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The Canadian Water Network Researcher Retreat in Victoria was a huge success. With an expectation of 75 attendees, we were overflowing with more than 150 over three days. We had to book rooms in nearby hotels to accommodate the overflow. A huge success even before we got started.
The Network turned 7 years old this spring and we were renewed by the Networks of Centers of Excellence for another 4 years last fall. As a result, Victoria was a celebration of our successes, a renewal of partnerships, collaborations and friendships and the kick-off to four years of new research projects.
We were joined by researchers, students, partners and friends as we discussed the future of water research in Canada. We worked together to design the path forward, a broad, sweeping discussion about the road to Integrated Water Resources Management. We learned about international successes and shared our own successes with one another. New collaborations were formed and new partnerships launched. We hosted an extremely successful Small and Remote Systems meeting that will lead to future partnerships and research. We met with our outstanding student committee, said good-bye to our outgoing reps and welcomed new students into the fold. And we watched whales migrate in the Pacific Ocean.
Maybe more important than all of the formal meetings and symposia, we talked to one another about the future of water and partnerships in Canada. I was not only impressed by the breadth and depth of knowledge, I was inspired by the future potential of our ongoing collaborations.
Thank you again to all of our participants. The future of water research and collaboration looks very bright.
Kind regards,
Mark Servos
Scientific Director
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