The Cold Regions Research Centre was established in 1987, evolving from a large multidisciplinary, research & training, project on snow & ice hydrology in the Karakoram Himalaya of Pakistan that was based in WLU’s geography department. While the Centre’s initial focus was on arctic & mountain glaciology & hydrology, since 1990 the scope & role of the Centre within the geography department & the university has broadened. Today the CRRC is a focus of cold regions (mountain & northern) research consulting on topics such as hydrology, climatology, glaciology, resource management, parks planning & biogeochemistry.
The CRRC Executive Council was formed as the governing body of the CRRC in the Fall of 2021, serving as the primary executive authority that oversees its activities in accordance with Wilfrid Laurier University’s Policy 11.1 Establishment, Operations and Review of Research Centres. The terms of reference for the CRRC EC were drafted and revised through Fall 2020 and Winter 2021, ultimately being voted on and approved unanimously in Spring 2021 by the membership.