Our Water - HiveInnovates https://www.innovatingcanada.ca/campaign/environment/our-water/ Mon, 08 Apr 2024 13:01:15 +0000 en-CA hourly 1 https://s3.eu-north-1.amazonaws.com/cdn-site.mediaplanet.com/app/uploads/sites/114/2019/08/08002146/cropped-Icon-IC-32x32.png Our Water - HiveInnovates https://www.innovatingcanada.ca/campaign/environment/our-water/ 32 32 Q&A with Erin Brockovich https://www.innovatingcanada.ca/environment/our-water/qa-with-erin-brockovich/ Wed, 22 Mar 2023 00:00:00 +0000 https://www.innovatingcanada.ca/?p=46146 We sat down with renowned environmental activist and consumer advocate, Erin Brockovich, to learn more about her journey in water stewardship and why it's more important now than ever to fight for clean water.

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Erin Brockovich, Environmental Activist and Consumer Advocate

Erin Brockovich

Environmental Activist and Consumer Advocate


We sat down with renowned environmental activist and consumer advocate, Erin Brockovich, to learn more about her journey in water stewardship and why it’s more important now than ever to fight for clean water

Q&A bubble environmental activist
What is your philosophy? Why is the “truth” so important?

Truth is the key ingredient in trust and without trust it’s impossible to know what is really going on. Truth builds trust and respect which enables progress.

Q&A bubble environmental activist
When discussing climate change and our planet, why do you think it is important to discuss water?

Water is the climate. Water is the lifeblood of the planet and our bodies. Water is the source of life.

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How has your view on water changed since your fight for clean water began?

My view on water hasn’t changed but my view on how careless we are with this vital, beautiful gift has become more and more worrisome. My father is the one who told me that during my lifetime water will become a precious commodity and it’s happening. We need to defend it like we’d defend our own children.

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What do you want readers to take away from your new book “Superman’s Not Coming”?

You must be engaged. This idea that we can rely on government whether it’s state, local or federal or even some environmental activist is misguided. People need to be our own heroes. Communities need to come together and be the change they want to see. Tag… you’re it!

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What advice would you give to environmental activists who are fighting to make an impact?

Stick-to-itiveness – you can’t quit. They are spending millions, we need to be fully dedicated and never, ever give up. 


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Q&A with Minister of Fisheries, Oceans, and the Canadian Coast Guard, Joyce Murray https://www.innovatingcanada.ca/environment/our-water/qa-with-minister-of-fisheries-oceans-and-the-canadian-coast-guard-joyce-murray/ Wed, 22 Mar 2023 00:00:00 +0000 https://www.innovatingcanada.ca/?p=46157 Protecting fish habitat and the conservation of fish stocks play critical roles in growing Canada’s fish and seafood sector and coastal economies. Our government has taken important steps to protect aquatic ecosystems and invest in coastal communities.

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Joyce Murray, Minister of Fisheries, Oceans, and the Canadian Coast Guard

Joyce Murray

Minister of Fisheries, Oceans, and the Canadian Coast Guard


How is Canada planning on conserving fish stock, protecting the oceanic environment, whilst fostering a growing blue economy?

Protecting fish habitat and the conservation of fish stocks play critical roles in growing Canada’s fish and seafood sector and coastal economies. Our government has taken important steps to protect aquatic ecosystems and invest in coastal communities. We modernized the Fisheries Act to protect fish and fish habitat, which is vital to the sustainability of Canada’s fisheries. We need healthy fish stocks to continue to grow our fish and seafood sector, and I’m committed to science-based fish management that protects the fisheries for the generations to come.

Q&A bubble ocean
With seafood demand growing, how can Canada achieve the next level of being a sustainable seafood powerhouse?

Canada can be a leader in sustainable seafood production. Ensuring fish stocks are healthy for the long term growth of Canada’s fisheries is a critical part of sustainable fisheries management. Canada has a great opportunity to be a global leader in truly sustainable, next-generation aquaculture and algae culture. We’re committed to developing Canada’s first Blue Economy Strategy to support coastal communities and ensure Canada can continue to innovate and build a greener, more sustainable oceans economy.

Q&A bubble ocean
What is Canada doing to build partnerships with First Nations, Indigenous, and Inuit communities across Canadian coastlines?

Our government is committed to advancing reconciliation with First Nations, Métis, and Inuit communities across Canada.

