Welcome to the December 2023 edition of Canadian Water Network’s (CWN) News Splash. What a quarter it has been – CWN is firing on all cylinders!

Most exciting has been the return to our in-person Blue Cities conference, where we hosted 200 water and public health enthusiasts, held two national dialogues on pressing issues of the day, sang a song to the spirit of water led by Grandmother Dale, and got advice on equity and Mpox from drag queen Sunshine Glitterchild.

Over the Fall, our team completed the Indigenous Canada course offered by the University of Alberta. Our team also convened eight online events, held a Consortium leaders’ meeting with special guest Kelly Gillis, deputy minister of Infrastructure Canada, and launched our newest program area focused on water and climate.

Phew, those were a busy few months! A sincere thank you to the CWN team, our Board of Directors, funders, sponsors and strategic partners for making this Fall so vibrant and productive.

What I enjoyed the most about this Fall was the pure joy of getting back together in person, the camaraderie, the inspiring meeting of minds and the collaborative spirit we need to tackle the complex water-related challenges before us. You’ll find that spirit bursting out of this newsletter, from our program area updates to our Blue Cities highlights. This newsletter also includes a thought leader interview with Don Iveson, former mayor of Edmonton, on building resilient cities. We also have an article sponsored by Esri Canada on integrating data from different sectors through shared geospatial reference points.

As we wrap up 2023, let us thank all those in the water sector who ensure that the water that comes out of our taps is safe to drink. In the remaining Indigenous communities that continue to experience long-term water advisories, let us dedicate ourselves to push for safe drinking water for all.

On behalf of CWN, I wish you and your loved ones a festive end-of-year break and a peaceful and prosperous 2024.

Nicola Crawhall

CEO of CWN