Second Annual Ontario Water Innovation Week a Success
Katherine Balpataky (Water Canada), Dr. Peter Gallant (WaterTAP), and Zac Young (H2NanO) on a Water Innovation in Action panel that put young professionals head-to-head with established water leaders. (WaterTAP/Nick Spector)
The Water Technology Acceleration Project (WaterTAP) hosted the second annual Ontario Water Innovation Week (OnWIN), convening water innovation leaders in Toronto, Ontario to share effective strategies and best practices, build networks, address barriers, and solve water challenges.
This year’s OnWIN took place Oct. 30 to Nov. 3 and the events attracted nearly 1,000 participants from 13 countries. OnWIN included 15 events and began with a local focus, including several workshops, the Ontario Municipal Water Symposium, and the Water Innovation in Action conference. The week culminated with the annual World Water-Tech North America, an international summit which brings together utilities, investors, and water tech leaders for two days of learning and networking.
Jason Deglint of Aquahacking 2017 winning team SIM Labs shares his technology the pecha kucha session at Water Innovation in Action. (WaterTAP/Nick Spector)
At the close of the week, WaterTAP signed a memorandum of understanding with the Water Environment and Reuse Foundation (WE&RF), becoming the first Canadian partner of its LIFT program.
This new partnership formally acknowledges the natural synergies between the two organizations, strengthens their relationship, and promises that they will work together to leverage resources to advance water innovation, including collaborating on identifying new technologies, facilitating pilots and demonstrations, and sharing information and data on technology performance.
“We’re pleased to partner with WaterTAP, particularly as both of our organizations are working to advance new technologies, introduce them to end users, and actively lower the risk associated with adopting innovative solutions,” said Jeff C. Moeller, P.E., director of Water Technologies at WE&RF. “Additionally, this new connection to Canada represents another step forward in a highly valued trade relationship between our countries. Our partnership will open doors for companies and end users in each market.”
“We’re excited to be LIFT’s first Canadian partner,” said Dr. Peter Gallant, president and CEO of WaterTAP. “This successful program directly complements the work WaterTAP is doing to accelerate the growth of promising and disruptive technologies developed in Ontario and reduce the barriers to market entry that innovative technologies often face. LIFT provides a powerful process for innovative water technology providers to connect with some of the world’s leading municipalities.”
The two organizations plan to meet throughout the year to discuss opportunities to collaborate.
Next year’s OnWIN is tentatively scheduled for the week of Oct. 22, 2018.