Increasing indigenous participation in the fisheries is an important part of this work. Indigenous peoples have long standing cultural, social and economic ties to fish, and my department is working with Indigenous peoples to grow their participation in the fisheries according to their rights.

We’re building strong partnerships with Indigenous peoples on ocean and marine conservation. Recently at IMPAC5, together with 17 First Nations, I announced the Northern Shelf Bioregion Network Action Plan in a vast area off of the Pacific Coast, to work in partnership with First Nations and the Province of BC to protect the ocean and waterways.

I will continue working together with Indigenous peoples to protect Canada’s water and coasts.

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What is the significance of IMPAC5 for the future of Canada’s ocean?

IMPAC5 was another important step in protecting the oceans and coasts. Continuing the momentum from COP15, IMPAC5 brought together people from around the world to develop ways to advance oceans protection. Canada is a leader in marine conservation, and at IMPAC5 I announced Canada’s new Marine Protected Area standards to further protect the oceans, as well as $46.5 million in federal funding to support cutting edge oceans science research.

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With 2030 approaching, what steps is Canada taking to ensure the conservation of ocean and costal ecosystems?

Since 2015, Canada has progressed from protecting just 1% of our oceans, to almost 15%. Our government’s Ocean Protection Plan is investing over $3 billion in federal funding to strengthen marine safety systems, increase protections for marine ecosystems, and engage with Indigenous peoples so they can have greater participation in how their coasts and waterways are protected. The world looks to us to lead on marine conservation, and recently Canada became a signatory to the United Nations “High Seas Treaty”, to work together with international partners to further protect global oceans and aquatic species. Canada is committed to reaching the target of protecting 30% of our oceans by 2030, and we’re taking action to reach this important goal.


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Building on the Momentum in Canada’s Ocean Economy — Ambition 2035 https://www.innovatingcanada.ca/environment/our-water/building-on-the-momentum-in-canadas-ocean-economy-ambition-2035/ Wed, 22 Mar 2023 00:00:00 +0000 https://www.innovatingcanada.ca/?p=46163 Ambition 2035 aims to grow Canada’s ocean economy to $220 billion, and there’s only one way to achieve it: together.

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Kendra MacDonald

CEO, Canada’s Ocean Supercluster


Ambition 2035 aims to grow Canada’s ocean economy to $220 billion, and there’s only one way to achieve it: together.

As Canada’s Ocean Supercluster embarks on its next mandate, we do so with big ambition for Canada’s ocean economy.

In 2019, Canada’s ocean economy contributed $39 billion, or 1.5 per cent, to the country’s GDP. By contrast, the average country worldwide has an ocean economy that generates three per cent of their total GDP. For Canada, as an ocean nation that falls well below this world average, we’re leaving significant opportunity on the table. If you take that substantial growth potential and pair it with the projected global growth in ocean, far outpacing the growth of the broader economy, Canada is poised for transformational, sustainable growth in ocean. Canadian ocean innovation can help solve some of the world’s biggest challenges while also generating significant economic opportunity in the process.

Canadian ocean innovation can help solve some of the world’s biggest challenges, while also generating significant economic opportunity in the process.

Informed by stakeholders across the country, Ambition 2035 is a $220-billion, five-time growth ambition for Canada’s ocean economy. But to achieve it, Canada’s ocean community must rally behind this ambition collectively — and Canada’s Ocean Supercluster is an important catalyst in helping to make this happen.

Growth sectors to achieve Ambition 2035

This ambition for ocean in Canada is driven primarily by energy — less carbon-intense solutions today and significant investment in renewables. The High Level Panel for a Sustainable Ocean Economy further reinforces this opportunity, announcing its goal of 40 times more energy from the ocean.

It’s also driven by sustainable seafood to help meet the growing demand for protein, and by marine transport — moving people and goods — with modern vessels and innovative solutions to help decarbonize shipping today and move toward net-zero emissions. It also includes tourism, which today represents 30 per cent of the global ocean economy and leaves much more room for Canada to grow, as well as expected growth in the ocean economy through public sector activity.

Achieving a $220 billion ocean economy will take all of us — a collaboration and collective opportunity for us to be bold and to do more — together.


Visit oceansupercluster.ca to learn more.

