Addressing the challenges posed by climate change in recent decades, particularly in Arctic and freshwater ecosystems, requires integrating diverse datasets across disciplines, cultures, and political boundaries. Although Canada has invested significantly in research infrastructure, much of its environmental data continues to be fragmented and difficult to access. The Canadian Watershed Information Network (CanWIN) provides a decentralized open-access platform that fosters research collaboration and knowledge sharing. By implementing CARE and FAIR principles and best practices for data stewardship, CanWIN enables ethical and transparent data sharing, supporting reconciliation efforts with Indigenous communities and enhancing evidence-based decision-making in response to climate and environmental change. An example project in collaboration with the Manitoba Metis Federation is highlighted.

NOTE: This is the accepted version of this publication. When available, the final published version will be linked into this site. The final version includes an additional author - Lex duPlessis from Link Digital.

© 2025 IEEE. Personal use of this material is permitted. Permission from IEEE must be obtained for all other uses, in any current or future media, including reprinting/republishing this material for advertising or promotional purposes, creating new collective works, for resale or redistribution to servers or lists, or reuse of any copyrighted component of this work in other works.