Author Archives: Partnership for Water Sustainability

  1. WATCH THE VIDEO: “The Partnership for Water Sustainability has its roots in government – provincial, federal, and most importantly, local government. Over three decades, the Partnership has evolved – from a technical committee in the 1990s,to a water roundtable in the first decade of the 2000s, to a legal entity in 2010,” stated Kim Stephens, Partnership Executive Director, in his remarks as part of the Bowen Island Climate Conversation (July 2021)

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    Water and a Changing Climate: Drought Affects Us All

    “The Partnership for Water Sustainability has its roots in government – provincial, federal, and most importantly, local government. Over three decades, the Partnership has evolved – from a technical committee in the 1990s,to a water roundtable in the first decade of the 2000s, to a legal entity in 2010,” stated Kim Stephens. Partnership Executive Director, in his opening remarks at Bowen Island Municipality’s Climate Conversations in July 2021. The theme for the virtual workshop session was Climate Conversation: Water Conservation Innovation.

    “Incorporation of the Partnership for Water Sustainability as a non-profit society allows us to carry on the Living Water Smart mission. We are growing a network, not building an organization. In terms of my professional career as a water resource engineer and planner, I have been in the right place at the right time, and with the right people.”

    “In a nutshell, my responsibilities revolve around delivering the Water Sustainability Action Plan through partnerships and collaboration, through a local government network. This background provides me with context and perspective regarding how the local water balance is changing due to global changes in the water cycle, and what BC communities must do to adapt.”

    Growing a Network Through Collaborative Leadership

    “Collaborative leadership uses the power of influence rather than positional authority to engage and align individuals and organizations within a network, and deliver results across organizational boundaries. Success depends on creating an environment of trust, mutual respect, and shared aspiration in which all the players can contribute to achieving collective goals.”

    To Learn More:

    Download a PDF copy of Living Water Smart in British  Columbia: Power of Collaborative Leadership, released in June 2021.

    A Career Perspective

    “A long career provides perspective. In my five decades as water resource planner and engineer, there are three years that really stand out in British Columbia when the topic is water conservation,”

    “After what in respect was a benign half-century, 1987 was British Columbia’s first wake up call. The drought was unprecedented in living memory. Few people are aware that the Metro Vancouver region came within two weeks of the water storage dams being completely empty. There was no Plan B. All anyone could do was hope the rains would come in November. And they did. The downpour on November 2, 1987  broke the drought.”

    “The 1987 drought was a defining moment in that it started changing the conversation about water conservation in BC from folks asking why should we even c0nsider using less water, to a consensus emerging that we do need match water demand to water supply. But it took until 1992, after we experienced our third drought, before people stopped asking the why question.”

    Truly Teachable Years

    “But it was 2003 that truly was what we call ‘the teachable year.’ The Okanagan Valley was on fire, about 27,000 people were evacuated from the City of Kelowna, and several hundred homes were lost. This really got the attention of British Columbians that the climate was indeed changing. It was the 2003 teachable year that created the opportunity for the Partnership to develop and implement the Water Sustainability Plan for British Columbia through partnerships and collaboration. My Action Plan responsibilities continue to this day.”

    “In 2015, the West Coast of North America crossed an invisible threshold into a different hydro-meteorological regime. And it has happened faster than anyone expected. Our new reality is longer, drier summers. A generation ago, water supply managers could reasonably anticipate that three months of water storage would be sufficient to maintain supply during a drought summer. Today, however, a 6-month drought is a very real likelihood. It is necessary to plan accordingly. Communities need double the storage volume.”

    Watch the YouTube Video!

    To view the presentation by Kim Stephens, watch the 28-minute segment that begins at the 6-minute and concludes at the 34-minute mark. And if you wish to learn about drought-tolerant plants, continue watching to learn from the experience of Kathy Leishman of the Bowen Island Garden Club who says:

    “Our garden has developed into two areas, with each having a different focus. The seaside area was planned to be drought tolerant and deer resistant, and has certainly been the most interesting area. Lots of testing and learning going on, even after 23 years! The north side of the house is fenced, and more conventional in planting.”

    To Learn More:

    To view the PowerPoint presentation by Kim Stephens, download a copy of  Water and a Changing Climate: Drought Affects Us All.

    The Summer 2021 issue of the Asset Management BC Newsletter includes an article co-authored by Kim Stephens to open minds about foundational concepts upon which to build climate adaptation strategies that result in whole-system water management outcomes.

    To read the complete article, download a copy of Restore the Balance in Water Balance – Climate Change is Another Variable When Planning for Sustainable Service Delivery, Dealing With Uncertainty, and Managing Risk

    In addition, download a copy of Living Water Smart in British Columbia: Dealing with Uncertainty and Managing Risk.

     

     

  2. Lifetime Member – Deborah Jones (inducted in 2021)

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    Note to Reader:

    The City of Delta is midway through the Second Decade of its rain garden program. For the past 15 years, Deborah Jones has been an instrumental player in this highly collaborative and very successful partnership between local government and the stewardship sector. Her story is showcased by the Partnership for Water Sustainability in the document titled Delta’s Rain Garden Program for Urban Landscape Enhancement: Sustaining the Legacy through the Second Decade and Beyond, published in 2020.

