Fondation de Gaspé Beaubien Foundation

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Canada
Montreal, QC
Fondation de Gaspé Beaubien Foundation

Écouter pour mieux faire la différence. Listening is the leitmotif of the Foundation

Créée en 1990 par Nan-b et Philippe de Gaspé Beaubien, la Fondation de la famille de Gaspé Beaubien a été mise sur pied pour accomplir la mission de notre famille : donner généreusement de notre temps à nos communautés et, plus généralement, à la société dans laquelle nous vivons et travaillons, et partager avec elles nos ressources. Founded in 1990 by Nan-b and Philippe de Gaspé Beaubien, the de

Gaspé Beaubien Family Foundation was created to carry out the family’s mission of giving back a meaningful part of their time and assets to their communities and to the broader society in which they live and work.

08/06/2026

Why are Canadian buildings using drinking water to flush toilets? 🚽

Not every drop used inside a home or building needs to be potable.

Yet toilets, irrigation, cleaning, and other everyday uses often depend on the same treated drinking water that comes from municipal systems.

Ecotime, an enterprise from AquaAction's ecosystem, is working to change that. Its Oasis system captures rainwater from rooftops, treats it, and redistributes it throughout a building wherever drinking-quality water is not required. It can also retain stormwater during periods of heavy rainfall.

This matters as Canada works to build more housing while many municipal water systems are already operating near or beyond capacity.

Building more homes does not always have to mean using more drinking water. Sometimes, it means making better use of the water that is already available.

08/04/2026

You cannot build 6 million homes without thinking about what happens when someone turns on the tap. 🏠

Canada aims to build millions of new homes by 2030. But housing cannot be separated from the infrastructure that makes communities livable.

Reliable water supply, wastewater treatment, and stormwater management are all required before new developments can move forward. According to the Federation of Canadian Municipalities, approximately $600 billion in municipal infrastructure investment will be needed to meet Canada’s housing targets.

That means we need to ask whether municipalities have the water capacity, financing, and long-term planning needed to support those homes.

Canada’s housing targets will remain difficult to reach unless water infrastructure is planned and funded at the same scale as housing growth.

07/30/2026

Not every clean economy solution begins with producing more energy. Sometimes, it starts by restoring the water systems already under pressure.

Biocene Solutions is developing Algo, a non-invasive solution designed to remove excess algal biomass from natural water bodies without disturbing the ecosystem.

What sets its approach apart is what happens next. Instead of treating the collected algae as waste, Biocene turns it into something valuable, such as bioplastics or fertilizers.

It is a circular approach that complements prevention solutions: remove what is harming the water, then give that material a second life.

We are proud to support AquaAction and the innovators who are bringing circularity into water restoration.

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Toutes les solutions de l’économie propre ne commencent pas par la production de plus d’énergie. Parfois, elles commencent par la restauration des systèmes d’eau déjà sous pression.

Biocene Solutions développe Algo, une solution non invasive conçue pour retirer l’excès de biomasse algale des milieux aquatiques naturels sans perturber l’écosystème.

Ce qui distingue son approche, c’est ce qui se passe ensuite. Plutôt que de traiter les algues récoltées comme un déchet, Biocene les transforme en produits à valeur ajoutée, comme des bioplastiques ou des fertilisants.

C’est une approche circulaire qui complète les solutions de prévention : retirer ce qui nuit à l’eau, puis donner une seconde vie à cette matière.

Nous sommes fiers de soutenir AquaAction et les innovateurs qui intègrent la circularité à la restauration de l’eau.

07/29/2026

The impact of wildfires is hard to ignore when we are choking on toxic air. Less visible are the serious knock-on effects on water.

Over the past week, fire activity has escalated sharply.

Prolonged heat and low precipitation dry out soils and vegetation, making fires easier to ignite while reducing local water availability.

After the flames, rain carries ash, sediment and metals into our water sources.
The level of these contaminants have reached 10 to 1,000 times those measured in unaffected areas, creating greater pressure on drinking-water treatment systems.

Following the 2016 Horse River wildfire, Fort McMurray remained under a boil-water advisory for approximately three months.

We see the smoke. But the strain on our water systems continues long after the air clears.

07/28/2026

The energy transition depends on watersheds, local infrastructure, and the communities expected to support new clean energy projects.

Electricity needs water. Hydropower depends on reservoirs and runoff, while thermal power generation uses water for cooling and steam. In 2021 alone, thermal power generation withdrew 22,903 million m³ of water in Canada, accounting for nearly 84% of the water intake reported across thermal power, manufacturing, and mining.

As electricity demand grows, pressure on water systems grows with it.

