About
Our Story
Community Circle has evolved since the organization’s inception in 2008 into the unique, independent federal not-for-profit center of excellence it is today.
Our journey started in December 2008, under Canada’s Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council, with a primary focus on R&D in rural and Indigenous drinking water areas.
After ten years, our focus shifted from academic research to accelerating the transformation of the ideas into impact for communities. We developed an award-winning trademarked approach called “Community Circle™.”
Today, our work aims more broadly to improve the livelihoods of Indigenous and rural communities through the lens of water health.
We employ an iterative and evolving approach. During our history, we have explored many innovative frameworks for participatory open innovation to take research concepts out of the lab and into the real world. We have, and continue to learn, how to better understand the landscape we operate in to further enhance our impact.
Our solutions look more deeply at the idea of “scale,” and seek to scale the acceptable total experience, rather than a specific product. We assess the equitability and sustainability of promising innovative solutions to ensure they can actually work for communities and stand the test of time. View our Portfolio
Our Philosophy
Communities want to build, own, and govern solutions and take pride in the outcomes. Our job is to mobilize diverse talents to support communities in achieving these goals.
“Community Circle does not make a lot of the solutions you buy, but it does make the solutions you buy a lot more sustainable.”
Funding
Our major funding relationships are from both private and public sectors, including provincial and federal governments and generous private donors.
Our operating model is adopted from the “pay for success” approach.
Identification and Development
Funders contribute to Community Circle for identifying and developing novel water health solutions for at-risk communities.
Viability Demonstration
Once the viability of solutions is demonstrated, capital and operation costs are provided by either the government (for First Nations communities) or grants (for non-First Nations communities).
Government and Grant Funding
Government funding supports First Nations communities, recognized as the first inhabitants of the land, while grants support non-First Nations communities.
Grant Application Support
Community Circle supports partner communities with the development of grant applications to secure funding for their water health solutions.
Success is measured based on targets set by government agencies, the value defined by communities, and feedback from recipients, communities, and funders.
Awards & Recognition
Award of Excellence, the Association of Consulting Engineering Companies British Columbia
Association of Consulting Engineering Companies-British Columbia Lieutenant Governor’s Award of Excellence
Award of Excellence, the Association of Consulting Engineering Companies British Columbia
Association of Consulting Engineering Companies-British Columbia Lieutenant Governor’s Award of Excellence
Board of Directors
Our board comprises a prominent group of Indigenous and executive leaders, academics, and individuals who have distinguished themselves in advisory, innovation strategy, and oversight capacity. The board consults with the Indigenous Scholars' Circle to seek insights on specific issues as they emerge and guide the work of Community Circle.
Brian Bedford
Brian Bedford is the Executive Director of the BC Ministry of Municipal Affairs, Local Government, Infrastructure, and Finance. The Ministry has been collaborating with Community Circle (formerly RESEAU) since 2010 and has participated as a Community Circle's Board of Directors member since 2013.
Shawn Chorney
Shawn Chorney serves as Vice President at Canadore College in North Bay, Ontario, where for twelve years he has distinguished himself through innovative leadership and consistent achievement beyond established targets. His administrative accomplishments include implementing same-day mental health services, advancing Indigenous education initiatives, developing strategic enrollment frameworks, and creating industry-leading student engagement programs. Under his leadership, Canadore has secured over $20 million for social innovation initiatives, including the I Can Lead program and the Nipissing Poverty Reduction Through Education Program. Prior to Canadore, he held senior positions at Northern College as Associate Regional Director and Foundation Manager, developing expertise in academic program delivery and applied research. His professional background also includes executive leadership at United Way and entrepreneurial experience in the private sector. An active community leader, Shawn has served on numerous boards and committees, including the Ontario Application Service and as Chair of the Coordinating Committee of Vice Presidents for Ontario. His contributions have been recognized with the Ontera Youth Leadership Award (2009), selection to the Governor General's Canadian Leadership Conference (2015), and the Colleges and Institutes Canada Award (2017). Shawn holds a Bachelor's Degree from Laurentian University and a Master of Business Degree from the University of Phoenix.
