Our Story

In 2004, 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. Each of the projects we take on keeps this objective at the forefront, and all of our clients benefit from this approach. This is because WaterSMART operates under the premise that water is one of our most precious commodities. From the very beginning, Kim’s long-time colleague and visionary Mike Urednicek encouraged Kim to focus on the importance of water as a value-added resource. Tragically, in August of 2005 Mike had an accident and passed away from his injuries. Since then, Kim has committed to fulfilling his vision of water as a value added resource in his memory.

What this means is that although water is not always a core product of the business or industry we are working in, managing it properly always adds value to our clients’ bottom lines. We know that when decisions balance the needs of the watershed with the economic, social, and environmental impacts, greater profits and better outcomes are the result. With these concepts guiding our way, WaterSMART has completed many high-profile and successful projects, and we have earned our reputation as a leading consultancy for water management solutions. We are known for our team and network of industry experts, engineers, environmental scientists, facilitators, communicators, and policy advisors. We are also known for delivering exceptional client service and results.

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Our Mission

We improve water management through better practices, solutions and technologies for the economic, environmental, and social benefit of current and future generations.

Our Mission is achieved through:

1

Project Development & Execution

Identifying opportunities and delivering innovative solutions for improved water management.

2

Collaboration & Communication

Collaborating with diverse individuals and organizations to achieve common goals that accommodate multiple interests.

3

Water Strategy & Implementation

Engaging multidisciplinary experts in the creation of water strategies and their practical implementation.

Vision & Values

Vision

WaterSMART is acknowledged as a global leader in water management solutions that support healthy watersheds, strong communities, and water for a sustainable economy.

Values

WATER

We are passionate about water and have chosen this work because we know water is a limited, value added resource that none of us can live without.

COLLABORATION

We believe in collaboration and foster positive working relationships within our company and with the diverse individuals and organizations with whom we work.

DIVERSE SKILLS

We value people with diverse skill sets and provide maximum value for our clients by bringing together individuals talented in strategy development, watershed management, engineering, modelling, project delivery and communications.

CHAMPION FOR CHANGE

We champion positive change and strive to be a catalyst for improved water management solutions, practices and technologies for the benefit of all.

WaterPortal / WaterNEXT

Since our inception, WaterSMART has committed to improving water management through better technologies and practices. We are proud to be a leader in this work, and we are also proud to have supported the development and launch of two organizations with complementary missions to this goal. The Alberta WaterPortal Society focuses on sharing and building water knowledge in Alberta and beyond, and WaterNEXT is western Canada’s water accelerator, enabling water technology innovation and entrepreneurs.

The Alberta WaterPortal

The Alberta WaterPortal Society is a charitable organization educating and increasing Albertans’ understanding of water and its importance by conducting research, sharing findings, and providing news and social media services.

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WaterNEXT

Canada WaterNEXT Innovations Inc. (WaterNEXT) provides help and support to water entrepreneurs as they develop the next generation of Canadian water technologies and solutions. This is done by providing access to world-class water industry experts and exceptional business mentors.

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