    In 2021, the Partnership honoured Deborah Jones as a Lifetime Member due to her extraordinary contributions that “make real” the vision for Living Water Smart in British Columbia by implementing “design with nature” solutions that reconnect people, land, fish, and water in altered landscapes. 

    Deborah Jones, Rain Garden Champion

    Deborah Jones has a BA in Urban Studies, a Masters of Library Science, and worked for Vancouver Public Library for over 30 years.

    She and husband Ib Nielsen joined Cougar Creek Streamkeepers in 2004, after noticing illegal tree-cutting on the banks of North Delta’s most productive salmon stream. They put their gardening experience to work on a restoration planting project along that streambank — which gave them many opportunities to observe the impacts of urban runoff close-up, as it poured directly into Cougar Creek at Scott Road from nearby malls, streets and residential areas.

    These observations in turn inspired Deb’s request to the Corporation (now City) of Delta, for a stormwater infiltration pilot project — a request that materialized in 2006 as Cougar Canyon Elementary School Rain Garden, under the leadership of then-Manager of Utilities Hugh Fraser and urban landscape designer Sarah Howie.

    With support from Mayor & Council, that project was followed by many more. Deb now serves as volunteer Rain Gardens Coordinator for the Streamkeepers, overseeing the maintenance of 29 school and community rain gardens that were installed in collaboration with the City of Delta, Delta School District, Pacific Salmon Foundation, BC Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure, Nature Trust of BC and others. She also advises the Nature Trust and Be the Change Earth Alliance on their rain garden programs.

    Deb is a source of inspiration for many stewardship groups, both in the Metro Vancouver region and on the east coast of Vancouver Island.

    The photo is the Trent Street Rain Garden, the City of Victoria’s flagship rain garden.

    Delta’s Rain Garden Program for Urban Landscape Enhancement: Sustaining the Legacy through the Second Decade and Beyond

    Looking back, I see now that the rain garden program evolved gradually, in the manner of any good garden — from early conversations in 1999, through the first rain garden in 2006, to the 29 school and community rain gardens in 2019,” Deborah Jones stated in a moment of reflection. “The rain garden at Cougar Canyon Elementary School established a precedent for citizen science in action in Delta. Twenty-eight similar collaborative projects followed during the period 2009 through 2019. There have also been many City-only projects where there has been no volunteer participation.”

    Quotable Quotes:

    “The City of Delta has a long history of working closely with the Cougar Creek Streamkeepers on projects that improve watershed conditions,” Mayor George Harvie, City of Delta.

    “One example of this is the highly successful rain garden program, which has not only increased stormwater infiltration in our urban areas but has also created beautiful amenities in the community.

    “The close collaboration between the City, the Streamkeepers, other volunteers and the Delta School District is what has allowed the rain garden program to persist for 15 years. I look forward to encouraging these types of projects in the years to come.”

    An Implementation Perspective

    “The ‘pioneering’ days of Delta’s rain garden program were a great time of trial and error. We enjoyed the creative challenges of figuring out ways to work around underground utilities, move water across sidewalks and down slopes, deal with unexpected high water tables and poor drainage, and predict which plants would survive the particular site conditions of each garden,” continued Dr. Sarah Howie, Office of Climate Action & Environment, City of Delta. Dr. Howie, a landscape architect, was originally hired by Delta Engineering and partnered with an engineer to form a rain garden design team. This was a precedent-setting action.

    “The most interesting part of designing rain gardens was that every single garden was unique to the site, so there were no cookie-cutter designs. We always got to try something new. If it worked out, we would use the best elements in the next garden, in a process of continual refinement.

    “The success of Delta’s rain garden program is largely thanks to the leadership and committed involvement of the Cougar Creek Streamkeepers. Their energetic and dedicated volunteers keep the rain gardens functional and beautiful, which gives the city confidence to do more of these types of projects.”

    Cougar Canyon Elementary School – the first rain garden project organized by Deborah Jones

     

  3. Lifetime Member – Dr. Kim Hyatt (inducted in 2021)

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    Note to Reader:

    Dr. Kim Hyatt, passed peacefully away on May 25, 2021 with his family and closest friend by his side, following a battle with a very aggressive cancer.  Although Kim was on medical leave during this battle, he still remained committed and connected to the many research projects under his leadership; a sign of his dedication to his team and his work. Anyone who had the pleasure of working with Kim or even seeing him speak at meetings or conferences would instantly recognize Kim’s personal commitment and passion for his work and for a greater understanding of salmon.

    Kim made significant contributions to the department in many areas including the Wild Salmon Policy, advice relating to the Columbia River Treaty, and climate change impacts to salmon populations.  His passion for discovery and excitement for innovation resulted in a number of long-standing relationships with First Nations and external organizations, relationships that Kim built on trust, commitment, and honest communication.  His scientific prowess, leadership, and good humor will be greatly missed by all who knew him.

