May 12th (evening) ~ May 13th ~ May 14th (morning)
Click here to read the agenda as a PDF. Click here for list of attendees
Monday, May 12th, 6 – 8 p.m.
Senate Room, Hotel Alma, Calgary
Alberta’s Water Future: Province of Prosperity or Landscape of Regret?
Dr. Brad Stelfox is a Landscape Ecologist and a globally recognized leader in cumulative impacts modeling. Brad will provide a compelling visual narrative of the past, current and future trajectory of Alberta’s land use as it relates to fresh water, including the province’s appetite for water volume and ability to degrade water quality. The relative magnitude of water demand and nutrient contribution of all land uses (crops, livestock, forestry, oil and gas, municipal) will be discussed as will the implications of water surplus/deficit in a future defined by climate change and increasing water uncertainty. The opportunities to mitigate water quality issues by adopting best management practices will be highlighted.
Tuesday, May 13th, 9 a.m. – 4:30 p.m.
Blue Room, University of Calgary Dining Centre, adjacent to Hotel Alma
Goals for the Meeting
By the end of the meeting, funders will have:
- Greater knowledge of the water funding landscape;
- Strengthened inter-personal relationships.
- Identified opportunities to collaborate or explore joint strategies with other water funders that share common interests.
- Identified regional or national funder collaboratives that water funders can participate in or learn from.
- Defined a clear role for the CEGN Water Funders Group to play in supporting their efforts to achieve impact.
- Helped to outline a one year program for the CEGN Water Funders Group.
- Identified some concrete next steps for advancing the conversation and making progress on strategic collaboration.
Introduction & Water Funder Mapping
9:00 – 9:30 Light Breakfast
9:30 – 10:00 Roundtable Introductions
10:00 – 10:30 The Water Funding Landscape
- Report back on the water funder mapping project
- What does the water funding landscape look like?
- Key themes/findings emerging from the water funder mapping project
- Recommendations emerging from the report
10:30 – 11:00 Q & A/Discussion
11:00 – 11:15 Break
Regional Updates
11:15 – 11:45 Panel Discussion
- Updates from BC Water Funders Group, Great Lakes Funder Group, and Quebec Water Funding Projects
- Explore common learnings about strategic collaboration including opportunities, challenges and next steps
11:45 – 12:15 Plenary Q&A
- Opportunity for questions and discussion
- Additional updates from other regions or funders
12:30 – 1:15 Lunch
Making the Connections
1:15 – 2:15 Our Living Waters Collective Impact Project
- Update on the Our Living Waters national project
- The concept of collective impact
- Thoughts on connecting regional and national work
- Opportunity for Q&A
2:15 – 2:45 Plenary Discussion
- Informed by key questions
2:45 – 3:00 Break
Next Steps for the CEGN Water Funders Group
3:00 – 3:20 Presentation on Potential Role & CEGN Program for Next Year
3:20 – 4:00 Q&A/Discussion
4:00 – 4:30 C onfirm Action Items and Wrap Up
Wednesday, May 14th, 8 – 11:45 a.m.
Field Trip: This tour will will give participants a chance to meet a rancher and understand why he has made proactive grazing management changes, yet also understand the challenges he still faces. You will also hear about how a local watershed group, the Ghost Watershed Alliance, is working at the larger community level to try to bring together diverse land users and interests to improve watershed health. The tour is organized by Cows and Fish (Alberta Riparian Habitat Management Society) which has been working with landowners and local community stewardship and watershed groups for over 20 years.