On April 11th, the window of opportunity to be nominated for the only national awards program that honours leadership across the entire water sector closes.
In its seventh year, Water Canada’s long-running Water’s Next Awards will honour and celebrate the accomplishments of the people and technologists that ensure Canadians have clean, safe, and healthy water systems. The 2017 Awards gala will take place on June 22, 2017 following the Canadian Water Summit.
“In 2017, we have made some additions to the awards program that I am really excited about,” said Katherine Balpataky, editor of Water Canada. “In addition to honouring winners in the People categories of Business, Academia, Non-Government, Government, and Young Professionals, our selection committee will look across all the individuals who have been nominated to identify the person whose accomplishments are so exemplary that they will receive the honour of the Canadian Water Steward of the Year.”
Water’s Next also looks for innovative new technologies and projects in Drinking Water, Wastewater, Water Resources, Stormwater, and Conveyance segments of the water sector. In 2017, Water’s Next added an Early Adoption category to honour utilities, municipalities, or companies that were willing to take a risk and adopt an innovative technology or approach to doing business.
“In 2016, tow members of the selection committee told us that Water’s Next should expand to acknowledge the groups that adopt some of these new technologies, in addition to the technology providers themselves, because the bold vision required for adoption is also part of the solution. We agreed, and so this year, we hope to receive nominees that demonstrate leadership in moving beyond the status quo of day-to-day operations,” said Balpataky.
“We have a few highly respected water experts who have joined our 2017 Selection Committee. We are thrilled to gain their insights on the nominees, and I am also looking forward to gaining their views and perspectives on how we can continue to improve the awards in the future,” she said.
Jane Buckland, Water Canada’s new associate publisher said, “It’s fascinating to see that there are so many segments of the water sector who are working together to deliver solutions. I looking forward to meeting the leaders in the industry.”
Past winners include: Karen Kun, ENBALA Power Networks, Golder Associates, Brent Wootton, Josephine Mandamin, Pure Technologies, Terry Rees, Jodi Glover, and Clearpath Robotics, and François Soulard (pictured below in Malaysia at a water accounting event, wearing his hand blown Water’s Next lapel pin).
Nominations close on April 11th. For more information, visit watersnext.ca.
