About OLW
Our Living Waters is a collaborative Network of organizations working together to achieve the ambitious goal of 'all waters in good health by 2030'!
Seeded by a series of conversations, gatherings and studies on how to strengthen the water movement in Canada, Our Living Waters has developed into a thriving Network of 200+ members. Together, the Network drives collaboration and unites voices towards achieving all waters in Canada in good health by 2030 – the goal of Our Common Agenda.
Achieving this goal requires a diversity of actors working to align and build power through collective action. No organization, no matter how large or well funded, can protect the waters alone. We need to work together!
Our Living Waters exists to amplify the influence and impact of the many, diverse organizations that make up the water community in Canada. We provide seven key services to connect and convene Network members.
Our Services
As Network conveners, our work is informed by our relationships with water and each other. Our values are woven into both how we work and what we do.
Our Common Agenda: Shared Measurement – Achieving watershed health is not possible without coordination across a patchwork of jurisdictions, sectors, and rights holders. OLW is the only organization with a shared vision for change that measures progress towards achieving all waters in Canada in good health by 2030. We call this collaboratively designed accountability framework our Shared Measurement System. It provides a road map for collective action and helps Network members see how their work contributes to Our Common Agenda.
Network Weaving: Catalyzing Shared Leadership – People and their relationships are what drive a thriving network. We invest in member organizations by getting to know them through a process called ‘Network Weaving’. This service entails regular convenings, national webinars, workshops, and dedicated member engagement. By creating spaces in person and online for weaving relationships, we build power for collective action across sectors, thematic areas, and geography to address Our Common Agenda.
Enabling Collaboration & Collective Impact – In the freshwater community in Canada, many water leaders work together informally, but it can be challenging to achieve collective impact without increased capacity. We offer a platform for members to collaborate through OLW Focus Groups and Teams. By providing expert coordination, facilitation and even resourcing opportunities, we enable water leaders to drive collective action on their shared water goals.
Promoting Federal Water Policy – We catalyze collective action and learning opportunities through workshops and webinars on national policy issues. In addition, we enable the freshwater community to advocate for federal leadership on water by participating as the Secretariat on the steering committee of the Canadian Coalition for Healthy Waters (CCHW). The CCHW is the first and only coalition that proactively advocates for federal water policy in Canada.
Constant Communications: Amplifying Network Members’ Work – Let’s work together to build meaningful connections in the water community! We facilitate a constant flow of knowledge and host convenings and webinars, distribute nine e-news per year, publish Our Impact Stories, and help amplify Network members’ work on LinkedIn.
Bilingualism – We invest in a truly Canada-wide Network by publishing our written communications in French and English and working towards language inclusivity at Network convenings. Our bridge between languages helps decrease isolation and increase understanding amongst water leaders working to protect Our Living Waters / “Nos eaux vitales”! While we lack the capacity to communicate in the many Indigenous languages represented in Canada, we strive to learn and respectfully include Indigenous water body names, place names, and greetings when possible.
Right Relations – Working on behalf of all waters involves more than collaboration with Indigenous Peoples. It means challenging conventional worldviews and restoring our relationships— to the waters and land, to ourselves, and to each other. These ‘Right Relations’ centre responsibility and reciprocity within our diverse Network of water champions from across the country.