Geoffrey F. Bruce Fellows make waves for UN’s World Water Day
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The water-related impacts of climate change are worsening, placing increasing pressure on a finite resource. Within many countries, access to safe drinking water is unevenly and unfairly distributed. Between countries, the widespread lack of transboundary cooperation on shared water resources poses a risk to the quality and quantity of water supplies and threatens social and international stability.
This year’s theme, “Water for Peace,” encourages everyone – from individuals and families to companies and governments – to do what they can to cooperate on water and pave the way for a more prosperous tomorrow.
In honour of her late husband’s commitment to the environment and water resources in Canada and internationally, Erika v.C. Bruce established the Geoffrey F. Bruce Fellowships in Environment and Canadian Freshwater Policy. Housed in the School of Public Policy and Democratic Innovation, the Bruce Fellowship is designed to support the next generation of researchers to increase excellence in public policy to ensure the sustainability of Canada’s freshwater resources. The fellowship currently supports the work of two graduate fellows and one postdoctoral fellow on a wide range of topics related to freshwater policy in Canada.
Postdoctoral Fellow, Dr. Sima Saadi
Dr. Sima Saadi is the inaugural recipient of the Geoffrey F. Bruce Postdoctoral Fellowship and specializes in Environment and Freshwater Policy. Dr. Saadi is working with Dr. Carolyn Johns to conduct data and geospatial analysis of fresh, open-water datasets in Canada and the Great Lakes region. She is currently working on two major projects: one examining the use and policy value of open water quality data on the Great Lakes DataStream Platform, and another project examining water quantity data in Ontario’s Permit to Take Water and Reported Water Use open datasets.
The first project, Great Lakes DataStream, is part of a national set of regional open water datasets made available by the Gordon Foundation and several partners. These datasets contain government and community science water quality data. This research project explores the current state of water quality data within the Great Lakes region and the application and value of this open data in real-world policy case studies at the watershed scale, using statistical analysis and geospatial modeling.
Dr. Sima Saadi
It examines the degree to which open water quality data is being integrated into broader environmental governance and policy frameworks, and how it is used in watersheds by those responsible for implementing water policies. These case studies will generate policy recommendations related to the Great Lakes DataStream and the National Water Data Strategy currently being developed by the recently established Canada Water Agency.
The second project, Ontario’s Permits to Take Water project, focuses on the statistical and geospatial analysis of water permitting reporting processes and the actual usage of water by entities granted permits under existing law and Ontario’s Permit to Take Water regulations. This study of Ontario’s water permit system and usage provides insights for policymakers, stakeholders, and the public and contributes to a deeper understanding of water resource dynamics to support the development of policy recommendations and strategies for sustainable water use and management in Ontario.
Dr. Saadi is focused on publishing and presenting her research in national and international scholarly and policy forums. Her focus on water data in Canada and other jurisdictions around the world that are leaders in integrating water quality, quantity and climate data will also be central in her postdoc going forward as Canada develops its National Water Data Strategy and grapples with the increasingly central role that water data is playing in communities and public policy across a wide range of sectors.
Dr. Saadi’s research speaks to the theme of World Water Day as it examines the critical importance of water data in future water policy management and sustainability. The projects embody the call to action for individuals, communities, governments, non-government organizations, and private sector water users to unite around water knowledge and stewardship. By demonstrating the value of water data collection, sharing, and analysis, stakeholders at all levels need to engage in cooperative efforts to secure water resources, from local conservation initiatives to global agreements on water sharing and management.
Graduate Fellows, Samson Abioye and Diana Paredes
The research projects are rooted in a specific focus on policy impact through interdisciplinary analysis of freshwater governance and policy in Canada. The 2023-2024 Bruce Fellows, Samson Abioye and Diana Paredes, are graduate students working toward a more sustainable water future.
Samson Abioye
Samson Abioye is a Ph.D. student whose research considers the ever-growing number of chemical compounds found in water and the global concern over emerging contaminants that often transcend borders.
His research emphasizes the need to broaden the scope of water policy in Canada and transboundary water management between Canada and the United States to encompass the management and regulation of emerging contaminants. Since the well-being of public health, economic prosperity, food and energy systems, and environmental sustainability hinge on clean water, it's imperative to underscore the importance of cooperative and cohesive water management and responsibility initiatives in promoting peace and sustainability across geographical boundaries.
Aligned with the theme “Water for Peace,” nations can contribute to a more peaceful and secure future for all by collectively addressing emerging water quality challenges and facing the realities that harmful chemicals present for humans and ecosystems at all scales that water is used, including transboundary and shared waters.
Samson Abioye
Finally, Abioye’s goal is to communicate his research findings and recommendations to help create cohesive, legally enforceable regulations to address emerging contaminants in the environment efficiently.
Diana Paredes
Diana Paredes is an Environmental Applied Science and Management student, actively engaged with the Toronto Region Conservation Authority, and has worked as a research assistant to study watershed policies related to non-point source water pollution.
Paredes is passionate about the fusion of scientific knowledge and socio-economic aspects of water governance to inform robust regulatory frameworks for safeguarding water resources. Her research focuses on Canada's groundwater management, policy, and governance. Compared to surface water, groundwater research and policy are much less developed. At the same time, climate change is making groundwater increasingly important in Canada and jurisdictions around the world. Paredes is conducting a comparative analysis of the legal frameworks governing groundwater at the federal, provincial, and territorial levels, with a particular focus on private water wells that are unregulated in Canada. Research indicates that regular water testing is essential, and policies and better management are needed, as these forms of water supply are not always safe.
Diana Paredes
Furthermore, changes in land use and climate change are worsening groundwater quantity and quality issues. Paredes' research will formulate policy recommendations for groundwater and private well management in Ontario to address existing gaps and the necessity for increased groundwater quality testing.
Paredes' work embodies "Water for Peace" as sustainable water use is crucial for maintaining peace and balance between increasing water uses and users in regions and populations. Access to safe and clean water is a fundamental human right, and ensuring that groundwater is well-managed and regulated is essential for achieving this goal.
Collaborative efforts in water management yield positive outcomes that transcend borders. The Bruce Fellows are striving to develop policies that preserve healthy livelihoods and ecosystems, strengthen resilience to climate change, and promote regional integration and peace.
