Throughout Canada’s history, struggling communities have often been given a ready-made solution by those in power. To prevent water insecure communities from taking a top-down approach, the University of Saskatchewan is giving those affected the chance to create their own solution.

That’s from Dr. Graham Strickert, an associate professor at the University of Saskatchewan. As part of a new initiative at USask, his team will travel to the James Smith Cree Nation and Cumberland House to hold mixed media workshops with community members. The team hopes to learn what solutions the public has to address water insecurity in those areas.

“We specifically focus on water security because it is such a big challenge for these communities. (They experience) everything from flooding, drought, fire, water purification, the impact on ecosystems, the impact on culture.”

The collected data is then recorded in a script for a play.

“What we’re trying to do here is help communities decide what solutions they want to explore in these deployments. They’re in the driver’s seat. They’re the ones making the decisions about their future, and these are place-based solutions. So they’re purpose-built for that particular community.”

The play is performed for audiences at several local schools, as well as for government officials and policy makers.

“We hope they pay close attention to the adaptation and mitigation options that communities are considering.”

According to Strickert, science is important, but theatre and art are much more accessible and understandable.

“Art is a very complementary piece of understanding. It allows us to explore creative solutions. It allows us to innovate new ideas.”

Similar projects are underway in England, Germany and New Hampshire. The groups will work together to discuss their findings at the end of the three-year project.