About Waterlution
Waterlution's purpose is to inspire pattern-making and pattern-breaking change towards a healthy and sustainable relationship with water.
Waterlution is a registered non-profit corporation that works across Canada and internationally, where strong local partnerships exist. We engage diverse individuals, organizations and communities in the exploration of creative management solutions that respect water and the broader ecosystem. Waterlution understands that everyone has a vested interest in water. We work to promote awareness and provide opportunities for collaboration towards long-term, inclusive management solutions.
Through our community-based “The Future of Water Workshop Series”, custom learning programs and cross-Canada Waterlution Hub Network, we offer experiential learning opportunities and collaboration platforms for young Canadians to develop the inspiration, motivation, contacts, knowledge and understanding needed to affect real change across a variety of sectors, mechanisms and projects. Learn more about our programs here.
Waterlution’s vision is for the next generation of decision-makers - across all sectors and stakeholder groups - to be strong, informed leaders with a passion for and commitment to healthy watersheds.
Our Principles:
- We recognize and celebrate the interdependence of water in all of our lives
- We are locally oriented and globally aware in exploring our relationship with water
- We trust the power of small-scale, community-led initiatives in making a difference in the global sphere
- We connect diverse stakeholders, bringing them together as equal players
- We balance vision, action and reflection
- We invite creative modes of expression into learning experiences
- We seek unlikely partnerships that reflect these principles
Our Approach:
We use a systems approach in designing and conducting our work.
Our approach is based on the understanding that deep systemic change happens as individuals build understanding (across viewpoints and cultures), share knowledge, and develop broader perspectives through open, cross-silo dialogue. A resource that touches us all, water is a natural connecting point around which diverse individuals and groups can come together to find commonalities and engage in meaningful dialogue. We encourage Canadians to explore inclusive, creative water management approaches, providing the process and space to foster inclusive, multi-stakeholder dialogue. Learn more about our methods here.
Content and Process: What sets Waterlution apart
Waterlution is founded on the experience that it is only with the combination of content and process - two key drivers of systemic change - that meaningful dialogue and action can occur. One without the other will lead to marginal results.
What do we mean by "content and process"? There exists excellent water science, policy, and knowledge ("content") across Canada and globally - much of that experience can be lost or not acted upon if not well communicated ("process"). At Waterlution, we utilize a variety of facilitation techniques that enable the effective transfer of knowledge and perspectives between individuals and organizations. Processes employed in our programs include team dynamics, the breakdown of complex topics, the encouragement of play and the exploration of scenario planning.