What we do
Ottawa Riverkeeper is a leading advocate for freshwater protection regionally and nationally. As a licensed member of the global Waterkeeper Alliance, we extend our influence internationally.
Ottawa Riverkeeper has been working to protect and restore the Ottawa River and its tributaries for over 20 years. As the only organization working at the watershed scale for the Ottawa River, we play a leadership role to protect, promote and improve the ecological health of the Ottawa River and its tributaries.
Right here at home, we take action to ensure the Ottawa River and its tributaries are swimmable, drinkable, and fishable.
Ottawa Riverkeeper is in the midst of building an unparalleled hub for science, education, and collaboration at NCC River House. Our new home includes a science lab for investigations into watershed health, meeting spaces to convene community groups and decision-makers, boat access to our research vessel directly off of the dock, and a home for a hands-on River School in the Ottawa Riverkeeper Learning Lab. The new era of river protection starts here.
Meet the baby turtles at River House, as Ottawa Riverkeeper hosts the turtle egg incubation partnership, which has proven to be a huge hit with visitors of all ages! Attend a workshop, seminar, or learn how to be a community scientist for a day. Watch as a birch bark canoe is buil from scratch. At our first-ever public-facing education space directly on the river, all members of the public can learn about the river, the ecology, and the biodiversity of this majestic watershed.
Uncover the mysteries of the Ottawa River and its vast network of tributaries, lakes, and wetlands. Ottawa Riverkeeper is an expert, independent, and trusted source of information about the river’s ecological health. At the Science Lab, we analyze water samples mailed in from volunteer community scientists from all across the watershed. We provide results that tell the public if local swim spots and beaches are safe for swimming. And we bring together experts, knowledge holders, and changemakers to piece together their understanding of this understudied river system – and inspire us all to protect it.
Ottawa Riverkeeper’s new Learning Lab at River House also provides a phenomenal location for River School classroom visits. We offer field trips bringing children right to the water’s edge to learn about freshwater science and the importance of a healthy river. We provide engaging workshops at schools within the Ottawa-Gatineau region for children and youth from Grades 2-12, plus free loans from our Learning Library, so that educators across the watershed can use our science-based modules developed directly from the context of the Ottawa River.
How you can help
From shoreline cleanups, helping to plan our annual gala, water quality sampling and everything in between, the contributions of volunteers support and empower our mission of a swimmable, drinkable, fishable Ottawa River watershed.
Whether you are a paddler, sailor, swimmer, or are one of the 2 million people who rely on the Ottawa River as the source of your drinking water, the river is there for you. Through Ottawa Riverkeeper, you can protect the health of the waterways in your own backyard, now and for generations to come.
Science: Your donation supports research on key watershed health indicators. We actively monitor water quality at beaches, in streams, and in our lab.
Education: Your support builds the next generation of water leaders through hands-on environmental education programs.
Advocacy: When you donate to Ottawa Riverkeeper, you are amplifying an independent, non-partisan voice that stays on top of pressing environmental issues and holds decision-makers to account.
To learn more about this charity, please visit the latest issue of the Giving Guide here:
