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SDG 14 - Strategic Initiatives

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Outreach: Freshwater Ecosystems, Water Management, Overfishing

Western has several programs designed to educate and engage various audiences on the importance of water conservation, management, and overfishing for local and national community outreach.

• The Central Canadian Symposium on Water Quality Research unites experts, researchers, NGOs, and stakeholders to tackle water quality issues. This event encouraged collaboration, knowledge sharing, and problem-solving, with attendees exploring the latest research and connecting with professionals and policymakers. Its interactive workshops provided strategies for improving and conserving water quality.
• STEM@Home: Water Cycle in a Bag is a free kit for kindergarten to grade 2 students that lets participants create a mini water cycle model through hands-on experiments. Educational videos and activities highlight the importance of freshwater ecosystems. The program invites families, schools, and community groups to get involved, promoting informed choices about water conservation.
• For SDG Week Canada, Western’s Centre for Research on Health Equity and Social Inclusion (CRHESI) hosted Life Below Water: A Virtual Dive Into Our Oceans, a free, public, virtual exploration of our oceans, featuring stunning imagery, expert insights, and discussions about marine conservation and sustainable ocean management.
• WaterAid Western is a club that engages students in discussions and activities related to clean water and sanitation issues, while raising awareness and funds on behalf of the organization WaterAid.
• Riverfest is an annual event hosted by the Indigenous Students’ Association, Indigenous Student Centre, and Western Sustainability, and is free for the whole community. The festival events are centered around indigenous perspectives on water management, viewing water as a living entity that requires respect, care, and a reciprocal relationship.
• The Water Management Under Changing Climate​ workshop is geared towards professional development for those engaged in climate change policymaking across all government levels.
• ​The Biodiversity Inventory at Western University invites all members of the community to help gather data for informing future conservation and environmental research activities.
• Peter Baker shares his knowledge of the causes and impacts of overfishing by explaining the science in layman’s terms in a public magazine article called A brief history of the Great Lakes lake trout collapse.
• The Western Centre for Animals on the Move hosts formal and informal events to share ideas, hold workshops, and brainstorm. Animal research includes Song Sparrows, Meadow Vole, Chinook Salmon, as well as many other fish, birds, insects, and mammals.
• The Master of Environment and Sustainability program teaches about sustainability, the SDGs, marine ecosystem health, and watershed management.
• In addition, Western upholds the Ontario Fishing Regulations, which provide guidelines on sustainable fishing practices. These regulations include restrictions on catch limits, seasons, and destructive fishing practices to protect fish habitats and ensure the sustainability of Canada’s marine resources for future generations. Western engages in initiatives like the Canadian Association for Food Law and Policy Conference, where students and faculty examine the interconnectedness of food systems. Topics covered at this conference were: regulation of new and emerging food technologies, freshwater fishing management, and governance of food security in northern and remote communities.

Maintain Biodiversity of Ecosystems

Western engages in research, industry, and local community collaboration to maintain and enhance ecosystems and biodiversity, including aquatic ecosystems and those under threat.

• Western’s local chapter of iNaturalist Canada, led by the Canadian Wildlife Federation, the Royal Ontario Museum, Parks Canada, and NatureServe Canada, focuses on identifying species on campus, particularly those at risk. The Thames River, running through campus, is home to various animals such as waterfowl, beavers, and the spiny softshell turtle, a species at risk.
• The Campus as a Living Lab project unites faculty, staff, community, and industry partners to protect biodiversity. Some key projects include:
  • The Bee Yard—studying honeybee dance communication; 
  • Vibratory communication among insects and spiders; 
  • Barn Swallow Breeding and Nesting Structure—providing suitable nest structures to support this species at risk; 
  • Research into the migratory behaviour of North American hoverflies; and 
  • Industry and research collaboration, studying the environmental impacts of road salt.
    

• The Sherwood Fox Arboretum is a collection of trees on campus, representing the biodiversity of the Carolinian Zone, including an old growth forest. In 2003, Western signed the International Agenda for Botanic Gardens in Conservation, prioritizing plant conservation. The Western University Tree Dashboard offers an interactive tour of the arboretum. A Tour of Select Trees in the Sherwood Fox Arboretum tells the story of their biological and historical importance.
• The WesternWater Centre collaborates with government, local municipalities, industrial partners, academic partners, and the local Indigenous community. The centre focuses on research leading to innovative solutions addressing all aspects related to clean water supply and water-environment issues, including the protection and management of water resources, resource recovery, and treatment technologies, to aid our aquatic ecosystems.
• The Great Lakes Futures Project is a collaboration of over 20 Canadian and American organizations working towards a socio-ecologically sustainable future for the Great Lakes – St. Lawrence River Basin. The assessments of climate change, the economy, biological and chemical contaminants, invasive species, demographics and societal values, governance and geopolitics, energy, and water quantity form the basis for driving international policy to protect our water resources and ecosystems.