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Education and Experiences Transform our Relationship with the Ocean https://www.innovatingcanada.ca/environment/our-water/education-and-experiences-transform-our-relationship-with-the-ocean/ Wed, 22 Mar 2023 00:00:00 +0000 https://www.innovatingcanada.ca/?p=46170 Bridging the Gap: Education, stories, and cross-cultural experiences are critical to broadening Canadians’ perception and understanding of the ocean and its important role in daily life.

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National Lead, Canadian Ocean Literacy Coalition

Diz Glithero

National Lead, Canadian Ocean Literacy Coalition


Bridging the Gap: Education, stories, and cross-cultural experiences are critical to broadening Canadians’ perception and understanding of the ocean and its important role in daily life.

For most people in Canada, our status as an ‘ocean nation’ is widely accepted. Despite this, Canadians are more likely to recognize the ocean’s economic role than they are its impact on their daily lives. While the ocean plays a critical role in our health and well-being, regulates weather and climate, and is home to integral ecosystems, with 30 million Canadians living in-land, Canada’s terrestrial landscapes often play a larger role in framing identity. 

To truly care for a place, one needs to understand it and be a part of it over time.

“To truly care for a place, one needs to understand it and be a part of it over time,” says Diz Glithero, National Lead at the Canadian Ocean Literacy Coalition (COLC), an alliance of individuals, organizations, and communities working to advance ocean literacy in Canada. Ocean literacy represents the relationship and interactions between society and the ocean.

It’s not a new philosophy, as Glithero notes, but rather a new framing for a relational understanding already in practice. “Inuit and First Nations have understood and cared for marine waters and coastal areas for thousands of years; in many ways, ocean literacy is a recent tool to help non-Indigenous people and non-coastal communities catch up.”  With Canada committed to protecting 30 percent of marine areas by 2030, strengthening ocean education and cross-cultural knowledge sharing through stories and shared experiences play a contributing role in achieving this goal.

Sparking conversation through shared experiences 

In March 2021, coinciding with the UN Ocean Decade (2021-2030), COLC released Land, Water, Ocean, Us: A Canadian Ocean Literacy Strategy, making Canada the first country in the world with a national strategy and framework for action. A critical part of this lies with broadened ocean education, not just within Canada’s school systems. “We need to look at all places and aspects of society where people can learn more about the ocean, build connections, change behaviours, and take action that will ensure a healthier ocean and local waterways,” says Glithero. 

A new annual national festival, Ocean Week Canada, launched in 2022 with over 160 events across Canada. Now in its second year, Ocean Week Canada is a public celebration of the ocean, connecting communities with diverse educators, artists, knowledge experts and scientists to  reflect on the importance of the ocean. 

Facilitating more opportunities and spaces for ocean conversations and experiences that enable community action is an important part of creating a thriving ocean environment, but it can’t be done by any one organization. As Glithero says, “to ensure a healthy ocean, we need to change the way we think and how we do things. It will take intergenerational and cross-cultural collaboration.” 


Get involved in Ocean Week Canada and learn more about national ocean literacy efforts.

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Achieving Water Resilience by 2030: The Importance of Stakeholder Collaboration and the CEO Water Mandate https://www.innovatingcanada.ca/environment/our-water/achieving-water-resilience-by-2030-the-importance-of-stakeholder-collaboration-and-the-ceo-water-mandate/ Wed, 22 Mar 2023 00:00:00 +0000 https://www.innovatingcanada.ca/?p=46182 The world is facing a water crisis. To address this global challenge, the UN Global Compact launched the CEO Water Mandate.

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The world is facing a water crisis. According to the United Nations, more than two billion people lack access to safe drinking water, and by 2050, at least one in four people is likely to live in a country affected by chronic or recurring water shortages. To address this global challenge, the UN Global Compact launched the CEO Water Mandate, a public-private initiative to advance water stewardship and sustainable water management in business operations and supply chains. 

The CEO Water Mandate was launched in 2007 and has since then garnered support from over 150 companies worldwide. As the world faces increasing water scarcity and pollution, the CEO Water Mandate provides a framework for businesses to contribute to sustainable water management

The UN Water Conference, scheduled for 22-24 March 2023, is expected to highlight the importance of sustainable water management practices and the need for increased collaboration among stakeholders. The conference will bring together experts, policymakers, and stakeholders from various sectors to discuss water-related challenges and potential solutions. 

As part of the UN-Water Conference, the “Raising Our Ambitions for Water Resilience in 100 Basins by 2030” event, organised by the UN Global Compact, aims to increase the number of companies joining the CEO Water Mandate and promote collaboration among stakeholders to address water-related challenges in 100 basins by 2030. The event will focus on sharing best practices, building partnerships, and developing innovative solutions to tackle water-related challenges..

Companies that join the CEO Water Mandate can benefit in several ways. First, they can reduce their water usage and associated costs, leading to increased efficiency and profitability. Second, sustainable water management practices can enhance their reputation, attract customers and investors, and improve their social and environmental impact. Third, collaborating with stakeholders can lead to innovative solutions and new business opportunities.

To join the CEO Water Mandate, companies need to make a commitment to implementing sustainable water management practices, report on their progress annually and participate in stakeholder engagement activities. The CEO Water Mandate provides resources, guidance, and a platform for companies to share their experiences and best practices. 

The CEO Water Mandate provides a framework for companies to contribute to sustainable water management and address water-related challenges. As the world faces increasing water scarcity and pollution, joining the CEO Water Mandate can benefit companies in several ways and promote collaboration among stakeholders to address water-related challenges. Companies should take advantage of the “Raising Our Ambitions for Water Resilience in 100 Basins by 2030” event and the upcoming UN Water Conference to increase their commitment to sustainable water management practices and contribute to a more sustainable future.  


Join the UN Global Compact and learn how to be part of the global change.

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Ocean Research is Canada’s Secret Weapon in the Fight Against Climate Change https://www.innovatingcanada.ca/environment/our-water/ocean-research-is-canadas-secret-weapon-in-the-fight-against-climate-change/ Wed, 22 Mar 2023 00:00:00 +0000 https://www.innovatingcanada.ca/?p=46204 Building a sustainable future for Canada, mitigating the harm of climate change and meeting our
carbon targets, requires continued investment in ocean research.

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Building a sustainable future for Canada, mitigating the harm of climate change and meeting our
carbon targets, requires continued investment in ocean research.

Oceans cover more than two thirds of Earth’s surface. They are vital regulators of global temperature and weather patterns. They are home to much of the planet’s biodiversity and biomass. And they are indispensable silos for carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gasses. Our oceans are thus particularly vulnerable to climate change, but better understanding of the complex marine environment also holds the potential to revolutionize our approach to climate action.

In Atlantic Canada, the Ocean Frontier Institute—a partnership led by Dalhousie University, Memorial University of Newfoundland, and the University of Prince Edward Island—is leading the way in the innovative ocean research that will guide Canada’s path to achieving our nation’s ambitious climate goals.

Founded in 2016, the Ocean Frontier Institute’s mandate is to conduct research that advances policy decisions and leads to strategic and effective solutions applicable both locally and globally. Ocean Frontier Institute research projects like the Northwest Atlantic Biological Carbon Pump are exploring the mechanisms and systems behind the ocean’s incredible ability to regulate the planet’s climate through the storage of enormous amounts of heat and carbon. Without these processes, environmental carbon dioxide concentrations would be nearly double what they are today.

Simultaneously, initiatives like the BEcoME seafloor ecosystem mapping project are working, in collaboration with Indigenous groups, to expand our understanding of how climate change could impact vulnerable marine life. As goes the ocean, so go we all. The climate crisis puts the ocean at risk, but the ocean can equally be a critical resource in our search for sustainability and resilience. Only research can fully unlock that potential.


Support Ocean Research and Invest in Net Zero Ocean Solutions.

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The International Joint Commission: Harnessing Community and Science to Prevent and Resolve Disputes Over Shared Waters https://www.innovatingcanada.ca/environment/our-water/the-international-joint-commission-harnessing-community-and-science-to-prevent-and-resolve-disputes-over-shared-waters/ Wed, 22 Mar 2023 00:00:00 +0000 https://www.innovatingcanada.ca/?p=46220 Managing Canadian and United States cross-border watersheds is no easy feat, but this organization has been cooperatively protecting them for over a century.

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Managing Canadian and United States cross-border watersheds is no easy feat, but this organization has been cooperatively protecting them for over a century.

Canada and the United States have the longest international border in the world, and 40 percent of that border is water. The cooperative protection of these shared waters is critical to human health. It’s also fundamental to sustaining economic, social, and environmental norms in both countries, and to the wellbeing of future generations.

Underpinned by the Boundary Waters Treaty of 1909, the International Joint Commission (IJC) aims to prevent and resolve disputes over waters shared by Canada and the United States. The IJC is an independent, binational and impartial advisor to the governments of Canada and the United States, that assists both countries in the cooperative protection of these fundamentally important shared assets.

A unique role to play

The IJC has two main responsibilities: approving projects that affect water levels or flows across the border and recommending solutions to complex transboundary issues at the request of governments. The IJC also has key responsibilities under the Great Lakes Water Quality Agreement including assessing progress made by the governments toward protecting and restoring water quality. The IJC has increasingly taken a holistic watershed approach as part of its work in clear recognition of interrelated issues that can affect watersheds shared between the two countries.

In making its decisions and recommendations, the IJC considers impacts and implications across a wide range of interests, including sanitation and drinking water, commercial shipping, hydroelectric power generation, agriculture, industry, fish and wildlife, recreational boating and coastal communities.

To do this work, the IJC relies on the expertise of over 15 binational boards and committees. These boards act as the IJC’s eyes and ears in each watershed and are critical to local protection and monitoring efforts. There are boards all across the boundary; some oversee implementation of water flow regulations plans, some are focused on how water is apportioned between the two countries, and some are focused on broader watershed management issues including water quality. The IJC also creates temporary boards to undertake specific studies at the request of both governments.

Our priorities

Unprecedented challenges are increasingly affecting watersheds across the continent. Flooding and drought, exacerbated by climate change, pollution and invasive species pose very real risks to our shared waters. 

Consistent with its mandate and responsibilities, the IJC has a critical role in engaging citizens, scientists, Indigenous Peoples and other interests when addressing these challenges across transboundary watersheds. For the past 25 years, communities across the boundary benefited from the IJC’s International Watersheds Initiative, which takes an ecosystem approach as it assists in involving Indigenous voices, harmonizing data, and implementing other tailored solutions to local water challenges. 

map of Transboundary watersheds

Sound science, local engagement and binational collaboration have been – and will continue to be pivotal for the IJC in gathering perspectives to resolving issues and identifying concrete solutions.

As we look to the future, it is only through this continued reliance on science, community partnerships, and binational collaboration that the IJC can continue to effectively assist governments in the protection of shared waters for many years to come.


To participate in an IJC consultation or to see if there is a IJC board in your area visit ijc.org

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Innovative Hydro Projects to Stabilize Electricity Grid on Path to Net Zero https://www.innovatingcanada.ca/environment/our-water/innovative-hydro-projects-to-stabilize-electricity-grid-on-path-to-net-zero/ Wed, 22 Mar 2023 00:00:00 +0000 https://www.innovatingcanada.ca/?p=46233 Customized renewable energy solutions provide opportunities for organizations to meet ESG goals while making a difference in the fight against climate change.

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blain van melle, Executive Vice-President of Alberta Business, TransAlta

Blain van Melle

Executive Vice President of Alberta Business, TransAlta


While Canada’s electricity systems grapple with the challenge of maintaining reliability as new renewables get added, Alberta can rely on innovative new hydro projects to stabilize its power grid.

There is global consensus that responding to climate change will require massive investment in low-emission forms of energy, with many looking to electrification as the primary means of decarbonizing economies across the globe. 

“Canada is expected to need two to three times more electricity in 2050 than we generate today,” says Blain van Melle, Executive Vice President of Alberta Business at TransAlta. “And almost all of that new supply must be clean. In our company’s transition from one of the largest coal generators in Canada to being a renewables-focused power producer, we’ve gone a long way to lower Canada’s overall emissions. We have reduced our greenhouse gas emissions by 68 per cent since 2015, which is huge. That represents about 10 per cent of the reductions required to meet Canada’s overall 2030 Paris Agreement targets and we’re not stopping there.”

Companies striving to reduce their emissions footprint have the opportunity to benefit from TransAlta’s decarbonization efforts. They can partner with the clean energy leader on major new renewable projects the company is adding to its clean energy portfolio.

TransAlta’s Kananaskis Hydroelectric Facility
TransAlta’s Kananaskis Hydroelectric Facility

“For organizations looking to make a positive difference and meet their ESG goals, partnering on these projects with customers like Meta and Amazon has been extremely rewarding. It’s truly been a triple win– for us, for our customers, and for the countries where we operate,” adds van Melle.

Balancing intermittent renewable generation to meet demand

Replacing the fossil fuel generation powering our grid with renewables is challenging because they only produce electricity when its windy and sunny– renewable power isn’t always there when consumers need it. This intermittency issue only gets worse when more renewables are added to the system.   

“The problem with renewables is you still need something on the grid to back them up when they’re not producing,” explains van Melle. “As we’ve added renewable sources like wind and solar over the last 20 years, we’ve been able to rely on traditional fossil fuels as the backup when renewables are not producing.”

Innovation is often the answer

Last fall, TransAlta received regulatory approval for its WaterCharger project, a 180 MW lithium-ion battery storage system proposed at the company’s Ghost hydrofacility on the Bow River west of Calgary. Should the project advance, electricity generated at the dam will charge the batteries, storing clean, hydroelectric energy for times when the grid needs a fast-acting source of reliable power.

When we approach innovation at TransAlta, we try not to say there is a single solution, a silver bullet, but rather a multitude of solutions to navigate our shift away from high-carbon intensity generation.

“When we approach innovation at TransAlta, we try not to say there is a single solution, a silver bullet, but rather a multitude of solutions to navigate our shift away from high-carbon intensity generation,” says van Melle. 

Storing electricity from sun and wind . . . at a coal mine? 

But how can we store increasing volumes of electricity generated from solar and wind? One solution TransAlta is investing in provides a tantalizing twist in TransAlta’s transition story. Once Alberta’s largest coal-fired power generator, the company is now mining Alberta’s carbon-laden past for a solution to keeping the province’s electricity supply reliable as more renewables get added. 

The Tent Mountain Renewable Energy Complex, an early-stage development project proposed atop Tent Mountain in the Crowsnest Pass region of southwest Alberta, will use renewable electricity to power a 320 MW pumped hydro energy storage project. A massive pit on the reclaimed Tent Mountain coal mine site has filled with water since the mine shut down in the early 1980s. The volume of water, the elevation of the pit and its location near the edge of the mountain’s 300m drop make the site ideal for building the pumped storage project.

TransAlta’s Belly River Hydroelectric Facility
TransAlta’s Belly River Hydroelectric Facility

When electricity demand on the grid is high, the project will flow water from the pit down the mountain into turbines to generate power. Once through the turbines, the water will be collected in a lower reservoir. When electricity demand is low, the water will be pumped back up to the upper pit using surplus renewable generation from the wind and solar facilities operating in the southwest part of the province. 

“With Tent Mountain, wind and solar generation can be stored and released when consumers need it. It can be a huge emissions reduction win for Alberta,” says van Melle. “Tent Mountain will have the capacity to shore up a big chunk of power over a 15-hour timeframe,” says van Melle, “It’s a practical, compelling solution for stabilizing intermittent renewable generation as more wind and solar energy are connected to Alberta’s grid.” 

The Tent Mountain Renewable Energy Complex also includes intellectual property associated with an offsite green hydrogen electrolyser and offsite wind development. TransAlta and Montem Resources will form a 50-50 partnership and jointly manage the project, with TransAlta acting as project developer. Construction is targeted to begin as early as 2026 upon achieving certain technical and regulatory milestones.   

Other legacy TransAlta coal mines, other ways to advance the transition to clean energy 

Tent Mountain isn’t the only former coal mine. TransAlta is leveraging to support the energy transition. The company is also developing SunHills Solar Park, a 130 MW solar facility on the slopes of its former Highvale coal mine west of Edmonton. Mining operations ended there in 2021 when the company stopped generating electricity from coal that same year, retiring some coal units and converting others to natural gas. Its legacy landfilled fly ash (a by-product of coal fired generation) is also being used to manufacture low carbon concrete. And then there is TransAlta’s Centralia Mine in Washington State, which is currently undergoing reclamation. TransAlta  is hosting a pilot for new Hydrogen-fueled heavy haul trucks at the mine that will be used in mining for the rare earth metals needed in new energy storage technologies.

Finding the right partner 

Some companies striving to meet their ESG goals are struggling to find a credible renewable developer who will partner with them for the long-term. TransAlta’s ‘build, own, and operate model’ ensures a sustainability-focused company will benefit from a high-quality renewable facility for decades, from construction through commissioning to end of asset life.

“Our customers like that TransAlta has a 111-year operating history, not just in renewables, but in various different fuel sources,” says van Melle. “If we build a wind facility, we’re also going to run it, operate it safely, and be the partner through the life of the project. TransAlta can be a trusted and safe provider to not only take our own ESG goals to task, but other companies’ goals as well.” 


