It is estimated that the global water market is forecast to reach $1 trillion by 2020. With world-class R&D capabilities, low business costs, access to leading industry talent, generous government incentive programs and secure market access, Ontario, Canada is the place to grow your ideas and meet this demand.

Ontario, Canada is a global R&D leader in water technologies

Ontario water companies are a part of a world-class water technology ecosystem which includes:

  • 900 water industry companies
  • 300 early-stage water technology developers
  • 100 technology incubators
  • 22,000 water industry employees
  • 42 Canadian Research Chairs dedicated to water

Many of the world’s top water companies have chosen to locate in Ontario to take advantage of our R&D strengths – including American Water, Danaher, GE Water and Process Technologies, Nalco, Siemens Water Technologies, Suez Degrémont, and Veolia Water. Innovation lives here –and you should be part of it.

Ontario water companies have made clean water a reality in some of the world’s toughest industrial and urban environments. Many of the biggest breakthroughs have come from Ontario, Canada. In fact, two of the most widely used technologies—UV disinfection and membrane filtration—were developed here.

Every year more than $14 billion is spent in Ontario on industrial, university-based, and private sector research. If you are looking for R&D incentives and government programs, Ontario offers one of the best incentive packages in the world. This ensures that you can drive innovation in the most economical manner possible.

Ontario’s R&D and innovation initiatives span all aspects of clean water concerns worldwide

Wastewater and drinking water companies account for 75% of R&D in Ontario’s water sector.

R&D spending by subsector (%)
Subsector Proportion of R&D Spending (%)
Stormwater 10
Source Water 5
Drinking Water 23
Wastewater 52
Services and Enablers 4
Other Sector 5

Technology companies, water treatment and wastewater remediation, and engineering companies drive over 90% of R&D spending in Ontario’s water sector.

R&D spending by business activity (%)
Business Activity Proportion of R&D Spending (%)
Technology, Product or Service Company 50
Water or Wastewater Treatment Provider 23
Chemical Company 2
Laboratory 0
Engineering or Consulting Company 19
Construction/Contracting 2
Training and Plant Operation 0
Other 4

Committed to innovation

In 2010 the Ontario government established the Water Opportunities and Water Conservation Act (WOWCA) to help support the commercialization of innovative water, wastewater and stormwater conservation and treatment technologies.

Find out more about Ontario’s clean water expertise