Canada’s water future depends on the decisions leaders make today. Across the country, communities and the water utilities that serve them are facing unprecedented uncertainty. Compounding challenges in financing, cost escalation, affordability, workforce recruitment, project delivery, climate impacts, infrastructure resiliency, and new digital threats, to name a few, are creating one of the most complex periods of urban water management in memory. Bold leadership and strategic decision-making matter now more than ever.
Blue Cities 2027 brings together municipal leaders, water professionals, researchers, industry experts, and innovators to explore how we can make the best decisions for Canada’s water future in today’s uncertain environment. The conversations at Blue Cities 2027 will focus on proven solutions and strategies, what is changing, and what pathways communities may take. More informed decisions lead to stronger outcomes: more resilient communities, sustainable infrastructure, stronger water systems and a future Canadians can count on.
Join the conversation in Montreal as we work together to secure Canada’s water future.
Simultaneous translation (English and French) will be available during the conference.
Who can you expect to see during Blue Cities 2027?
- Leading experts, decision makers, and collaborators from across multiple sectors.
- A curated speaker roster of international experts selected by Canadian Water Network (CWN).
- Exhibitors from North America’s top knowledge and service providers.
- Sponsors that can offer value to Canada’s water leaders.
- 200 delegates from Canada, the U.S., and Indigenous nations.
About your conference host
Canadian Water Network (CWN) is a national nonprofit whose mission is to inspire and empower Canadians to lead the way in finding water solutions that protect our health, create vibrant and resilient communities, and respect and protect our natural environment.
CWN fulfills its mission by serving as a national hub for cross-sector collaboration to address a range of water-related challenges and opportunities. We bring decision-makers from different sectors and disciplines together to share knowledge, collaborate, and accelerate action toward sustainable solutions. Visit our website at cwn-rce.ca to learn more.
Land acknowledgement
Canadian Water Network (CWN) respectfully recognizes and acknowledges the deep connection that First Nations, Inuit and Métis peoples across Canada have with the land that all Canadians call home. Their rich history spans thousands of years on Turtle Island. We also honour and recognize the significance of the treaties that establish the relationship between Indigenous peoples and settlers on this land.
Blue Cities 2026 will be held in Gatineau, Quebec, on the unceded traditional territory of the Algonquin Anishinaabeg Nation. This land and its waterways have been cared for by the Algonquin people since time immemorial, reflecting their enduring relationship with the environment. Today, the City of Gatineau is home to many First Nations, Inuit, and Métis peoples from across Canada. The ancestral territories along the Tenàgàdino Zìbì, (Gatineau River) and Kichi Sibi (Ottawa River) have a long and rich history, serving as travel routes, location for villages, site of meetings and exchanges amongst visiting nations.
CWN recognizes the sacredness of water as understood by Indigenous people. Water is more than simply a resource. It’s a life-giving entity that sustains people, flora and fauna. CWN will continue its work supporting all Indigenous communities through this lens.
Our offices are located in Waterloo, Ontario, on the traditional territory of the Neutral, Anishinaabeg, and Haudenosaunee peoples. Situated on the Haldimand Tract, which granted land to the Six Nations, our office resides on a section of the Grand River extending six miles on each side.
We are grateful for the privilege to work and live on this land.