Kelowna Capital News – June 24, 2019
Some tech-savvy Okanagan youth are going to get a chance to tackle some of the most pressing water issues facing the valley and beyond.
For the first time, the national AquaHacking Challenge is coming to Western Canada thanks to a partnership with the Okanagan Basin Water Board (OBWB). The challenge will be one of four events being held across Canada in 2019-20.
The program starts with freshwater issues selected by local water leaders and focuses on developing solutions. During the seven-month process, the multi-disciplinary teams of hackers will have access to expert-led water issue webinars, skills-building webinars as well as facilitated leadership and collaboration workshops.
“This hits a real sweet spot for us,” OBWB executive director Anna Warwick Sears said. “It brings together so many of our interests, like raising awareness around – and solving – water issues, expanding partnerships with post-secondaries and the tech community, doing something bold and innovative and engaging the entire community.”