October Roundup - Canada WaterPortal

Welcome to the October edition of the Roundup. If you have content you’d like included in our next Roundup please contact us. Happy reading!

North Saskatchewan River winding through Edmonton

Opinions and Columns

Note: these pieces do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the Alberta WaterPortal

Gregory D Somerville: Investing in flood prevention for Albertans

Investing in flood prevention for Albertans. Click here to continue reading.

Naomi Lakritz: What’s happening in Bowmont Park is a doggone shame

The City of Calgary’s invitation for public feedback on options for Off Leash Area management in Bowmont Park has some park users bristling, with’river bank/riparian erosion due to flooding and foot/dog traffic’ outlined as one reason the park’s current management practices are being reviewed. Click to continue reading.

Local Waves

The Alberta Water Council’s Water for Life Implementation Review Committee is conducting a sector survey to help assess the status, progress, and effectiveness of Alberta’s Water for Life strategy. Note the survey closes on 16 November. Click here to take the survey.

Last month the Institute for Catastrophic Disaster Reduction hosted a webinar, presented by Kim Sturgess, CEO of Alberta WaterSMART, titled ‘Flood and drought: What’s next for watershed management’. Click here to view the webinar recording.

A personal commitment to collaboratively improving water management in Alberta won Kim Sturgess the 2015 Outstanding Contribution To The Alberta Science And Technology Community Award. Click here to continue reading or view the YouTube video.

Reports and Research

The Economic Value of Irrigation in Alberta Report, commissioned by the Alberta Irrigation Projects Association and funded by the federal-provincial Growing Forward 2 program, is now available.

The November New Technology magazine includes a set of articles on waterless fracturing and different technologies to reduce water in fracturing (page 17 onwards).

To encourage a clearer understanding of potential solutions the Council of Canadian Academies assembled an expert panel to conduct an independent, evidence-based assessment to examine the technology and policy options for transitioning to a low-emission energy system in Canada. The report is now available online.

A summary of the Alberta Government budget is available on the Alberta WaterPortal, where you can also find an overview of October’s flood mitigation announcements.

Other Stories

Millions of B.C. salmon mysteriously ‘just disappear’ in troubling year

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The trail of people touched by Keystone XL: how Obama decision affects thousands

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Is Frank Gehry really the right person to revitalise the Los Angeles river?

When arguably one of the world’s ugliest rivers is seeking a facelift, who’s the right person to master-plan the change? Click here to continue reading

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Ross Douglas

Board Member

Ross has extensive executive experience in Operations, Governance, Information Technology and Strategy at the board and senior management level including Mancal Corporation, Mancal Energy, Highridge Exploration and Atlantis Resources. He has worked in Oil and Gas, Coal, Commercial Real Estate, Portfolio Management, Recreation, Retail and Water and Wastewater Treatment. His experience is also geographically diverse having overseen operations in Canada, the United States, United Kingdom and Northern Ireland. Additionally, he has been on the board of companies with operations in Argentina, Azerbaijan, Barbados, Kazakhstan, and Russia. He has served on numerous Public, Private and Not for Profit Boards across a number of industries.

Ross has been active on several industry Boards and committees including the Canadian Association of Petroleum Producers (CAPP) and The Schulich School of Engineering Industry Advisory Council at the Schulich School of Engineering.

Brian Mergelas, PhD, ICD.D

Board Member

Brian is a seasoned Cleantech entrepreneur with a proven history of successfully bringing complex water technologies to the market. With over 25 years of experience, he has led various organizations to achieve significant milestones in the industry.

Having started as the founding CEO of the Pressure Pipe Inspection Company (PPIC) and later taking the helm at the Water Technology Acceleration Project (WaterTAP), Brian’s entrepreneurial spirit has been instrumental in driving innovation and growth within the sector.

He is an active investor in the cleantech sector and has served on many boards including the Ontario Clean Water Agency.

Actively engaged in industry associations like AWWA, WEF, IWA, and ASCE, Brian enjoys collaborating with fellow professionals to promote advancements in the field.

Brian holds an undergraduate degree and a PhD in Physics from Queen’s University, which has provided him with a solid technical foundation. As a member of the Institute of Corporate Directors, he brings valuable insights to corporate governance.

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