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Water: Wastewater Treatment, Discharge Guidelines, Standards

Western University adheres to stringent water quality standards and discharge guidelines to protect ecosystems, wildlife, and human health.

Our wastewater is directed via the sanitary sewer system to the Greenway Wastewater Treatment Plant. This ensures compliance with the  Ontario Water Management Quality Guidelines and the City of London’s Wastewater and Stormwater Bylaw. These guidelines are designed to safeguard all forms of aquatic life and their life cycles.

Western has implemented targeted measures to pre-treat greywater before it enters the utility’s sewer system, including the installation of sink grease traps in research laboratories. As a member of the Southern Ontario Water Consortium, Western collaborates with the City of London to demonstrate and validate innovative, near-market wastewater treatment technologies. Western has partnered with the Government of Ontario on wastewater monitoring initiatives to enhance environmental protection and public health. The WesternWater Centre conducts research on water and wastewater treatment.

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Marine and Water System Pollution 

Western University has policies in place to prevent and reduce marine pollution of all kinds, particularly from land-based activities. This includes processes to prevent polluted water from entering the water system, including pollution caused by accidents and incidents at the university. 

Western University abides by federal, provincial, and municipal regulations, as well as our own policies, to protect water resources and prevent marine pollution. The Canadian Environmental Protection Act regulates the disposal of wastes into bodies of water. The Ontario Water Resources Act regulates water quality and prohibits the discharge of pollutants into Ontario’s waters. London’s Water By-law (W-8) prohibits non-potable water from entering the water distribution system, and the Waste Discharge By-law (WM-16) regulates and enforces waste disposal into the public sewage systems. 

Western’s Policy on Environment and Sustainability commits to promoting sustainability and reducing waste and hazardous materials. Comprehensive procedures are in place to prevent polluted water from entering the water system, including stringent protocols for handling and disposing of contaminated biowaste, emergency response plans for accidents, and regular safety audits to ensure compliance with environmental standards. Key policies include: 

• Contaminated Biological Waste Disposal Policy  
• Hazardous Chemical Waste Policy 
• Laboratory Health and Safety Manual 
• Hazardous Waste
  

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Watershed Management: Minimize Alteration of Ecosystems

Western University has a plan to minimize physical, chemical, and biological alterations of local ecosystems, including aquatic ecosystems. We have implemented a watershed management strategy based on the diversity of our local species, including aquatic species. 

Western is located within the Thames River watershed, with the Thames River and Medway Creek flowing through the campus. The university is committed to minimizing impacts on local aquatic ecosystems through a continuously evolving set of practices, including: 

• Western Open Space Strategy: restricts development in the forested areas along the Thames River and Medway Creek to preserve biodiversity. 
• Campus Master Plan: restricts development on floodplain regions in accordance with the Upper Thames River Conservation Authority regulations. 
• Hazardous Chemical Waste Policy: prevents contamination of the local ecosystem.  
• Ontario Environment Assessment Process: New build sites are reviewed by the Ministry of the Environment, Conservation and Parks and denied if there are environmental concerns. 
• Waste Streams @ Western: works to divert waste from landfills. 
• Green Spaces & Gardens: maintained with native vegetation and invasive species management. 
• Disposable plastic water bottles: not sold on campus. 
• Public sustainability commitments: Western is a signatory to regional, national, and international public sustainability commitments, including those related to aquatic ecosystems. 
• President’s Advisory Committee on the Environment and Sustainability: includes broad representation from faculty, staff, and students with a mandate to design and execute a Climate & Sustainability Strategy, including a focus on grounds management & biodiversity. 
• Campus as a Living Lab: protects environmentally significant areas and species at risk, and performs flood mitigation, all of which impact our aquatic environment. 
• WesternWater Centre: leads innovative solutions to address water-environment issues, including the protection and management of water resources. 
• Faculty of Engineering: focuses on water research, including studies on water resources, source water protection, water quality, and treatment technologies.  
• Urban Stormwater Research: researchers are investigating the impacts of urban stormwater runoff on the watershed and developing low-impact development practices to reduce pollutant inputs to the Thames River.