2020/2021 Annual Report
A message from the Chair of the Board of Directors, Mary Ellen Stoll
This year was a year of both change and opportunity for Watersheds Canada. As with many other organizations, staff continued to work from home, and the Board of Directors got comfortable with Zoom. The COVID-19 pandemic gave us the opportunity and the challenge to look at how we deliver some of our programs, and where our staff were located. For example, the Freshwater Stewardship Community was launched in January 2021 and already has over 1,000 Canadians who attend monthly webinars, use free education resources, and network with other stewards across Canada. The Board was also challenged with looking ahead to the next several fiscal years and our changing, and in some cases dwindling, sources of funding. We decided to pursue a path to hire a Director of Development and Fundraising. This will give Watersheds Canada a chance to pursue new horizons and expand our influence. We have heard from property owners that they want more of our programs and in new places across the country. Through all of this, the teamwork amongst the staff, between the Executive Director and the Board, and among the Board members has been critically important. All of us believe strongly in the mission of this organization and can only see how — in the years ahead — our work across Canada will be more and more needed. Download the 2020-2021 Annual Report
2019/2020 Annual Report
A message from the Executive Director, Barbara King
Every Shoreline Matters. Every Action Counts. We have a great responsibility to take care of the very environment that sustains us. The choices we make in our everyday life matter, from how we manage our lands to what products and services we support. What we choose now has consequences for the future health of our freshwater lakes and rivers. We are so proud of the amazing people that have taken action this year to restore their lands and improve habitat for fish and wildlife. These actions will directly impact our freshwater ecosystems. As we share these stories, we hope to inspire others to get involved. We are thankful to our individual and monthly financial partners, supporters, and foundations who have helped to ensure this important work continues. Without you, we would not have accomplished any of this. As we move into a new year heavily impacted by COVID-19, we ask you to help support us as we go through this unprecedented time of uncertainty and funding losses. Stay safe and healthy and know that we are here to help you take action towards protecting and restoring Canada’s freshwater. Download the 2019-2020 Annual Report
2018/2019 Annual Report
A message from the Executive Director, Barbara King
We have been working hard over the last year to take our programs to grassroots communities in new areas in Canada. We are now working with partners in Saskatchewan, British Columbia, New Brunswick, Ontario, and Alberta with plans to host programming in any region that needs help. We have focused our efforts this year in working towards building capacity of grassroots groups that work on protecting the health of our freshwater through shoreline stewardship. We have built programs to educate and restore shoreline properties that can be transferred to any community. We believe in working with existing partners who already know the needs of their communities and helping them deliver programs. This means giving groups training, materials, and funding assistance to take our programs and make them their own. We are looking forward to continuing this work with our partners and helping people to take action on shorelines across Canada. Every Action Counts and Every Shoreline Matters. Download the 2018-2019 Annual Report
2017/2018 Annual Report
A message from the Executive Director, Barbara King
I just spent the most amazing 30 minutes swimming “with the loons” who were calling their baby to safety as I swam past 10 feet away. Treading water, I look around me and question why people aren’t doing everything in their power to ensure the future health of our freshwater ecosystems. At Watersheds Canada, when we survey people on what they value about water, people tell us that they value nature, wildlife, natural shorelines, water quality, etc., and yet their actions do not always reflect these values. Watersheds Canada has been working hard over the last year to continue our work towards bridging this gap between awareness and action through providing relevant information and resources to lake groups, individuals, and other NGO’s. Each year, we work hard to raise enough funds to continue our work aimed at restoring shorelines, enhancing aquatic habitat and educating landowners on what actions they can take to protect our freshwater. Watersheds Canada works to raise every dollar each year to meet the needs of our freshwater communities and this is becoming a challenge with so many cuts to environmental funding programs and limited donations given to environmental charities. In Canada, environmental charities in only receive 2% of total giving (Canada Revenue Agency, 2010.) Download the 2017/2018 Annual Report
2016/2017 Annual Report
A message from the Executive Director, Barbara King
2016 was a year of development. We have grown beyond our capacity to meet the demands of those wanting to participate in our programs. Our Board of Directors and staff have spent considerable time planning how we are going to meet these needs in the future. We have big plans and are currently working to find the financial resources to expand our reach and support for grassroots organizations across the Country. We will begin to diversify our funding streams by working towards connecting with monthly donors to help support our work. We are also in the process of working to better communicate how Watersheds Canada works to protect our lakes and rivers. We recently hired our first communications staff member and are looking forward to providing stories, videos, and resources for others to use in keeping our lakes and rivers healthy and sustainable. I’m looking forward to 2017 and the challenge of ensuring that we have the financial resources in place to meet the needs of partners and landowners seeking help from our organization. Thank you to all of our funders, staff, and partners for supporting us as we learn, share and grow. We would not be where we are without you! Download the 2016/2017 Annual Report
2014/2015 Annual Report
A message from the Executive Director, Barbara King
I can’t believe that it has been a year since we launched our new name and look at Watersheds Canada. It has been an incredibly busy year for us working to bring our Love Your Lake Program to a national level. We are very excited to announce that we will be launching Love Your Lake in Saskatchewan and Manitoba in the summer of 2016, working closely with five groups in Saskatchewan and one group in Manitoba. Our next step is to translate this program into French! As we continue our work in 2016, we are working towards bringing all of our programs across Canada based on our successes locally. Our focus is non-regulatory community and landowner driven actions that are scalable and impactful. Keep your eyes on our website for some exciting news in the coming year! A big welcome to our new board members, Mary Ellen Stoll and Dr. Tom Willans. We are very fortunate to have such an amazing board of directors with so many talents. We would not be where we are without them. I am looking forward to the coming year with many new challenges and opportunities. Thank you to all of our supporters, staff and partners for believing in Watersheds Canada and the work that we do! Download the 2014-15 Annual Report
2013/2014 Annual Report
A message from the Executive Director, Barbara King
This has been a year of change for us at Watersheds Canada, starting with a new office in Perth, Ontario, and rebranding of our organization including a new logo, website and communications pieces funded by Mountain Equipment Co-op (MEC). We have been operating under the name Centre for Sustainable Watersheds since our incorporation in 2002. At that time, we were a public centre located in Portland, Ontario, offering a storefront of environmentally friendly products and information. When we undertook a strategic planning process at the beginning of 2013, we chose to take this opportunity to rebrand our organization to better represent our national scope of protecting and restoring our freshwater environments. Our new identity will help support our growth and future success as a registered Canadian charity. Thank you to our amazing board, staff, partners and funders for a great year; we couldn’t accomplish all that we do without your support. Download the 2013/2014 Annual Report