Monday, November 2, 2026
The Government of Ontario is investing $540,000 for a new three-year Collaborative Research Agreement with the University of Waterloo to leverage hydrologic modelling tools to inform water management decisions and infrastructure planning to help keep communities safe against the threat of flooding.
“We are taking proactive steps to be better prepared, so that when flooding happens, we can reduce its impacts,” said Mike Harris, Minister of Natural Resources. “By funding collaborative research projects with academic partners like the University of Waterloo, our government is ensuring we have the best and most up-to-date information to keep people and property safe.”
Thge announcement builds on the success of a previous four-year, $494,500 agreement with the University of Waterloo that resulted in the development of the Ontario Hydrologic Modelling System (OHMS), the Ontario Hydrologic Atlas (OHA), the Streamflow Alteration Index (SAI), and the Ontario Lake and River Routing Product (OLRRP). All of these tools will be made publicly available for municipalities, conservation authorities, consultants, water managers and more to support their work.
“Better models and improved forecasts of floods can give communities more time to prepare and help the province manage its dams to balance competing demands on Ontario’s rivers and lakes,” said Bryan Tolson, Professor at the Department of Civil and Environment Engineering, University of Waterloo. “The project also gives our graduate students direct experience working alongside ministry scientists on real water resources applications and water management problems.”
Featured image: (Government of Ontario)
