Canada holds a fifth of the world’s freshwater, yet many of its communities still face boil water advisories, phosphorus-fueled algae blooms, and shrinking aquifers. While water feels abundant here, the truth is more complicated and more urgent.

In this episode of Ideas for Impact, we sit down with Kariann Aarup, Head of Program Partnerships at AquaAction, a national nonprofit helping young innovators design and deploy real-world freshwater solutions. With more than 80 water tech ventures launched through their AquaHacking Challenge and AquaEntrepreneur programs, AquaAction is proving that early-stage ideas—when rooted in local knowledge and built with intention can shift how we respond to one of Canada’s most pressing environmental challenges.

From a startup turning blue-green algae into biofuel, to AI-powered infrastructure tools that predict water main failures before they happen, Kariann walks us through the powerful solutions emerging from Canada’s youth and what it takes to turn a prototype into impact.

We explore:

• The biggest threats to freshwater in Canada right now (and why the myth of abundance is dangerous)
• Why youth-led innovation offers a radically different mindset around environmental entrepreneurship
• How AquaAction matches local water problems with student-driven tech innovation
• The real barriers to scaling water tech regulation, public sector procurement, and slow adoption cycles and what AquaAction is doing to change that
• The role of mentorship, community, and experiential learning in building a generation of water-aware leaders
• Why designing with water at the centre could change how we build everything from cities to clothing

If you’re curious about what the future of water looks like in Canada—and how entrepreneurship, sustainability, and systems change are starting to intersect in real ways—this conversation is for you.

🎧 Episode Highlights:

04:12 – Kariann’s journey: From entrepreneurship to environmental impact
07:20 – What makes youth-led water innovation different
13:35 – Top threats to freshwater across Canada
17:20 – Invasive species, phosphorus runoff, algae blooms & innovation on the ground
22:15 – How blue-green algae became biofuel: A real venture story
25:40 – Why water tech startups don’t follow the usual playbook
29:50 – Supporting first pilots and public-sector partnerships
34:15 – 80+ ventures launched—and what’s next for AquaAction
39:00 – The mindset shift: Designing with water in mind
44:10 – Staying hopeful in the face of environmental urgency
50:45 – Kariann’s message to the next generation of innovators

📍 Learn more about AquaAction: https://aquaaction.org

🌊 Want to help shape Canada’s water future? Follow the AquaHacking Challenge or explore how to support their mission.

🔗 More at ideasforimpactagency.com

Nearly two billion people still live without access to safe water—while billions of investment dollars sit on the sidelines. In this episode, we speak with Genevieve Edens from WaterEquity, the first impact investment fund focused entirely on solving the global water and sanitation crisis.

Backed by Matt Damon and Gary White, WaterEquity was built to fill a clear gap: channeling capital to underserved communities through market-based solutions. Genevieve walks us through how the fund evolved out of water.org, why microfinance is a powerful tool for access, and how they’ve structured investment strategies to serve both financial and social returns.

We discuss:

• How catalytic capital and blended finance can move the needle in overlooked sectors
• What it takes to de-risk water infrastructure projects in emerging markets
• Why impact reporting—and listening to the people most affected—matters
• What success looks like beyond traditional ROI

Whether you're in finance, development, or just want a clearer picture of how global water access can scale, this episode offers a grounded look at the intersection of money, infrastructure, and public health.

Behind the postcard views of British Columbia’s coastline lies a different story—one of plastic pollution, degraded marine infrastructure, invisible water contamination, and the quiet disappearance of public beach access. In this episode, we speak with Lucas Harris, Executive Director of Surfrider Foundation Canada, about what it means to protect the ocean when the threats are complex, systemic, and often unseen.

Lucas shares how Surfrider’s work in Canada—once focused largely on beach cleanups—has evolved into something much more ambitious: a strategy that blends grassroots organizing, environmental data collection, policy advocacy, and hands-on collaboration with Indigenous communities. From banning Styrofoam in marine infrastructure to driving youth-led campaigns on university campuses, Surfrider is building environmental leadership from the ground up.

We also explore ReSurf Gear Circularity, a new initiative addressing the end-of-life problem with surf gear—diverting neoprene and polystyrene waste from landfills and recycling it into new, usable materials. It’s an experiment in circular design with implications well beyond the surf community.

Ocean conservation in Canada isn’t just about pristine wilderness or protecting nature “over there.” It’s about what happens when people organize in their own backyards to shift policy, culture, and infrastructure—all while staying grounded in the realities of place.