Welcome to the Spring 2026 edition of News Splash, Canadian Water Network’s (CWN) quarterly newsletter.

Canadian Water Network’s CEO, Nicola Crawhall, sat down for an in-depth interview with Kim Sturgess, founder and recently retired CEO of WaterSMART Solutions Ltd. Kim has served as president of the Canadian Academy of Engineering. She is also a recipient of the Order of Canada for her outstanding achievements, dedication to community, and service to the nation.

In this edition, Municipal Water Program Manager Nancy Goucher speaks with Susan Ancel, senior principal water strategic initiatives at EPCOR. With Susan’s retirement in March 2026, this timely conversation reflects on her path through the water sector, the innovations she helped introduce, and her insights on how utilities can strengthen relationships with the communities they serve.

Across Canada, water leaders are facing a familiar tension: rising expectations, aging systems, limited capital, and a growing list of risks — from cyber threats to climate volatility. Everyone agrees on the challenges. What’s often missing is the alignment between different partners. Blue Cities exists to close that gap.

Canada’s municipal water utilities are entering a period of significant reform as provinces across the country reevaluate the structure and oversight of water and wastewater services. At the same time, global economic uncertainty, shifting trade dynamics, and ongoing infrastructure supply-chain pressures are increasingly challenging how municipalities plan for, procure, and deliver critical water infrastructure their communities rely on.

As municipalities across Canada face increasing pressure to reduce emissions, renew aging infrastructure, and deliver reliable services within tightening funding and policy environments, opportunities to see real-world solutions are more important than ever.

Ongoing resource constraints are amplifying the challenges municipal and utility leaders are facing, which underscores the need to leverage thermal heat from wastewater as a sustainable energy source for buildings.

We’re happy to share that Bret Collins joined Canadian Water Network (CWN) in January as the municipal decarbonization program advisor for our Wastewater Energy Transfer (WET) project.

The development of a National Water Security Strategy is an opportunity to discuss how we can address freshwater-related threats and opportunities in a way that protects freshwater ecosystems and secures water for communities and the economy, now and for future generations.

Environment and Climate Change Canada (ECCC) is pleased to share that the National Freshwater Science Agenda (Science Agenda) is now available online.

A new partnership between the Government of Canada and the Government of Ontario aims to build more affordable homes, infrastructure, and transit.

For decades, the mission of water and wastewater utilities has been defined by high-quality treatment and infrastructure management. But as the clean energy transition accelerates, the role of the wastewater leader is evolving to include being a critical energy provider. At CWN, we see wastewater not just as a flow to be treated, but as a high-value, untapped thermal asset.