Bruce Fellows take action to help protect Canada’s freshwater resources

Canada holds about 20 per cent of the planet’s freshwater and 7 per cent of its renewable fresh water. To help protect this vital resource, TMU runs the Bruce Fellowships in Canadian Freshwater Policy. These fellowships support emerging scholars who will shape Canada’s water policies at every level of government and in environmental organizations. 

In anticipation of World Water Day (external link) , held annually on March 22, Bruce Fellows and other graduate students developed a national e-petition calling for the official recognition and establishment of Canada Water Week (external link) , transforming this policy idea into a national public engagement campaign.

The petition was sponsored by Member of Parliament (MP) Terry Duguid in February, providing Canadians with a 30-day window to show their support and help bring national attention to freshwater protection. Under the leadership of Dr. Carolyn Johns, Chair of the Bruce Fellowship in Canadian Freshwater Policy and Mike Goffin, Bruce Water Policy Executive in Residence, students developed an email and social media campaign to garner support for thee-petition. They developed a Canada Water Week logo, videos, posts, and outreach materials to share the petition across campus and university networks, national and watershed organizations across Canada with water mandates, environment groups, and freshwater advocates. Together, they encouraged Canadians to recognize freshwater as a national priority.

Their efforts mobilized 1000 signatures from across Canada in the 30 day petition period, well beyond the 500 required to be tabled in Parliament from Canadians in many provinces and regions across Canada, demonstrating how student-led advocacy, when supported by experienced policy leaders, can contribute meaningfully to national actions related to freshwater governance. In celebration of World Water Day, Bruce Fellows along with Dr. Carolyn Johns, travelled to Ottawa on March 23, where their petition was announced in the House of Commons by MP Duguid, connecting their advocacy work directly to the federal parliamentary process. They also attended a national launch event announcing federal government funding for a new Canada Water Literacy project which was attended by over 100 of Canada’s water policy leaders. The visit offered students a firsthand opportunity to meet with government officials, Indigenous water leaders, the President of the Canada Water Agency, and many water policy champions and advocates of freshwater from across the country.

The initiative was further strengthened when MP Terry Duguid later visited TMU to meet with Bruce Fellows and learn about water work at our university. His visit created an opportunity for students to discuss freshwater policy, federal advocacy, and the importance of public engagement in advancing environmental issues.

A formal government response to the petition is expected in June. At a time when water systems face growing pressure from climate change, urban development, and emerging industrial demands, the call for Canada Water Week is both timely and important. The Bruce Fellows’ work reminds us that protecting freshwater begins not only with policy, but with public awareness, civic participation, and sustained leadership.

This year’s initiative also carries a deeper significance for the Bruce Fellowship community as it honours the legacy of Erika Bruce, whose recent passing has been deeply felt. Through her immense generosity, Erika Bruce established the Geoffrey F. Bruce Fellowships in Canadian Freshwater Policy in 2017. Canada Water Week stands not only as a policy effort she was very proud of, but as a tribute to her enduring commitment to freshwater stewardship and Canada’s next generation of water policy leaders.