Partner with us. 

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Q&A with Kendra MacDonald https://www.innovatingcanada.ca/environment/our-water/qa-with-kendra-macdonald/ Wed, 22 Mar 2023 00:00:00 +0000 https://www.innovatingcanada.ca/?p=46294 With a father who went to sea with the military and mother from Nova Scotia, our family was tied to the ocean. Today, in my own career, I pivoted into a career in ocean after understanding the tremendous opportunities and risks it presented for my family and the country.

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Kendra MacDonald, CEO of Canada’s Ocean Supercluster

Kendra MacDonald

CEO of Canada’s Ocean Supercluster


Q&A bubble career in ocean
What inspired you to become a leader in ocean?

With a father who went to sea with the military and mother from Nova Scotia, our family was tied to the ocean. Today, in my own career, I pivoted into a career in ocean after understanding the tremendous opportunities and risks it presented for my family and the country. I feel quite privileged to live on the doorstep of the North Atlantic where I can make memories with my children and also make a significant contribution to the sustainable, digital, and inclusive growth of Canada’s ocean economy. The role of CEO of Canada’s Ocean Supercluster allows me to leverage a career in technology, innovation and global market development with the opportunity and personal connection to the ocean. Canada is an ocean nation, with the longest coastline in the world and some of the most innovative people on the planet with a transformational opportunity ahead of us. This opportunity is in solving global challenges through accelerated, made-in-Canada ocean innovation to sell to the world.  It’s my honour to lead an incredible team and membership from coast-to-coast-to-coast who are collaborating to bring this potential to life in their work every day.

Q&A bubble career in ocean
What do you see as the biggest opportunity in ocean?

Canada, and the world, are in a race against time to combat climate change. This is a defining moment for our generation and it’s in ocean where critical solutions exist. Sustainable ocean growth is one of the greatest opportunities of our time – where with the decarbonization of our ocean sectors comes significant growth and the potential for tens of thousands of new jobs. With changing weather patterns, rising ocean temperatures, accelerated impacts in the Arctic including ice melt, and the quality of air we all breathe every day – our ability to do business differently in the ocean matters to every one of us whether you live by an ocean or not. For generations, ocean has been part of who we are as Canadians – providing a source of food, transport, energy, recreation, and a way of life for many. Now on the path to net-zero carbon emissions and a sustainable economy, the ocean, now more important than ever, plays a leading role.  We have the opportunity to work together in new ways across Canada to be able to accelerate solutions and address opportunities.

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Tell us about the OSC’s ambition for ocean in Canada?

There has never been a more exciting time to be a part of the global ocean economy. With incredible momentum building; established, emerging and new ocean sectors growing; and a demonstrated commitment to innovation, the world is increasingly turning its attention to how Canada is doing business in ocean. In context of a broader $4 trillion projected global ocean economy, Canada’s Ocean Supercluster launched Ambition 2035 – a $220 billion ambition for Canada’s ocean economy for the country’s ocean network to work together to drive. Well supported, this shared ambition is driven by sectors with the highest growth potential including ocean energy, sustainable seafood, future of transport, ocean technology, recreation and tourism, and public sector. The realization of this ambition means five times the growth of Canada’s ocean economy, and five times the opportunity for Canadian companies, communities, and all those who want to be a part of the future of ocean in Canada and want to work together to achieve it.

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How do you measure success at Canada’s Ocean Supercluster?

Canada’s Ocean Supercluster is an industry-led transformative cluster that is driving cross-sectoral collaboration, accelerating innovation, and growing Canada’s ocean economy in a way that has never been done before. Success is indicated in a number of ways, but certainly measured through collaboration and impact. Our project portfolio currently includes more than 80 projects with a total value of $400 million, being delivered by more than 300 collaborative partners. This portfolio includes technology projects such as Canada’s first biofuel from forestry by-products, sustainable food for aquaculture from upstream oil and gas emissions, desalination of water to help bring drinking water to communities around the world, digital solutions for the safety of workers, and a full spectrum of solutions in the decarbonization of marine transport. It also includes building the ecosystem to deliver on our big ambition for ocean – starting and growing more ocean companies, increasing participation of Indigenous peoples and under-represented groups in ocean, helping address the talent gap in ocean sectors in Canada, and more. As we wrap up our first five years, we have built tremendous momentum and cohesiveness in Canada’s ocean network that didn’t exist before, with more than 530 members across the country, formal partnerships established globally, 100 new companies supported, 4,600 jobs created and tracking to create 20,000 more by 2030, and more than 130 new ocean products, processes and services. Now, embarking on our second mandate, we will build on what we’ve started with even more projects, partnerships and impact opportunities both in Canada with expanded reach into global markets.


