Our Story

In 2004, WaterSMART founder and CEO Kim Sturgess envisioned a new model for water management in Alberta. Inspired by the Government of Alberta’s Water for Life strategy, she consulted with her mentors and leaders in water and natural capital, Peter Lougheed, Preston Manning and Fred Stewart. These advisors were instrumental in building the vision for WaterSMART that continues to this day.

One of the Water for Life goals forms the foundation upon which WaterSMART is built: water for a sustainable economy. From the very beginning, Kim’s long-time colleague and visionary Mike Urednicek encouraged her to focus on the importance of water as a value-added resource. What this means is that although water is not always a core product of the business or industry we are working in, proper water management always adds value to our clients’ bottom lines. We know that when decisions balance the needs of the watershed with economic, social, and environmental impacts, greater profits and better outcomes are the result. Each of the projects we take on keeps this objective at the forefront, and all our clients benefit from this approach.

Tragically, in August of 2005 Mike had an accident and passed away from his injuries. Since then, Kim has focused on fulfilling his vision of water as a value-added resource.

With this vision for strategic, best water management practices guiding our way, WaterSMART has completed many high-profile and successful projects, and we have earned our reputation as the leading consultancy for water management solutions in Western Canada. We are known for our team and network of industry experts, water engineers, environmental scientists, facilitators, communicators, and policy advisors. We are also known for delivering exceptional client service and results.