Since 2016, some 50 Water Institute researchers and 500+ students participated in the Global Water Futures program; a $78 million research initiative to improve forecasting tools that protect water quality and quantity across Canada, and in other cold regions of the world, in the face of increasing climate change risks.

In 2024, the Water Institute announced the launch of Global Waters Futures Observatories, an integrated national network of water research sites and facilities. Over the coming years, network data will support the development of better predictive models, monitor changes in water sources, diagnose risks to water security and help design solutions to ensure the long-term sustainability of freshwater resources and services in Canada and around the world.