CWN’s Water Leader Spotlight celebrates the diverse backgrounds of outstanding municipal water leaders serving Canadian communities and shares their insights into the industry.

Municipal Water Program Manager Nancy Goucher interviewed Alicia Fraser, the General Manager of Infrastructure and Water Services for the Capital Regional District (CRD). Read on to learn about her journey in the water industry.

Can you describe what led you to choose a career in municipal water? What has your career path looked like?

My passion for the municipal water sector was sparked during a co-op term with Metro Vancouver (then the GVRD), where I worked on their drinking water strategy. That experience opened my eyes to the vital role that clean, safe drinking water plays in community health and resilience. In Canada, we often take our reliable water supply for granted, yet it’s foundational to the vibrancy of our communities. As a student, I was drawn to the idea of working in a field that not only has a meaningful impact on public health but is also deeply connected to the natural environment.

That initial exposure set me on a diverse career path within the municipal water sector. I began my professional journey in Ontario, working in consulting on water management for the mining industry, before shifting my focus to the drinking water sector. I joined the City of Toronto, where I managed capital upgrades at the R.L. Clark Water Treatment Plant and later led the Basement Flooding Protection Program. That experience gave me a real appreciation for how complex and interconnected municipal operations are — and how important it is to understand the different priorities and pressures each department is balancing. Finding common ground and identifying win-win solutions became a key focus in my work.

In 2016, I took a leap and accepted a Vice President role with the Ontario Clean Water Agency (OCWA), which turned out to be an incredible growth opportunity. OCWA is a unique and (I may be biased) amazing entity in Canada’s water sector, and it allowed me to truly “dive into all things water.” I gained insight into the challenges facing both small rural and large urban utilities, worked across a variety of water and wastewater systems, engaged with the innovation sector and even explored aspects of the solid waste field as it related to source separated organics and biosolids. The learning curve was steep, but the experience was transformative.

My roles at OCWA evolved from VP of Engineering, Capital and Support Services to VP of Operations for South Peel, and ultimately to President and CEO. Where the City of Toronto gave me the opportunity to grow from a project manager into a management role, OCWA helped me become a leader.

Now, in my current role as General Manager of Infrastructure and Water Services for the Capital Regional District (CRD) in Victoria, I’m responsible for the operation, maintenance, infrastructure engineering and capital improvements of the regional water and wastewater systems — as well as corporate asset management and capital project delivery services. It’s an exciting time at the CRD as we embark on a transformative journey through the development of our 30-year Regional Master Plan. This ambitious initiative is setting the foundation for resilient, climate-adaptive and future-ready infrastructure that will serve our growing and evolving region for decades to come. It’s inspiring to be part of such forward-thinking work that blends technical innovation with long-term sustainability.

This role represents the culmination of everything I’ve learned throughout my career — from project execution and operational leadership to strategic planning and innovation. It allows me to bring together all those experiences in service of a region I’m proud to be part of. Just as importantly, it’s given me the opportunity to achieve a personal goal: living in a place I love, closer to my family, while doing work that truly matters.

What do you enjoy most about your work?

What I enjoy most about my work comes down to three things: the people I work with, the impact we have on our communities and the complexity and variety that comes with solving real-world problems at the intersection of engineering, infrastructure and the natural environment.

As an engineer, I’ve always been drawn to collaborative problem-solving. I love working in teams to tackle big challenges — whether it’s addressing basement flooding, optimizing water treatment systems or planning long-term infrastructure investments. One of the most rewarding parts of my role is bringing together people from different disciplines — operations, engineering, legal, asset management, IT, human resources — and building alignment around a shared goal. It’s not just about finding technical solutions but about facilitating the kind of teamwork that leads to lasting, meaningful outcomes.

What makes this work especially fulfilling is knowing that it directly benefits the public. Whether we’re ensuring access to safe, reliable drinking water or managing wastewater in a way that protects the environment and public health, the work we do truly matters. Many of us in this field are driven by service — we’re not in it for accolades, but because we care deeply about the communities we serve.

I also find the scope of the work incredibly energizing. The municipal water sector is always evolving, and I enjoy the challenge of keeping pace — whether it’s building new teams, integrating new technologies or responding to emerging risks. I’ve had the chance to lead transformative projects, like establishing dedicated units for basement flooding protection and asset management and contributing to broader system planning. Working with passionate, skilled colleagues and continuously learning from new challenges is what keeps me excited to come to work every day.

Who has been most influential in your career?

Several people have influenced my career, but the standout is Dan Campeanu, my manager at the City of Toronto. Dan was an incredible mentor who taught me the importance of taking the time to understand what drives people — whether it’s a project stakeholder or a team member — and working with them to help achieve their goals. He saw potential in me that I didn’t yet see in myself. He pushed me to build confidence in my abilities, often volunteering me for opportunities I didn’t feel ready for — but he also made it clear that he’d be there to support me every step of the way. That balance of challenge and support made all the difference.

Dan helped me transition from being a strong project manager to becoming a people manager. He showed me what leadership should look like — not just managing work, but building trust, developing people and fostering alignment. That experience was foundational in helping me understand the importance of team dynamics, communication and leading with empathy.

