New water research initiative names board members

Edmonton, AB – The Alberta Water Research Institute has named a new management advisory board, which consists of 12 representatives from academia, business and government and two chairs.

The institute is a $30-million Alberta government-funded organization that was announced in November 2006. Its mandate is to implement a water research strategy focused on safe drinking water, efficient water use and healthy watersheds.

Water is a major issue around the world, and the government of Alberta showed a real commitment to the situation by stepping up its efforts and creating the Alberta Water Research Institute, said Dr Peter Hackett, president and CEO of Alberta Ingenuity. Weve put an excellent group in place to help guide the initiative, and I know the future of Albertas water resources is in responsible hands.

The Water Institute is building on the scientific knowledge gained to date through the Alberta Research Council, the Alberta Ingenuity Centre for Water Research, post-secondary institutions, industry, utility companies, municipalities, water basin councils, water managers and stewardship groups and other Alberta government departments. Building research partnerships with these groups will enable the Water Institute to help policy makers and water managers make decisions that are right for the province.

Boards members are:

– David Schindler, chair of the international research advisory council, is Killam Memorial chair and professor of ecology at the University of Alberta.

– Lorne Taylor, chair of the management advisory committee, is a former minister of environment who played a key role developing Water for Life.

– Bill Berzins, is president of Fossil Water.

– Dennis Fitzpatrick is the vice-president of research at the University of Lethbridge.

– Peter Hackett is president and CEO of Alberta Ingenuity.

– Steve Hrudey is professor of environmental health sciences and associate dean of the University of Albertas School of Public Health.

– Lorne Olsvik is a citizen of rural Alberta with 15 years of elected service in municipal government.

– David Pryce is vice president, of western operations for the Canadian Association of Petroleum Producers.

– Bob Sanford is chair of the UN Water for Life, and director of the Western Watersheds Climate Research Collaborative.

– Stephen Stanley is the senior vice president for EPCOR Water Services.

– Linda Van Gastel is a professional engineer and was employed by EnCana Corporation, and its predecessor company PanCanadian Petroleum, for most of her career.

– Henry Vaux Jr is professor resource economic emeritus at the University of California in Berkeley and the University of California in Riverside. He is also associate vice president emeritus for the University of California System.

– Barry Worbets is a senior fellow with the Canada West Foundation, where he leads its Natural Capital Project, which seeks to improve land and water policy in western Canada.

– Beverly Yee is the assistant deputy minister of environmental stewardship for the Alberta government.