That is why energy planning cannot be separated from water planning, community trust, and long-term resilience.

A water-secure energy transition makes sure clean electricity can grow responsibly.

07/23/2026

Did you know ocean water can also be part of the clean energy transition? 🌊

As freshwater systems face growing pressure, Oneka Technologies is showing how coastal communities and industries can access a new source of freshwater by combining seawater with the ocean’s own wave energy.

Oneka develops wave-powered desalination systems that turn seawater into freshwater in an innovative and sustainable way. By harnessing wave energy, its solution helps provide freshwater without relying on land-based infrastructure or adding pressure to already stressed freshwater sources.

This matters as climate change, industrial growth, and rising demand make water security harder to guarantee. In coastal regions, ocean water can become part of the solution, especially when it is powered by renewable energy instead of fossil fuels.

07/22/2026

A plastic bottle may be used for minutes, but its impact can last for generations.

In 2022, over 5 million tonnes of plastic waste was thrown away in Canada, with only 6.5% recycled into new products!♻️ As plastic breaks down, microplastics can enter the food we eat, the water we drink and the air we breathe.

The issue is not a lack of solutions, but whether we choose to adopt them.

O'land Stations shows how practical innovation can reduce plastic waste while improving access to drinking water at major public events.

We are proud to support AquaActionAquaAction and the entrepreneurs turning urgent water challenges into solutions that can be deployed at scale!

07/21/2026

Canada cannot reduce emissions through electrification without planning for water!

The challenge goes beyond building more generation, transmission, and grid capacity. It is also making sure the water systems behind that electricity are resilient enough to support growth.

In 2025, hydropower represented 54.9% of Canada’s electricity generation, its lowest share since 2016, while combustible fuel generation rose 6.6% and reached its highest share since 2016.

That is the risk Canada has to avoid.

If clean electricity is going to power transportation, buildings, industry, AI, and advanced manufacturing, water security has to be part of energy security.

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Le Canada ne peut pas réduire ses émissions par l’électrification sans planifier pour l’eau!

Le défi ne se limite pas à accroître la production, le transport et la capacité du réseau. Il faut aussi des systèmes hydriques assez résilients pour soutenir cette croissance.

En 2025, l’hydroélectricité comptait pour 54,9 % de la production au Canada, sa plus faible part depuis 2016, tandis que la production de combustibles augmentait de 6,6 % et atteignait sa plus forte part depuis 2016.

Voilà le risque que le Canada doit éviter.

Si l’électricité propre doit alimenter les transports, les bâtiments, l’industrie, l’IA et la fabrication de pointe, la sécurité hydrique doit faire partie de la sécurité énergétique.

07/14/2026

Did you know Canada’s electricity system is one of the country’s strongest climate assets?

Today, 78% of Canada’s electricity comes from non-GHG-emitting sources, including hydro, nuclear, wind, and solar.

That clean electricity is what makes broader emissions reduction possible. It can help decarbonize transportation, buildings, industry, and new areas of growth.

But hydropower depends on stable water conditions. Thermal power generation depends on water for cooling and steam. When drought, low precipitation, extreme heat, and growing demand put watersheds under pressure, clean electricity becomes harder to guarantee.

Behind the green energy transition is water. 🍃💧

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Saviez-vous que le réseau électrique du Canada est l’un de ses plus grands atouts climatiques?

Aujourd’hui, 78 % de l’électricité au Canada provient de sources sans émissions de GES, notamment l’hydroélectricité, le nucléaire, l’éolien et le solaire.

Cette électricité propre rend possible une réduction plus large des émissions. Elle peut contribuer à décarboner les transports, les bâtiments, l’industrie et de nouveaux secteurs de croissance.

Mais l’hydroélectricité dépend de conditions hydriques stables. La production thermique dépend aussi de l’eau pour le refroidissement et la vapeur. Lorsque la sécheresse, les faibles précipitations, la chaleur extrême et la demande croissante exercent une pression
sur les bassins versants, il devient plus difficile de garantir une électricité propre.

Derrière la transition énergétique verte, il y a l’eau.

07/13/2026

Check out the amazing teams that presented during the semi-final of the AquaHacking Binational Great Lakes & St. Lawrence Challenge this past weekend!

Their passion is a testament to their hard work. During the last few months, they have been developing concrete solutions to water challenges in the Great Lakes & St. Lawrence region.

The de Gaspé Beaubien Foundation is proud to support AquaAction and the innovators building a better tomorrow. Stay tuned to learn who the finalists are!

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1275 Avenue Des Canadiens De Montréal
Montreal, QC

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https://www.fondationdegaspebeaubien.org/

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