I’ve also learned a great deal from the people who reported to me over the years. When I became VP of Operations for South Peel, I had to shift from a project-based mindset to an operational one — a bigger change than I expected. Projects are often defined by clear goals and timelines, and once complete, you move on. Operations, by contrast, requires endurance, consistency and an understanding that quick wins can sometimes lead to long-term setbacks. My operations team helped me appreciate the value of careful planning, step-by-step execution and building sustainable systems. They deepened my understanding of how small process changes can have wide-reaching impacts and helped me see the importance of embedding tasks into systems, not just relying on individuals.

That lesson was reflective of my broader experience at OCWA, where I had to constantly shift between strategic visioning and logistical execution. It was there that I truly learned to love the balance between thinking big—where we need to go—and figuring out how to get there in a way that works for the people doing the work.

And perhaps my very first mentor was my father. He encouraged me to pursue engineering, recognizing early on that I had a unique combination of technical aptitude and strong interpersonal skills. He always believed I would succeed and helped lay the foundation for my confidence and career path.

What has been your proudest achievement in municipal water management? How did it contribute to the organization?

Among my proudest accomplishments was establishing a world-class wastewater surveillance program in Ontario during the COVID-19 pandemic. To achieve this, I navigated complex technical and operational needs while coordinating various partners.

At the beginning of the pandemic, we learned that the Netherlands was testing wastewater to detect levels of the virus in communities. Inspired by this, the Province of Ontario wanted to implement a similar program. Canadian Water Network brought us together, connecting us with experts in Ontario and around the world, who guided us through the complexity of setting up such a program. Working closely with provincial staff, academics, CWN and municipal utility leaders, we identified the roles of different partners and tackled the technical challenges that inevitably arose.

One of the key challenges was communicating highly technical issues to political leaders and ensuring they understood the importance and feasibility of the program. By the end, Ontario had one of the strongest wastewater surveillance systems in the world.

From the initial call-to-action to successful implementation, my role was to bring together the right people. We worked in real-time, driven by political urgency, and navigated the complexities by learning on the fly. I met many interesting people outside my sector, including researchers and laboratory experts.

I believe this is a case of being in the right place at the right time. My leadership style had evolved through my career, allowing me to understand that I didn’t need to be an expert in every area. Instead, I drew on the expertise of others, collaborated to get the best out of them, and created a culture where people felt heard. This collaborative approach was instrumental in developing the wastewater surveillance program and ensuring its success.

What is one positive change you’ve observed during your career and what is an emerging trend you think water managers should look out for?

One of the positive changes I’ve seen over the course of my career in the water sector is the growing presence of women in leadership roles. I’ve been fortunate to be part of Canadian Water Network’s adaptive pathways initiative, and during a recent session, I found myself in a room of senior, accomplished leaders — six out of seven were women. Earlier in my career, that ratio would likely have been reversed. It was a striking and encouraging moment that underscored just how much progress we’ve made.

I’ve seen a leadership style — especially among the women I’ve worked with — that’s rooted in active listening, collaboration and a genuine openness to diverse perspectives. It’s a style I really value. While many male leaders also lead this way, I’ve found this approach is more consistently demonstrated by women, and it’s having a powerful influence on the culture of our sector. This kind of leadership creates inclusive, engaged teams and fosters an environment where people feel comfortable contributing their best ideas — which ultimately drives better outcomes. It also happens to make for a much better place to work.

I think this shift aligns well with the values and expectations of the next generation of talent. As we face increasing challenges with workforce recruitment and retention — especially in operations and technical areas — creating workplaces that reflect these values will be essential to our long-term success. Attracting and supporting a more diverse workforce isn’t just good practice; it’s fundamental to building a resilient future.

Another notable trend — though I’d call it more interesting than clearly positive — is the growing focus in our sector on public storytelling and visibility. Traditionally, water professionals haven’t sought the spotlight — we’ve been the ones quietly keeping systems running. But now, more than ever, we’re being called to communicate the value of our work, not just after a crisis, but as a proactive part of building public trust and attracting new talent. It’s not always comfortable, but it’s necessary. Telling our story well helps people connect to the critical role water plays in their daily lives — and makes our work, and our workforce, more visible and valued.

What is something about you that people might be surprised to learn about?

Something that might surprise people about me is that I almost swapped careers early on —from water to wine. After finishing my engineering degree and working for a couple of years, I decided to head to South Australia to pursue a master’s in viticulture (yes, grape growing!). For a while, I seriously considered becoming a winemaker — or more accurately, a farmer with a really great beverage perk. In the end, I chose to stick with water engineering, but it was a fun (and tasty) detour that gave me a whole new appreciation for how deeply connected we are to the land — and how central water is to everything.

That love of growing things hasn’t gone away. I’m also a passionate gardener. There’s something incredibly grounding about getting your hands in the dirt and seeing the direct results of your effort. Whether it’s tending tomatoes or managing infrastructure, both require a deep respect for natural processes, patience, sustainable resource management — and yes, a lot of getting your hands dirty.

In a funny way, both paths — wine and water — are rooted in the same passion: working with, not against, the natural environment. So even though I chose water over wine professionally, I still get to blend both worlds in my garden… and maybe enjoy the occasional glass of wine while I’m at it.

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Thank you, Alicia, for sharing your thoughts with our network.