The Mille Îles River, located in Quebec, is made up of rich and diverse ecosystems. This 42-kilometre long river extends across 9 distinct urban and agricultural areas, and provides drinking water to over 450,000 citizens. It is home to fragile flora and fauna which are essential to healthy river ecosystems but also faces environmental challenges caused by wastewater and other pollution sources.
With the Mille Îles River AquaHacking Challenge, we are offering a unique opportunity to all young innovators and entrepreneurs to create solutions to address issues that impact this important river. These solutions will meet local needs while having the potential to scale to have global impact.
Timeline
Water Issues

Sewer Overflows
Develop a tool for the analysis, management and planning of activities for the protection and restoration of aquatic habitats in order to facilitate decision making and to act faster than they are degraded. Water Issue Leaders: COBAMIL and Ville de Terrebonne
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Ice Cover of the river
Predict and control variations in the thickness and duration of ice cover to facilitate decision-making regarding permitted uses and activities on the ice, and to measure the impact of the variations on aquatic fauna, water quality and thus better understand the impact of climate change. Water Issue Leader: Arrimage.Com Inc
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Avian Fauna and Water Quality
Mitigate and predict the impact of the growing avian fauna (geese, ducks and gulls) on the public banks of the Mille Îles River in order to improve water quality for recreational use. Water Issue Leader: Ville de Laval
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Aquatic Habitats
Develop a tool for the analysis, management and planning of activities for the protection and restoration of aquatic habitats in order to facilitate decision making and to act faster than they are degraded. Water Issue Leader: Éco-Nature
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Water issues summary
In the link below you can find a summary document about the water issues, with additional information and ressources (in french)
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Return on investment in your time and talent
All semi-finalists become members of the AquaHacking Alumni community.
Top four teams receive kick-start business training, leadership training, a spot in a local incubator and seed funding.
1st place
$20,000
2nd place
$15,000
3rd place
$10,000
4th place
$5,000
NEXT INFO-SESSIONS
*Registration required
GENERAL INFO-SESSIONS
February 19 ETE-403 Systèmes d’Information Géographique at Institute national de la recherche scientifique (INRS) (not open to the public)
February 12 BREE 420 Engineering for Sustainability at McGill University (not open to the public)
February 25, 12:00-1:00 PM EST*, in partnership with the University of Sherbrooke and CentrEau Register here
March 17 with class Bioresource Engineering at McGill University (not open to the public)
April 8, 12-1 PM EST*: Register here
January 26, 12:15 PM with ÉTS – watch the session
INFO-SESSIONS ABOUT WATER ISSUES – “ASK ME ANYTHING”
with the Water Issue Leaders and the AquaHacking Alumni
February 16 – 12 PM EST* – Ice covered – Register here
February 23 – 12 PM EST* – Aquatic habitats – Register here
>>NEW DATE<< March 3 – 12 PM EST* – Avian fauna and water quality – Register here
March 9 -12 PM EST* – Sewage overflow – Register here
For more info
Contact Isabelle Côté