The Canadian Water Network (CWN) has welcomed Sandra Cooke as the director of the Canadian Municipal Water Consortium.
Prior to joining CWN, Cooke was the senior water quality supervisor at the Grand River Conservation Authority (GRCA). In this role, she managed the conservation authority’s watershed management plan.
Cooke has held a number of progressive leadership positions at GRCA and the Government of Alberta. She also has a rich history of bringing municipalities and other water stakeholders together.
CWN also announced that Carl Yates, retired general manager of Halifax Water, has been appointed as chair of its Board of Directors. Several new directors have also been appointed to the Board, including:
- David Marshall—executive director of the Fraser Basin Council.
- Susan Ancel—director, One Water planning, at EPCOR Water Services Inc.
- Jean-François Barsoum—senior managing consultant at IBM Canada.
- Andrew Farr—general manager of water and wastewater at Peel Region
- Theresa McClenaghan—executive director and counsel of the Canadian Environmental Law Association.
- Bruce Muirhead—associate vice president of research at the University of Waterloo.
- Patricia Wilson—director of water, waste and environmental services at the City of Regina.
- Bev Yee—deputy minister of Alberta Environment and Parks.
The Canadian Water Network (CWN) was established in 2001 in response to Walkerton’s deadly drinking water crisis. Over the next 16 years, the organization invested more than $100 million in water research as a Network of Centres of Excellence. Today, the organization is an independent non-profit that serves decision-makers across the water sector.
