Ready, Set, Network!

Downstream brings current and future water professionals together to connect, bridge the skills gap, and drive clean water solutions for Canadians.
Event in April
Ashbridges Bay Treatment Plant, Toronto
9 Leslie St, Toronto, ON M4M 3M9
April 8, 2025
2:30 PM - 5:30 PM (EST)
Special opportunity to tour Ashbridges Bay Wastewater Treatment Plant, one of Canada’s largest and oldest facilities, located in Toronto’s east end.
Event in April
Event Location
Ashbridges Bay, Toronto
April 8, 2025
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How does Downstream work?
Early career professionals and students are invited by program directors and industry organizations in partnership with Water Canada magazine to attend a 2-3 hour event that provides the opportunity to learn from and network with experts representing different streams of Canada’s water sector. The event features micro-sessions: roundtable discussions led by experienced water professionals, where students participate in focused conversations addressing three key questions related to the table’s specific topic:
- What are the trends in this stream?
- What are the challenges?
- What are the opportunities for early career professionals?
Students cycle from table to table, engaging with experts from various sectors, asking questions about career opportunities, and building connections to help launch their careers.
How do students benefit from Downstream?
- Students come away with key contacts and information that provides direction and opportunities for career growth
- A better understanding of potential career paths that are available to them
- Opportunity to connect with other early career professionals
How do industry professionals benefit from Downstream?
- Industry professionals (AKA “experts”) get early access to emerging talent, helping to identify and recruit top candidates.
- Serving as mentors enhances experts’ own leadership and communication skills while reinforcing commitment to supporting the industry’s growth.
- Supporting and engaging with students aligns with organizational goals related to social responsibility, addressing the “S” in ESG by investing in community and workforce development.






Partners
Thank You to our Downstream Partners!
Partner with Downstream to help close the skills gap!
Sponsoring Downstream is more than just an investment—it’s an opportunity to drive real change in Canada’s water sector. As a sponsor, you’ll take action to help close the skills gap while positioning your organization as a changemaker across Water Canada’s print, digital, and experiential platforms.
- Gain early access to Canada’s top emerging talent and insights into attracting and retaining early career professionals.
- Join a vibrant community of post-secondary institutions, private sector businesses, industry associations, and government initiatives, all working together to shape the future of water.
- Plus, it’s a meaningful ESG investment, allowing you to demonstrate your social commitment to the Canadian water industry while addressing the “S” in your ESG responsibilities.
For more information on sponsoring Downstream, contact Vanessa Watson at [email protected]
Experts Directory
Downstream events thrive thanks to our expert volunteers. These experienced water industry professionals share valuable insights into diverse roles across the sector, from drinking water and wastewater to stormwater, conservation, and beyond. Representing municipalities, Indigenous communities, clean tech, academia, consulting, and more, they help participants identify opportunities, offer tailored advice, and inspire meaningful connections.
Meet the experts by browsing our Experts Directory.

Thomas MacPherson
Manager, Transportation Asset Management Manager,
York Region
Thomas is a practiced people leader with extensive experience in strategic planning facilitation and developing high performance team cultures. His aim is to facilitate the development of authentic personal and organizational character, as this character is what underpins the success of people-oriented organizations and communities. Thomas has taken the knowledge gained through researching leadership and organizational performance and applied it through coaching and mentoring leaders who are seeking innovative ways to navigate career opportunities.
Thomas continues to lead municipal infrastructure revitalization and improvement programs, with a drive towards improved infrastructure investment planning. Thomas makes data driven decisions using spatial analytics and collaborative engagement to ensure organizational performance metrics are met responsibly and sustainably. He has led and facilitated many advancement projects ranging from climate change action planning to community education to 100-year infrastructure investment modelling.
Thomas is the past Industry Chair of the Seneca Polytechnic Civil Engineering Technology Program Advisory Committee and past Chair of the Municipal Alliance for Connected and Autonomous Vehicles in Ontario. Thomas holds diplomas and degrees from Canada, the United Kingdom, and the United States.
Thomas is known for his raw energy, light-hearted personality, and work ethic.

