- Research
Institut national de la recherche scientifique (INRS) and its partners took part in the official launch of the Water Hub. This large-scale project will develop a centre of expertise in the water sector.
Photo from left to right: Luc-Alain Giraldeau – INRS CEO, Bruno Marchand – Mayor of Quebec City, Édith Laflamme – General Manager of the Water Technology Centre, Alexandre Guindon – General Manager of 2 Degrés, Frédéric Dugré – President and CEO of H2O Innovation, Olga Farman – President and CEO of the Port de Québec, Luc Bélanger – Architect and Managing Partner at Patriarche. Photo credits: Patriarche
INRS is proud to play a key role in the project, providing leadership for the research component.
The Water Hub will bring together all the expertise and resources needed to create new technologies and innovative businesses in the water sector, conduct directed research, train researchers, and develop sustainable solutions for responsible water management. As a major economic and environmental development tool, it will stand out from similar complexes around the world by bringing together six distinct components under one roof in Québec City:
As a major economic and environmental development tool, it will stand out from similar complexes around the world by bringing together six distinct components under one roof in Québec City:
- 1A water recycling plant capable of serving businesses that consume large amounts of drinking water for industrial purposes, thereby reducing pressure on the public system
- Research laboratories and teaching facilities to train water researchers and experts
- An incubator to nurture companies that will market their innovations worldwide
- A full-scale test bed for testing and developing new technologies
- A water education and interpretation centre open to the general public
- A real estate cluster including specialized spaces for companies in the sector
Crédit : Patriarche
Crédit : Patriarche
Crédit : Patriarche
In his speech, INRS CEO Luc-Alain Giraldeau reiterated his firm commitment to advancing research on one of today’s most pressing issues: protecting water resources.
“This hub is set to become a true centre of convergence, where university research aligns with real-world needs and industry ambitions. We are confident that our contribution will lead to tangible outcomes, including technological innovation and the emergence of a new industrial cluster focused on water technologies. We have a collective responsibility to manage water sustainably, intelligently, and responsibly. This project equips us to meet that challenge.”
Luc-Alain Giraldeau, NRS CEO
INRS boasts one of the highest concentrations of academic experts in water resources in Canada. Its researchers—renowned for their work in urban hydrology, urban water infrastructure management, and water treatment and reuse—have long been conducting projects in these fields.
Given the significant challenges of water management, INRS is aiming to increase its research capacity to address current issues, such as water recycling, the elimination of contaminants from water, cost reduction and energy savings associated with water recycling, and ecological solutions for wastewater treatment.
When completed, the Hub will provide an innovation ecosystem that will enable researchers to work alongside industry on a daily basis and better understand its needs, use state-of-the-art infrastructure to test solutions under development, and provide a unique learning environment for students. The Water Hub will accelerate the transfer of ideas to market, supporting high-level research that will translate more quickly into useful technologies for municipalities and industry.
The Water Hub is a true model of collaboration, an incubator for ideas, and a driver of innovation bringing together the City of Québec, the Québec government, the Port of Québec, H2O Innovation, Institut national de recherche scientifique (INRS), 2 Degrés, Patriarche, and Centre des technologies de l’eau (Cteau).
Le Carrefour de l’eau est un véritable modèle de collaboration, un incubateur d’idées et un moteur d’innovation qui regroupe la Ville de Québec, le gouvernement du Québec, le Port de Québec, H2O Innovation, l’Institut national de recherche scientifique (INRS), 2 Degrés, Patriarche et le Centre des technologies de l’eau (Cteau).
Crédit photos : Patriarche
