rain forecasted in the upcoming days, Water Institute member and Head of the Intact Centre on Climate Adaptation, Blair Feltmate shared residential basement flood prevention tips with Kitchener Today.