Congratulations to Swim Drink Fish Director of Water Programs, Gregary Ford, on 2022 Canada Water Summit Award.

June 3rd, 2022 – 

Niagara Falls, ON -- Swim Drink Fish is very proud to announce that Director of Water Programs, Gregary Ford, is the 2022 recipient of the Canada Water Summit Young Professional Award. 

“I am absolutely thrilled and honored to have received this award surrounded by Canada's water leaders. Only together can we ensure swimmable, drinkable, fishable waters for everyone.”

-Gregary Ford

Gregary’s passion to connect people to water, through his work on the Great Lakes and beyond, has been instrumental in the work of Swim Drink Fish in helping protect and restore waters all across Canada. 

Gregary has learned that water is a part of all of our stories. He has also learned that it’s that personal connection that fuels one of great strengths in protecting our water: Community Science. When we are connected to that water, we care about it. So, Gregary uses communications technology, water monitoring, outreach and education to engage communities in becoming stewards of their water. 

In 2018, with Swim Drink Fish, Gregary helped launch the Niagara community-based Water Monitoring Hub. He was a lead on a Swim Drink Fish collaboration called the Great Lakes Community Monitoring Initiative, which was a five year program helping bring community science and education training around recreational water quality to communities around the Great Lakes. This was in partnership with the Environment Canada Climate Change. 

So much of Gregary’s work is made possible with the generous support of Blue Futures Pathways, an initiative of the Students on Ice Foundation.

Gregary is also the Executive Director of the Niagara Coastal Community Collaboration, where he helps connect his local community to the water’s edge. 

Georgian Bay, Ontario

One of Gregary’s Watermark is Georgian Bay, Ontario.

“I will always remember the crystal clear, cool waters, and the whole body shock I experience every time I jump in at the start of a swimming season.”