Toronto Water Atlas

The Toronto Water Atlas seeks to re-examine and understand our relationship with water—not simply as a natural resource or a problem to be managed, but as a life-giving source, and a connector of people and of communities. It is an imaginative, interactive, and collaborative project that re-envisions the role of water in shaping the present and future of the Greater Toronto and Hamilton Area (GTHA), and the GTHA’s relationship with its rivers, creeks, and waterways. This Atlas is not simply a map of water systems or flood risks — it aims to be an artistic and critical examination of our relationship with water. As Toronto faces rising challenges from climate change, urban expansion, and social inequity, water remains both a vital resource and an area of conflict. This Atlas aims to shift the conversation from managing water to living with water—considering it as a shaper of ecosystems, cultures, and communities.

This project is an invitation to critique, speculate, and create. We invite collaborators from all disciplines—whether you’re an artist, an urban planner, a scientist or engineer, a community leader, or simply someone passionate about water—to help us co-create this evolving resource. We’re looking for:

Artists, historians and designers to help convey what an alternative vision for Toronto’s future with water looks like, what a different collective cultural story feels like, and the role of every community and industry. This can be through speculative visuals, or through other multimedia artifacts/exhibitions
Community organizers and members to help bring forth local, place-based narratives and experiences with water, and to envision a future where Toronto lives with, rather than against, water.
Scientists and environmental experts Your expertise with data will help us anchor the atlas in the realities of climate change. This project is an opportunity to work alongside artists and communities to make scientific knowledge accessible and engaging for everyone.
Why Join?

Here’s what you can expect to gain as a contributor:

Exhibitions, Public-Facing Opportunities and Professional Exposure: See your contributions featured in exhibitions, including an inaugural showcase at the School of the Environment, University of Toronto in April 2025. There might be opportunities for future exhibits as well!

Platform for Art-Science Collaboration: Immersive Workshops and Hands-On Design – Work in interdisciplinary groups (scientists, planners, flood/disaster experts, etc.) and develop sections or pages of the atlas. Overall, this project aims to foster a collaborative environment for artists and scientists alike.

Build Your Data and Mapping Skills: Participate in coworking and tutorial sessions that will introduce you to new data tools and techniques, Python-based data storage infrastructures, including mapping software, and data visualization.

A Chance to Shape Toronto’s Future: Contribute to a living, evolving resource that helps Toronto rethink its relationship with water and shape a future that is more just, sustainable, and imaginative.

What to Expect

To ensure meaningful collaboration, we have designed a structured but flexible engagement model that balances group sessions with individual creative autonomy. We ask all members of the project to participate in a minimum of one workshop and one mapathon, with each session building on previous discussions and outputs. These events are designed to offer artists a chance to interact with scientists, community leaders, and other creatives, as well as space to experiment, iterate, and refine ideas through:

Monthly Saturday Workshops: Monthly 3–4 hour sessions where interdisciplinary teams explore water-related themes through brainstorming, prototyping, and co-creation. Workshops might feature guest talks by environmentalists, urban planners, and artists to inspire fresh ideas.

Tuesday 6-9 PM Hybrid Coworking Mapathons: Once in two weeks, 2–3 hour sessions dedicated to developing the atlas. Experiment with mapping techniques, refine your designs, and receive feedback from peers and mentors.

Please find our website here: https://torontowateratlas.github.io/, and a longer description of the project here: tiny.cc/wateratlasinfo

Please fill out this interest form to contribute to the Toronto Water Atlas by Feb 21! We will follow up in the coming months with more details about the workshop activities and other specific details. Please feel free to share this invitation with other people or organizations in your network who would be interested.

Please contact us at [email protected] with any questions or suggestions!