Marv DeVries
Marv joined Trojan Technologies in 1988, at a time when the company had just 20 employees. During his first 15 years with Trojan, Marv had responsibility for expanding the business by creating a global sales and service organization. He was appointed as President of Trojan in 2003 and served in that role for 15 years, until his retirement in 2018.Trojan Technologies is the global leader in the supply of ultraviolet light (UV) based treatment systems for municipal water and wastewater treatment, with more than 10,000 successful installations over 100 countries. Under Marv’s leadership, the Trojan business successfully supplied and installed several of the world’s largest UV projects, including Orange County, California, New York City, Paris, Rotterdam and Chicago. During his tenure as President, Trojan grew to a total of 750 employees, with global headquarters in London, Ontario, Canada, and with offices in 16 countries around the world. Marv holds a B.Sc. in Engineering from the University of Guelph, and a Masters of Engineering from Western University.
Linda Debassige
Linda Debassige, Anishinabek Nation Grand Council Chief, Former Ogimaa Kwe (Chief) of M'Chigeeng First Nation, Former Political Advisor to Grand Chief Madahbee-Anishinabek Nation
Irving Leblanc
Irving Leblanc, P. Eng., International Fellow of the Canadian Academy of Engineering (CAE), The Chair of the Board for Community Circle, and Chief Innovation Officer, is the former Director of Infrastructure at the Assembly of First Nations (AFN). He has been actively involved in Community Circle (formerly RESEAU) governance since 2008, where he also holds the roles of Chair of the Board and Co-director. Irving earned his civil engineering degree from the University of Waterloo in 1971 and is a registered member of Professional Engineers Ontario. As an Odawa of the Three Fires Confederacy and a member of the Wiikwemikoong Unceded Indian Reserve on Manitoulin Island, Northern Ontario, he is fluent in his Odawa language.
Keyvan Maleki
With over 30 years of experience driving significant technology transformation projects across diverse sectors, including finance, banking, automotive, robotics, railway transportation, consulting engineering, education, sports, and water sanitation, I have operated in key markets such as the UK, Italy, the USA, and Canada. A unique part of my journey has been my recent focus on bridging the innovation gap for rural and Indigenous communities, an endeavor that aims to reshape problem-solving and decision-making processes in public and private sectors alike. I hold a specialization in artificial intelligence from Imperial College London, complemented by expertise in customer-focused innovation and business administration. I also possess a neurophysics diploma from ICTP/SISSA in Italy. My academic contributions include faculty roles in the computer science department at the University of Phoenix across Sacramento and the Bay Area, along with a position as a Research Associate at the School of Electronics and Electrical Engineering, University of Birmingham, UK. Beyond my technology-focused career, I have a robust background in athletics, having successfully coached tennis and directed junior tennis programs in Italy, California, and the Pacific Northwest.
Stéphanie McFadyen
Stéphanie McFadyen is a scientist at Health Canada. She is the research manager of the Water Quality Program and has been working on water quality and human health issues for more than 25 years. Her focus is on understanding and dealing with the health risks from substances–bacteria, viruses, parasites, chemicals, and radionuclides– in drinking and recreational water. She works closely with experts to develop guidelines and advice that are used as the basis of water quality standards to protect the health of Canadians. Stéphanie holds a Bachelor of Science from Trent University and a Master of Science from Carleton University.
Madjid Mohseni
Madjid Mohseni is a professor of chemical, biological and environmental engineering at the University of British Columbia. He is internationally renowned as an expert in drinking water quality and advanced water treatment processes, with particular emphasis on ultraviolet (UV)-, ion exchange and electrochemical-based processes for the removal of microbes and organic contaminants. Madjid is the Scientific Director of Community Circle. His contributions to the water industry have been recognized through multiple awards, including the Award of Excellence in the Water and Waste Community from the BC Water and Waste Association (BCWWA), Water’s Next Award from Water Canada, and Dean’s Medal of Distinction from the UBC Faculty of Applied Science.
Ted Molyneux
Senior Water and Wastewater Engineer at Indigenous Services Canada. Ted has been involved in Community Circle (formerly RESEAU) governance and evolution since 2010. Ted has been an advocate for filling the huge research and application gap between the various stakeholders supplying safe water to Indigenous and rural communities. He has been instrumental in the development of several innovation projects and the formation of start-up companies. Has inspired individuals in industry, young researchers, and, in particular, students to examine the impact of their research through the small and First Nations community point of view.
