On November 22, 2025, the Chinese Canadian Environmental & Municipal Professionals Association (CCEMP) successfully hosted a workshop titled “Environmental & Engineering Modelling: Climate, Water, and the Future of Our Planet” at the Langstaff Community Centre in Richmond Hill. The event explored the basics and emerging trends of environmental and engineering modelling, including climate change, groundwater, and hydrology modelling, and the application of modelling in different sectors.
The event featured inspiring keynote speeches from three distinguished guest speakers:
- Zheng Li (Climate Risk and Sustainability Management, Associate Director, RBC Capital Markets)
- Michael Yu (Hydrological and Hydraulic Modelling, Senior Specialist, DHI)
- Benjamin Bolger (Hydrogeological Engineer, Montrose Environmental Group)
The event was moderated by Dongwei Wang and Jacqueline Zhang, CCEMP Executive Member, who facilitated vibrant discussions and meaningful interactions between speakers and attendees.
🌟 Highlights from the Keynote Presentations
Zheng Li: Climate Modeling and Engineering Risk Assessment for Resilient Infrastructure and Industrial Systems
Zheng delivered a clear and well-structured introduction to how climate change is reshaping infrastructure planning in Canada, highlighting the growing risks of extreme rainfall, heat waves, and wildfires, and explaining how these risks translate into engineering challenges. She introduced key policy frameworks such as the climate perspective and the PIEVC agreement, clarifying how climate models guide future design decisions, and using a case study on stormwater management as an example to illustrate that green infrastructure development and implementation is a practical way to build more resilient communities against climate change.
Michael Yu: Fundamentals of Hydrological, Hydraulic, and Water Quality Modelling
Michael presented how hydrologic, hydraulic, water quality, and wastewater treatment models are used to support real-world water infrastructure planning and operations. He highlighted key tools such as SWMM, InfoWorks ICM, MIKE+, HEC-RAS, and BioWin, and showed how they are applied across watersheds, collection systems, floodplains, and treatment plants. He also introduced advanced lake–ocean modelling, plume mixing analysis, and digital twins that integrate numerical models, machine learning, and real-time data. Michael closed by stressing the need for defensible workflows, strong knowledge domain, and Python-assisted data processing.
Benjamin Bolger: Simulating the Predevelopment Groundwater–Surface Water Flow System in the San Joaquin Valley, California
Benjamin presented an integrated groundwater–surface water model that reconstructs the San Joaquin Valley’s predevelopment hydrologic system. The team built a 3D model incorporating historical land use, climate inputs, hydrogeologic units, and adjusted topography, successfully reproducing water tables, wetland extents, and a balanced water budget. The model establishes a defensible baseline for evaluating how modern stresses and climate change have altered the valley’s water system and will support future analyses of subsidence and water resource impacts.
💬 Engaging Panel Discussion: Real Questions, Candid Advice
The interactive panel discussion featured enthusiastic audience participation. The speakers responded with honest, practical, and experience-based advice, creating a lively and thought-provoking dialogue.
🤝 Networking & Meaningful Connections
During the open networking session, participants had the opportunity to ask follow-up questions, engage in one-on-one discussions, and connect with professionals at various stages of their careers. The event served not only as a knowledge-sharing platform but also as a springboard for professional growth and community building.
Thanks to the enthusiastic participation of our speakers and attendees, the event concluded successfully, underscoring CCEMP’s ongoing commitment to supporting professional development in Canada’s environmental and municipal sectors.
📅 Stay tuned for upcoming CCEMP events — we are dedicated to building a platform for connection, learning, and growth for environmental professionals across Canada.