The management and sustainability of BC’s water resources will be the subject of a conference co-hosted by the University of Northern British Columbia in conjunction with MITACS and two other post-secondary institutions next week. The BC Water Symposium (Aug. 30 – Sept. 1) will be hosted at UNBC, UBC-Okanagan, and the University of Victoria simultaneously and is considered a major step towards the creation of a BC Water Science Strategy.

“The ultimate goal is to improve decisions regarding water resources management, and the Symposium will bring people together to contribute to this,” says Margot Parkes, UNBC Canada Research Chair in Health, Ecosystems, and Society, and one of the event’s organizers. “Working together toward a water science strategy will help link knowledge and decisions about water, ranging from environmental, social, economic and health impacts of water management, through to proper procedures to follow during boil water alerts.”

Living Water Smart: BC’s Water Plan outlines the BC government’s vision and plan to keep B.C.’s water healthy and secure for the future. The plan calls for a variety of measures, including regulatory change, education and incentives to ensure B.C.’s water resources are protected and sustainable. The Ministry of Environment is leading the project in collaboration with academia, NGOs, local and federal governments, industry, and the public.

“B.C.’s Living Water Smart plan recognizes the importance of the vast amount of water research happening in the province,” said Boundary-Similkameen MLA John Slater, the Ministry’s Parliamentary Secretary for Water Supply and Allocation. “The symposium will stimulate an exchange of ideas, improve the flow of knowledge and bring together experts from different fields to look at water issues from all angles to help secure and manage our fresh water supply for future generations.”

The event at UNBC will feature a free public lecture, reception, and speakers’ panel on the evening of August 30. The panel will discuss their work and the theme of “Water and Climate in Northern BC" before opening the floor to questions. Everyone is welcome to attend.

For further information on the BC Water Symposium, please visit the official website. For information on the province’s Living Water Smart plan, visit www.livingwatersmart.ca.

MITACS is a national research network that connects university-based researchers with companies, government and not-for-profit organizations to solve business and societal challenges. For more information about MITACS, visit www.mitacs.ca.

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Dr. Margot Parkes