This brief synthesizes key findings from a series of studies led by Dr. Ryan Prosser at the University of Guelph on microplastics in Ontario biosolids, agricultural soils, and earthworms. Although it is not a comprehensive review of all available research on this topic, it incorporates relevant supporting literature to contextualize these findings and assess their [...]
On December 8, 2025, AtkinsRéalis presented to Canadian Water Network’s (CWN) Bioresources Strategic Sharing Group. The community of practice brings together Municipal Water Consortium members to exchange knowledge, stay ahead of emerging biosolids management trends and issues, and identify evolving solutions. This brief summarizes key lessons and perspectives shared during that session, drawing on the [...]
As Canada advances toward net zero and intensified climate adaptation goals, there is growing recognition that achieving deep emissions reductions will require optimizing existing infrastructure alongside deploying new clean energy systems. Wastewater Energy Transfer (WET) systems are an emerging component of Canada’s clean energy and low carbon infrastructure landscape. By capturing thermal energy contained in [...]
The City of Selkirk, located about 20 minutes north of Winnipeg, provides water and wastewater treatment services to roughly 10,500 residents. Its McLean Avenue water treatment plant is a two‑part facility, with the original building constructed in 1961 and a major addition completed in 2011. In 2018, the condition of the facility’s furnace, combined with [...]
In a country where more than 90 percent of communities are small or rural municipalities, resilience cannot be undertaken by large cities alone. Instead, it must be a shared endeavour that reflects the realities of communities everywhere. The City of Selkirk stands out as a leading example of how smaller municipalities can take meaningful, sustained [...]
Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is a serious and growing threat to human health. It is already causing significant illness and death worldwide, including in Canada. Without urgent action, AMR will continue to undermine the effectiveness of life-saving medical treatments and lead to major social and economic costs. To help water sector stakeholders better understand this emerging [...]
Canadian Water Network (CWN) hosted an insightful webinar that explored the City of Calgary’s experience navigating low water conditions in 2024. The webinar covered how the City rapidly transitioned to a water-shortage response. Its experience offers valuable lessons on real-time decision-making, communication, and operational agility. Watch the recording View the slides View the summary
Sometimes the biggest opportunities are hiding in plain sight. Years ago, a sewer trunk line running beside Markham District Energy's Warden Energy Centre was viewed as an inconvenient constraint that would complicate the routing of thermal energy piping. Today, that same infrastructure is the foundation of what will become the largest wastewater energy transfer system [...]
How can municipalities start tackling wastewater emissions? We partnered with GHD to develop a new case study that explores how Canadian municipalities can build their first wastewater greenhouse gas (GHG) inventory — a critical step toward climate mitigation. Key takeaways: Municipalities typically choose between using an existing tool or developing a custom calculator. Publicly available [...]
Integrated Project Delivery (IPD) is a contract based collaborative project delivery model designed to align the interests, objectives, and practices of all project participants — owners, designers, and contractors —toward shared project success. It is a multiparty agreement signed by all key project partners. This brief by Bird Construction provides information about the core principles [...]
