Swim Drink Fish Canada is a registered Canadian charitable nonprofit organization committed to the protection and restoration of the health of local waters across Canada. Its business registration number is 862622750RR0001.

Mission and Vision

Swim Drink Fish’s overarching vision is to ensure swimmable, drinkable, and fishable water for everyone. The organization aims to connect people to water by providing communities with access to information and empowering them to take action to protect their local waters. This connection, the organization believes, is the catalyst for community-led stewardship and water protection efforts.

History and Background

Founded in 2001, Swim Drink Fish Canada emerged as a movement to counter the common prohibitive signs found on Canadian shorelines that read "no swimming," "no fishing," and "no drinking," signaling pollution or unsafe water conditions. Their goal is to restore water bodies so these signs become obsolete, enabling communities to safely enjoy and steward their local waters.

Programs and Initiatives

Swim Drink Fish operates through community-based science, education, and engagement. Its programs empower people to monitor water quality through volunteer-based water quality monitoring hubs, community science initiatives, and technology platforms designed to collect and share water data. The organization prioritizes scientific integrity, updating protocols with current scientific standards and ensuring data transparency by making all collected water quality information publicly accessible.

Their work focuses on four key pillars:

• Swimmable Water: Ensuring water bodies are safe and accessible for recreational swimming.
• Drinkable Water: Protecting watersheds that supply drinking water to communities.
• Fishable Water: Sustaining aquatic life and supporting traditional and recreational fishing activities.
• Connection and Restoration: Encouraging people to connect with their water bodies, collect data, share stories, and actively participate in restoration efforts.

Values

Swim Drink Fish Canada operates with core values that include scientific integrity, data transparency, community science and education, and a commitment to justice, diversity, equity, and inclusion. The organization emphasizes reducing barriers to water science education and welcomes diverse perspectives to strengthen its movement.

Geographic Presence

The organization has established offices in Vancouver, Toronto, and Edmonton, with additional summer monitoring hubs in Kingston and Victoria. Through its regional presence, Swim Drink Fish supports local communities in their efforts to safeguard water quality.

Impact and Community Engagement

Swim Drink Fish has a track record of mobilizing communities to advocate for stronger water quality standards and engage in hands-on monitoring and stewardship. By blending science, technology, and community storytelling, the organization fosters water literacy and promotes a collective responsibility towards preserving one of Canada's most vital natural resources.

Swim Drink Fish Canada continues to grow as a grassroots movement dedicated to restoring watersheds across the country, ensuring that all Canadians can safely swim, drink, and fish in their local waters.

[1] https://www.swimdrinkfish.ca/about-sdf [2] https://www.swimdrinkfish.ca [3] https://www.swimdrinkfish.ca/biinaagami [4] https://www.allatonce.org/explore/swim_drink_fish_canada [5] https://powertobe.ca/supporting-local-waters-with-swim-drink-fish-canada/