Water Connects Us
November 9, 2026
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In November 2026, I had the opportunity to spend time in Ottawa with leaders from the United Nations University Institute for
Water Connects Us
In November 2026, I had the opportunity to spend time in Ottawa with leaders from the United Nations University Institute for Water, Environment and Health (UNU-INWEH), an organization that the City of Richmond Hill was proud to welcome in 2024. The conversations reinforced something I have believed for many years: water is one of Canada’s greatest blessings, and one of our greatest responsibilities.
As Canadians, we often take water for granted. We are surrounded by lakes, rivers and streams. Here in Richmond Hill, our challenge is sometimes not having too little water, but managing too much of it. Yet water is far more than a utility or a resource. It supports our communities, our environment, and our quality of life. For many of us, myself included, our lakes, rivers and natural spaces also provide renewal, reflection and a connection to something larger than ourselves.
Water is increasingly recognized as a strategic global resource. Access to clean, safe water is a human right, but it is also becoming one of the defining environmental, economic, and geopolitical issues of our time. As a country blessed with abundant freshwater resources, Canada has both a practical interest and a moral obligation to lead by example.
That responsibility resonates strongly here in Richmond Hill.
We are fortunate to sit on the Oak Ridges Moraine, protecting vital groundwater resources, treasured kettle lakes and the headwaters of the Humber, Don and Rouge river systems. These natural features are not only part of our local identity, they support ecosystems and communities far beyond our municipal boundaries.
That is one reason I was so pleased to help welcome UNU-INWEH Headquarters to Richmond Hill. As a global leader in water research and policy, the organization brings world-class expertise to our community. Their presence here is a natural fit, both practically and philosophically. Their work advances sustainable water solutions around the world, while also creating opportunities closer to home.
Richmond Hill is increasingly exploring ways to leverage that expertise and international network to support local innovation, helping environmental technology businesses connect with global markets and bring new ideas to the world stage from right here in our city.
The impact and credibility of the institution speak for themselves. Earlier this year, UNU-INWEH Director Professor Kaveh Madani received the prestigious Stockholm Water Prize, one of the world’s highest honours in water science and policy.
Yet perhaps the most important lesson from these conversations is also the simplest. The human body is made up of roughly 60 per cent water. The water that sustains us today has been part of rivers, lakes, clouds and oceans for billions of years. It has flowed through countless landscapes, ecosystems and living beings. Some of the water in our bodies today may once have been part of the same river, lake or rainfall as the person sitting beside us.
In a very real sense, water connects every one of us. It connects communities upstream and downstream. It connects generations past and future. It connects people regardless of where they come from, what they believe, or their place in the world.
At a time when it can feel as though we have more reasons to divide than unite, perhaps water offers something different: a common story. We already share many common goals for protecting our environment and ensuring a sustainable future. What we sometimes lack is a shared narrative that reminds us why those goals matter and why they belong to all of us.
Water may be one of the most universal threads connecting humanity. By recognizing that connection, we can build greater understanding, stronger partnerships and a deeper commitment to protecting one of our most precious resources. And that is a story worth sharing.