Ready, Set, Network!

Downstream brings current and future water professionals together to connect, bridge the skills gap, and drive clean water solutions for Canadians.
Upcoming Events
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.

Melissa Dick
Management Consultant,
Esri Canada
Melissa is a strong believer in entrepreneurship, creativity, and innovation as the path toward a sustainable future. With eight years of experience in academia, government, consulting, community initiatives, and the non-profit sectors across Canada, she draws from multiple perspectives in her work advancing the fields of natural resource management, conservation, and sustainable business. Melissa holds a BSc in Geography and an MSc in Biology from Carleton University.

Kaoru Yajima
Senior Project Manager, Water Division,
Region of Waterloo
Kaoru is a senior project manager for the Region of Waterloo’s Water Services Division, where he is primarily responsible for long-term planning of water and wastewater infrastructure.
Prior to the Region, Kaoru worked in many Middle East, Asia, and Caribbean countries as a water supply engineer.
He obtained his bachelor’s and master’s degrees in civil engineering at the University of Waterloo and Kyoto University respectively.
Kaoru enjoys discussing career paths in the water sector through his volunteer work with the local chapter of the Professional Engineers Ontario and with the Ten Thousand Coffees initiative, run through his alma mater.

Terry Rees
Consultant - Sustainability, Community Engagement, Policy and Program Development Consultant - Sustainability, Community Engagement, Policy and Program Development,
Previously at Federation of Ontario Cottagers' Associations
Terry Rees had been the Executive Director of the Federation of Ontario Cottagers’ Associations (FOCA) since 2004. FOCA is the largest waterfront landowner organization in Canada, representing 50,000 member families in 525 community associations. Ontario’s waterfront residential property owners collectively spend $11.44 billion annually, supporting 157,000 jobs and contribute over $700 million to local property taxes across rural and northern Ontario.
Terry is a member of many regional and provincial committees focussed on biodiversity, water and water management, rural economic development and more.
Terry has been regular attendee at the Water Canada Summit and has been a featured speaker at dozens of other conferences and events across Canada. He has a degree in economics from Western University, and a certificate in environmental management from Ryerson University. Terry was honoured with a Waters Next Award in 2012.
Terry currently lives in Peterborough, Ontario.

Eric Meliton
Manager, Sustainability Office,
Wilfrid Laurier University
Eric Meliton is the Manager of the Sustainability Office at Wilfrid Laurier University. Eric is a thought leader and industry conduit with over 15 years of strategic experience, which includes analyzing cleantech trends, execution of CSR, SDG, and ESG objectives, and strengthening stakeholder and governmental relationships. Eric’s role is to provide sustainability leadership in a collaborative, multi-campus environment for Waterloo, Kitchener, Brantford, and Milton. The Sustainability Office supports the exceptional employees, students, researchers, and educators to maintain Laurier’s reputation as a sustainability leader and a world-class institution known for its rich student experience, academic excellence, and global impact.

Farokh Kakar
Founder,
IWA YWP Canada
Winner of the 2023 Water Canada Awards’ Emerging Leader Award
Farokh laqa Kakar is a Ph.D. Candidate at the Civil Engineering department of Ryerson University and an instructor at George Brown College in Toronto, Canada. She is the president of Canadian Young Water Professionals at International Water Association (IWA), President of Graduate Leadership Council at Ontario Water consortium, and Vice President of Young Professionals in the Canadian Association for Water Quality (CAWQ). In addition, she is the Global Ambassador at the Society of Women Engineers. She has won the most prestigious Ph.D. scholarship in Canada, which gives her the privilege of being a Vanier scholar. This competitive scholarship is given based on leadership and academic excellence, only a few per university. During her studies at Ryerson, she has joined more than 25 conferences playing different roles as conference chair and co-chair, and has won seven best presentation awards. Three of them are the best student presentation awards (First place). Also, she has won the TA award of excellence at Ryerson and has served the community at the senate level. While in Afghanistan, Farokh was an Assistant Professor and vice dean of the engineering faculty at Balkh University. She also led women-related projects regarding teacher training at the International Assistance Mission. She has won several teaching developments awards from USA and Germany while in Balkh University.
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]