Rizwan Younis
Project Manager Water Services,
City of Guelph
Rizwan Younis is a Project Manager within Water Services for the City of Guelph. His professional experience is demonstrated by his inclusion in Ontario’s Sunshine List, which publishes the salaries of public sector employees earning over $100,000 annually. Therefore, Rizwan Younis has a professional career in project management with the City of Guelph’s water services. This indicates his involvement in projects related to the City of Guelph’s water infrastructure.

Mark Gloutney
National Director of Science, Education and Business Planning,
Ducks Unlimited Canada
Mark Gloutney is the National Director of Science, Education and Business Planning. Mark spent his formative years in and around wetlands along the St. Lawrence River in Quebec, where he developed the passion for wetlands and wildlife. Mark received a B.Sc. from McGill and completed a Ph.D. from the University of Saskatchewan in 1996. After two years in environmental consulting Mark joined the DUC team in Atlantic Canada as senior biologist in 1998. Since joining DUC Mark has been involved with the delivery of conservation program and was the Director of Regional Operations for Eastern Canada and British Columbia until 2022. This included a strong focus on implementing and managing wetland restoration projects that impact water quality and quantity. Mark started his new executive position in April 2022 with a focus on leading and growing DUC’s science and education programs across Canada. One of the core areas of focus of DUC’s research team in on evaluating impacts of conservation actions on water quality and quantity.

Chris Hilkene
CEO,
Pollution Probe
Chris has been an environment and sustainable development professional for over 20 years and joined the Pollution Probe team in August 2018. Chris has worked in government, consulting, academic and not-for-profit settings and has had an association with Pollution Probe for much of his career.
Known more generally for his public policy and communications experience, he is recognized as a leader in freshwater policy and Great Lakes issues. A Canadian appointee to Great Lakes Water Quality Board of the International Joint Commission (IJC), Chris has served as the Canadian Lead on emerging issues for the last 4 years. In 2007, Chris was appointed to the National Roundtable on the Environment and the Economy, where he served as Chair of the Water Programme.
He is an active volunteer and has served on boards and advisory bodies for numerous organizations including Ryerson University, Pollution Probe, WaterAid Canada, Carleton University’s Global Water Institute, the City of Toronto’s Task Force to Bring Back the Don, Green Living Enterprises, the Vimy Foundation and the George and Helen Vari Foundation.

Laura Gilbert
Community & Operations Manager ,
Water Rangers
Laura is passionate about bringing communities together to learn about and protect water bodies. For the past four years, she has led our educational programming, helping to train over 20,000 people in water monitoring across Canada. She also oversees partnerships with organizations in Quebec. When she’s not engaging with our community, Laura manages operations and contributes to financial planning. More recently, she has been involved in testing and supporting the launch of the new Water Rangers data platform. She’s always looking for new ways to make water science more accessible and impactful.
Connect with Laura at [email protected]
Interested in becoming an expert? Contact Corinne Lynds at [email protected]
Get Involved
Getting involved with Downstream is a truly rewarding experience. By paying it forward to the next generation, you’ll help shape the future of Canada’s water sector. Whether you’re recruiting the brightest minds or simply sharing your journey, spending time with these future leaders is both energizing and impactful. Experts and students alike leave inspired and motivated, discovering new opportunities to collaborate and drive meaningful change.
There are four ways you can get involved with Downstream:
- Register as a student or early career professional and attend an Upcoming Event (link).
- Volunteer as an industry expert.
- Host a Downstream event on your campus or at an industry conference.
- Partner with us as a sponsor to drive change in Canada’s water sector by closing the skills gap, accessing top emerging talent, and positioning your organization as a leader committed to shaping the future of water.
Past Events
Contact Us
Volunteer as an expert: [email protected]
Sponsor Downstream: [email protected]
Host an event: [email protected]