SDG 6: Clean Water and Sanitation
Ensure availability and sustainable management of water and sanitation for all.
By integrating sustainable water management principles into operational practises and engaging in leading academic and research programs related to improving access to safe water resources, Laurier demonstrates a strong commitment toward achieving SDG 6.
See some of the work that Laurier completed in 2022 to advance SDG 6.
Geoff Kershaw, a PhD student in Laurier’s Department of Geography and Environmental Studies, has family history to thank for his dedication to research and his journey to becoming a PhD student. His research investigates alpine headwaters in northwestern Canada and the implications for groundwater recharge and streamflow generation.
Laurier researchers recognize how critical partnerships are to address the water related challenges of the 21st century. Discover the ways Laurier researchers are collaborating to improve water quality and security across Canada.
Laurier appointed Heidi Swanson as the inaugural Jarislowsky Chairholder in Sustainable Water Futures. The endowed research chair was established through a transformational $2-million gift from the Jarislowsky Foundation – matched by Laurier for a cumulative $4-million endowment – and will focus on sustainable resource management and adaptation to climate change.
Explore the work that Laurier research centres do to protect water resources.
The Laurier Institute for Water Science is a multidisciplinary, collaborative undertaking among research faculty in the Faculty of Arts, the Lazaridis School of Business and Economics and the Faculty of Science. The focus of the institute is on research in three interconnected water-related disciplines: hydrological sciences, ecology and biogeochemical sciences, and public policy and management.
The Cold Regions Research Centre is focused on cold regions research, consulting on topics such as hydrology, climatology, glaciology, resource management, parks planning and biogeochemistry.
Learn more about Laurier's initiatives in 2022 that helped advance SDG 6.
Laurier is a core partner in Global Water Futures (GWF), a pan-Canadian research program that is funded in part by a $77.8-million grant from the Canada First Research Excellence Fund. The overarching goal of the program is to deliver risk management solutions – informed by leading-edge water science and supported by innovative decision-making tools – to manage water futures in Canada and other cold regions where global warming is changing landscapes, ecosystems and the water environment. GWF aims to position Canada as a global leader in water science for cold regions and will address the strategic needs of the Canadian economy in adapting to change and managing risks of uncertain water futures and extreme events.
Laurier offers many opportunities for students, staff, faculty and community members to get involved in creating a campus and community that is sustainably-minded.
Northern Water Futures is a consortium of knowledge producers, mobilizers and users from communities, governments, industry, non-governmental organizations and universities, working collaboratively to understand, predict and address the impacts of climate change and industrial expansion on shared water resources across the Northwest Territories.
Since 2010, Laurier has maintained a unique and productive research partnership with the Government of the Northwest Territories (GNWT). The partnership, which has been expanded and extended to 2030, has brought new research expertise and training opportunities to the Northwest Territories and strong community connections and research opportunities to Laurier scholars. Much of the work through Laurier's partnership with the GNWT addresses the SDGs. Close connections between academic researchers and government enhance policy development related to the SDGs and improve the capacity of government to engage in adaptive management.