Bill C-59, which included the Canada Water Agency Act, received Royal Assent on June 20, 2024. The next steps for the Canada Water Agency (CWA) to officially commence its operations as an independent entity include the issuance of several orders-in-council: An order specifying the coming-into-force date of the new law. An order designating Winnipeg as [...]
Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances (PFAS) are human-made substances that persist in the environment and have been dubbed ‘forever chemicals.’ People can be exposed to PFAS through many routes, one of which is potentially drinking water. During wastewater treatment, PFAS can accumulate in the treated effluent from sources within the urban sewer collection system and discharged [...]
Microplastics are ubiquitous in our lives and in the environment. Canada is currently negotiating an international agreement on plastics pollution, and has joined other countries in banning some single use plastics. Despite the enormity of the problem, understanding how microplastics circulate in the environment and in our bodies is in its early stages. CWN’s [...]
Welcome to the Summer 2024 edition of News Splash. For those of us in the water sector, all eyes have been on the City of Calgary since June 5th. Main breaks are not uncommon, but a break in a feedermain from the treatment plant is particularly critical. There will be much to learn by [...]
We’re on a mission to better tailor the content we share through Canadian Water Network’s communications channels (i.e., website, social media and e-newsletters). We invite you to complete a short survey to help us understand how you interact with these platforms. Rest assured, your responses will remain strictly confidential and will directly contribute to [...]
At CWN, our collaboration with the National Collaborating Centre for Infectious Diseases (NCCID) is instrumental in empowering public health practitioners through our Wastewater-based Surveillance (WBS) Program. This initiative supports peer learning and knowledge sharing for public health practitioners, particularly when it comes to communicating and interpreting WBS data. Webinar on wastewater-based surveillance In September, [...]
We are pleased to present the latest update from CWN’s Canadian Municipal Water Consortium, a national network of utility leaders who share a common goal of advancing municipal water management.Fall Consortium Leadership Group meeting highlightsThe Consortium Leadership Group convened in Toronto ahead of Blue Cities in October. Close to 30 leaders representing 15 municipalities and [...]
We had an opportunity to connect with Don Iveson, former mayor of Edmonton and co-chair of the Taskforce on Climate and Housing. He shares his thought leadership on Canada’s colliding crises, the housing crisis and the climate crisis, and shows a positive way forward. You co-chair the Taskforce on Climate and Housing with Lisa [...]
Through our water and climate program area, we’re undertaking a two-year project to understand the impact of climate change on water availability across the Canadian Prairies. This project is being undertaken in collaboration with our partners ClimateWest and Prairie Adaptation Research Collaborative (PARC), and support from the RBC Foundation through RBC Tech for Nature. [...]
At the recent Blue Cities conference in Toronto, which typically focuses on water utility concerns, Canadian Water Network extended invitations to individuals from the public health sphere. This infusion led to new health-related topics, such as increased wastewater surveillance as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. The extensive spread of COVID-19 demanded immediate action [...]
