Tuesday, March 24, 2026
AquaAction, Canadian Geographic and the Canadian Museum of Nature are partnering to create a water literacy initiative called “The Water Literacy Project” aimed at youth and educators across Canada.
The project is supported by a $635,296 investment from Environment and Climate Change Canada’s Climate Action and Awareness Fund, with matching funds from the de Gaspé Beaubien Foundation. The Canada Water Agency and NRCAN have also contributed $40,000 each to support the initiative, an AquaAction release said.
“When we teach water, we shape the future. Water runs everything. It spins turbines, fills our pipes, grows our food. It gives life to the landscapes and communities we call home. The Water Literacy Project is a resource hub that gives teachers what they need to deepen students’ understanding of water and inspire them to care. We are excited by how far it has come and how much potential we have to grow,” AquaAction president Soula Chronopoulos said.
Water literacy is essential to building a more sustainable Canada, where freshwater ecosystems shape our environment, communities, and way of life. At the Canadian Museum of Nature, we are pleased to contribute our experience delivering virtual workshops to hundreds of classrooms across Canada. Through this initiative, we are excited to engage young people in learning about freshwater, encouraging them to reflect on the health of the natural world and how our actions affect it—helping inspire the next generation of environmental stewards,” Canadian Museum of Nature president and CEO Danika Goosney added.
The full project launch is set for September, the start of the school year and will off:
- ReFresh Water! Action Packs: Developed by AquaAction, ReFresh Water! is a library of learning materials developed by AquaAction designed to initiatite community projects and engagement with water issues and will feature learning modules, videos, digital journals, and water action packs. A comprehensive library will be ready for September.
- Freshwater: Lifeblood of the Land Giant Floor Map: Starting September 2026, educators can reserve a large-format interactive map created by Canadian Geographic and explore Canada’s freshwater and water-related careers. The maps will be accompanied by a teacher’s guide and twelve curriculum-linked lesson plans with activities and additional resources.
- Virtual Workshops: Starting in Sept. 2026 live and interactive sessions led by expert science interpreters from the Canadian Museum of Nature will connect Grade 8 classrooms across Canada directly to the museum for experiments and immersive lessons on the hydrological cycle.
The project is delivered through an online portal where users can choose grade levels and features integrated Indigenous perspectives and teachings about water.
Other organizations involved include the ClearWater Futures Foundation and the Roots of Resilience Charter School in Drayton Valley, Alta which is Canada’s only K-12 charter Indigenous school and which will pilot the ReFresh Water Action Packs.