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Hoskin’s Comprehensive Instrumentation Helps Make Sense of Our World https://www.innovatingcanada.ca/environment/our-water/hoskins-comprehensive-instrumentation-helps-make-sense-of-our-world/ Wed, 22 Mar 2023 00:00:00 +0000 https://www.innovatingcanada.ca/?p=46462 Hoskin Scientific’s water quality and hydrometrics instrumentation and monitoring capability empower Canadian environmental professionals with the tools and expertise they need.

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Shawn Ternan

Senior Environmental Sales — Water Quality at Hoskin Scientific


Hoskin Scientific’s water quality and hydrometrics instrumentation and monitoring capability empower Canadian environmental professionals with the tools and expertise they need.

The monitoring and subsequent treatment of water quality is an important consideration across a variety of industries and applications and encompasses many environmental functions. When monitoring the various components of the hydrological cycle (such as precipitation, surface water, groundwater) selecting the proper sampling and monitoring instrumentation is very important for the various environmental water monitoring professionals across Canada who perform vital work in understanding and protecting the water around us.

Best-in-classmonitoring instruments

“Hoskin Scientific is a distributor of monitoring instruments from a large number of manufacturers,” says Shawn Ternan, Senior Environmental Sales — Water Quality at Hoskin Scientific. “We service several market segments within our Environmental Department including but not limited to water quality, hydrometrics, meteorology, groundwater, oceanography, soil and plant science. Whether they’re federal, provincial, municipal regulators or scientists, environmental engineers or consultants, research academics or industry, Hoskin Scientific — Canada’s instrumentation leader since 1946 — offers them, amongst other things, water quality and hydrometric-based monitoring solutions. These can range from simple handheld testers and meters to long-term deployable multi-parameter logging systems. We offer remote controlled autonomous monitoring vehicles as well as completely integrated remote systems which monitor conditions in the field and post real-time data to secure online web-based platforms. Monitoring and testing instrumentation and systems can be purchased or rented, and Hoskin’s service is top-notch, ensuring that clients are delivered comprehensive solutions.

Leadership in water quality and hydrometrics   

Hoskin Scientific’s leadership in water quality instrumentation innovation is a result of its diverse product range, knowledgeable team of environmental sales representatives, and community focus. “We offer a wide product range of monitoring solutions and can integrate a number of them into complete solutions,” says Ternan. “If the monitoring requirements in a situation require multiple inputs we can bring together a complete package that satisfies all the client’s needs.”

One of Hoskin Scientific’s strengths is the breadth of the product lines we offer and the custom solutions we present to all of the markets that we service

Hoskin’s leadership in hydrology innovation and hydrometrics is also noteworthy. “One of Hoskin Scientific’s strengths is the breadth of the product lines we offer and the custom solutions we present to all of the markets that we service, including water quality and hydrometrics,” says Ternan. “We can offer everything from a fairly simple solution — a single instrument or component-type solution — to a multi-component, fully integrated system and monitoring solution with advanced telemetry and data to the web.”

Safeguarding drinking water 

The Buffalo Pound Buoy project, a partnership between a University of Saskatchewan researcher and the Buffalo Pound Water Treatment Plant, highlights Hoskin Scientific’s technology and innovation in action.

“The Buffalo Pound Buoy project is a joint partnership between the research community, academia, and the municipal government,” says Ternan. “We’re servicing and providing a monitoring solution that monitors the source water for the Buffalo Pound Water Treatment Plant, which provides Moose Jaw and Regina residents with their drinking water.” The project features a high-level, sophisticated system with a lot of pieces, Ternan notes — including research-grade weather and atmosphere monitors, water quality sensors, and some “neat new tools,” including cutting-edge sensors to more accurately measure carbon dioxide that’s important to lake ecology and cameras with telemetry so that the lake surface can be monitored for scum.


Learn more about modern water monitoring capabilities and instrumentation.

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