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Focus area / Water and nature

Protect water. Prove the performance.

Help operators and participating communities evaluate water treatment, reuse and environmental monitoring with evidence suited to local conditions.

Discuss this priority
Recollet Falls and forested rocky banks on the French River, Ontario
Photo: Recollet Falls, French River, Ontario by Hermann Luyken. CC BY-SA 3.0. Resized; cropped to fit.Context image; no CEMI project, partnership or endorsement implied. Download photo

Why this focus

The opportunity behind the headline.

Water quality, availability and ecosystem effects are site-specific. A successful laboratory result must survive seasonal variation, operating changes and long-term monitoring.

Government of Canada context

The Canada Water Agency supports freshwater stewardship, ecosystem initiatives, policy and Indigenous collaboration. This provides a policy context, not an endorsement of a CEMI project or proof of funding eligibility.

Sources reviewed . Policy alignment is not program eligibility, government endorsement or a funding commitment. Check current terms directly with the responsible agency.

Our proposed response

What CEMI and MICA would bring.

CEMI / Challenge and evidence

Define water and ecological baselines with appropriate experts and invited rights-holders, then structure field validation and evidence review.

MICA / Route to market

Connect treatment, sensing and monitoring businesses with test sites and qualified environmental partners for commercialization.

Proposed delivery roles only. Confirm MICA governance, active scope and available capacity for each engagement.

Where to start

Practical opportunities to explore.

Treatment and reuse

Compare contaminant removal, water recovery, residual waste and treatment costs under representative water chemistry.

Trusted monitoring

Validate sensor accuracy and community-agreed reporting alongside laboratory quality assurance.

Nature and closure readiness

Bring ecological expertise into rehabilitation monitoring and closure-related technology assessment.

Proposed first engagement

Seasonal water validation

See all five delivery gates
Practical output
A sampling and quality-assurance plan, seasonal performance dataset, residuals plan and independent technical review.
Area-specific decision gate
Advance only when agreed water-quality criteria, waste handling, operating costs and relevant authorization requirements are satisfied.

Evidence, not promises

How we would measure progress.

Agree baselines, targets, measurement methods and reporting permissions before work starts. These are proposed measures, not achieved results.

  • Freshwater withdrawal (m3/tonne) and reuse (%)
  • Contaminant concentrations (mg/L) against site-specific criteria and sampling uncertainty
  • Treatment cost ($/m3) and monitoring completeness (%)

Responsible delivery

Boundaries that matter.

A technology trial does not replace permits, environmental assessment or qualified ecological advice. Protect sensitive location data and Indigenous knowledge; avoid unsupported biodiversity-positive claims.

For the first conversation, bring the problem or community-defined priority, your role, available evidence and the decision you need to make. Do not send confidential technical data, sensitive community information or Indigenous knowledge through the public inquiry form.

Discuss water and nature

Connected services

Use the pathway that fits the need.

Connected priorities

No challenge stands alone.

Priority-led innovation

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Define the next step with CEMI.

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