Celebrating the Launch of Great Lakes DataStream - from Niagara Falls to Quebec City!
November 23, 2022
This fall, we made up for lost time and marked the launch of Great Lakes DataStream.
Great Lakes DataStream is an open access platform for sharing freshwater data across Canada. Since its release in 2021, Great Lakes DataStream has garnered over eight million data points collected by 49 monitoring groups, from Lake Superior to the Gulf of the St. Lawrence. We were thrilled to have the opportunity this fall to properly celebrate DataStream’s launch in the region.
We kicked off the fall with an event in Niagara Falls during the 2022 Great Lakes Public Forum. This forum brings together organizations from both Canada and the United States to discuss the state of the lakes and binational priorities for science and action. During our DataStream reception on September 27th we welcomed representatives from government groups, non-profits, academics, Indigenous nations, and local community members who are all working on Great Lakes issues. It was especially nice to finally meet (in real life) with people that have played an important role in getting Great Lakes DataStream up and running over the last few years.
DataStream’s Carolyn DuBois giving remarks at the launch event in Niagara Falls.
Highlights of the evening included remarks from DataStream’s Director Carolyn DuBois and RBC Tech for Nature’s Susan Blanchard, a DataStream scavenger hunt and a water quality testing booth run by Water Rangers.
DataStream materials on display in Niagara Falls.
Kat Kavanagh and Gabrielle Parent-Doliner from Water Rangers showcasing Water Rangers test kits at the Great Lakes DataStream launch in Niagara Falls.
Next, it was off to Quebec City for the Forum de la science participative sur l'eau which was organized with Le Groupe d'éducation et d'écosurveillance de l'eau (G3E- EWAG), Regroupement des organismes de bassins versants du Québec (ROBVQ), the University of Montreal, and DataStream. The forum brought together representatives from 35 organizations to discuss ways to network and amplify the impacts of community monitoring across the province.
Alongside the forum, DataStream held a reception on November 14th to introduce DataStream and celebrate its Quebec debut. Paul Corriveau, the Chair of the board of Directors for The Gordon Foundation, opened the event with remarks. The event was a fantastic celebration and ideal opportunity to continue growing the DataStream network in Quebec.
Day 1 of the Forum de la science participative sur l’eau.
Overall, the two events were a great opportunity to celebrate the launch of our fourth regional hub with many of the people and organizations who have worked with us to make it all possible. We look forward to continue expanding Great Lakes DataStream so that information about our shared freshwaters is open and accessible to everyone.
The results are in! DataStream's 2023 external evaluation
We asked for your feedback, and you delivered! DataStream is pleased to share the results of our 2023 external evaluation.
Community science on the agenda in the Great Lakes
Since DataStream began in 2016, we have focused on amplifying the important work of community-based monitoring groups. We’re excited that community science has been a central theme at the many gatherings we’ve attended over the past few months throughout the Great Lakes region.
Paddling and protecting the Madawaska
For the past four years, Madawaska Kanu Centre’s office team have been tracking the river’s water quality. Once a month, unless the conditions are too icy, they measure parameters like pH levels, dissolved oxygen and transparency.