    A Tribute by Nick Leone (recently retired from the Department of Fisheries & Oceans) and Dr. Peter Tschaplinski (BC Ministry of Environment & Climate Change Strategy)

    Sadly, the Canadian Scientific Community lost a significant and vital member in late May with the passing of Dr. Kim Hyatt, Scientist & Researcher for Fisheries & Oceans Canada, Pacific Biological Station.

    Kim was by, formal education and experience, an Aquatic Ecologist. He was a recognized and influential force in helping to guide and advance our knowledge and understanding of ecosystem dynamics, climate change & species evolution and adaptation of Pacific Salmon to shifts in their natural environment.

    Kim worked for the Science Branch of DFO Pacific Region for 40-plus years, leading numerous applied research programs. He was a sought-after Scientist-Expert Advisor on several multi-jurisdictional water management and salmon stock recovery initiatives, including those on Vancouver Island and the Okanagan & Columbia River Basins (US-Canada Columbia Basin Treaty).

    Kim played a foundational role on the development of Fisheries & Oceans Canada Wild Salmon Policy (WSP), often considered the contemporary blueprint for salmon conservation and management. Kim was further instrumental in advancing our knowledge of large lake systems nutrient cycling/dynamics, and assessment of the application of supplemental fertilization  as a management tool for enhancing sockeye productivity.

    Additionally, Kim working in collaboration with the Pacific Salmon Foundation, was a driving influence on development of the Risk Assessment Methodology for Salmon (RAMs), an emerging management tool linked to the WSP, integrating influential landscape processes with the complex life-histories of Pacific Salmon populations, their limiting factors & productivity.

    The RAMs process continues to evolve as an important Salmon Management tool, promoting collaboration with conservation and stakeholder interests and combining Science with Indigenous-Traditional & Community-based knowledge. Most recently and while continuing with his numerous other duties, Kim graciously agreed to come aboard as a team member to support the Vancouver Island Symposia Series on Water Stewardship in a Changing Climate (“The Watershed Moment Series”) because its unifying theme, Reconnecting Hydrology and Stream Ecology, aligned with Kim’s expertise and passion.

    The series is dedicated to profiling and promoting the integration of applied research, community science and collaboration across government levels, and in partnership with community conservation and stewardship interests.

    Kim Hyatt’s profound understanding of the complexities of ecosystems and the myriad interconnections in our greater environment that sustain all life including humanity was rare, insightful, and valued. Perhaps and arguably most notably however, Kim was a genuine, generous, and wonderful person with a gift to readily translate scientific knowledge into understandable, relatable terms – to advance the concepts and  principles for application for science-based management.

    Although Kim will most certainly be remembered as a brilliant Scientist and Researcher, it was fundamentally Kim’s character, his person, insight, wit and wry humor and ability to communicate and engage people that will undoubtedly hold equal measure.

    Kim was also a close and dear friend with so many of his colleagues – compassionate, authentic, steadfast and dependable.  To find such qualities in an individual is rare and certainly special, and indeed Kim was just that. Our hearts & thoughts go with Kim and  his family.

    Like many, we were fortunate to have known and worked with Kim, and through this relationship, hope to honor him through the ongoing efforts and initiatives of PWSBC in applying the insights  and wisdom he so willingly and graciously shared in a field he held so much passion for.  He will be dearly missed.  Kim is survived by his three sons and their families, including seven grandchildren. Kim was predeceased by his wife Annis.

     

    Watershed Moments, the Video Trilogy Series:
    In the third module, broadcast in December 2020, viewers learned that looking through the salmon lens reminds us of the critical requirement for reconnection between federal and provincial government agencies to collaborate in undertaking a challenging mission for which they share authority

    The ‘salmon crisis’ of the 1990s galvanized federal-provincial action, cross-border collaboration, and pioneer research. Now, the International Year of the Salmon program is a potential game-changer because it is the springboard to inspire a new generation of researchers, managers and conservationists to take the baton and collaborate to reconnect fish, people and the landscape.

    Dr. Kim Hyatt and Dr. Peter Tschaplinski, two senior research scientists, headlined the finale module in the Video Trilogy Series. They shared their federal and provincial perspectives, respectively. They embodied a wealth of fisheries-related knowledge. The experience of this engaging duo dated back to the 1970s. Thus, they did know of what they spoke!

    Inspire Communities to Mobilize to Do Better

    “From an IYS perspective, large efforts of a very large mass of people around the rims of the North Atlantic, North Pacific and likely Arctic oceans will need to ‘come together’ for any real change to occur,” said Dr. Kim Hyatt.

    “From this perspective, the requirement in an increasingly interconnected world is closer to ‘humankind’ than to a few of us in the local community. That said, it’s the sum of us in local communities that will move this closer to a humankind undertaking. At every scale, there are challenges and solutions that are going to need to be embraced. We have the thinking figured out. We can take lessons learned and bring them back to our regional and local context, and inspire people to do better.”

    “How do we encapsulate the human element? It is not just our impact on things. It is much more. It is our behaviour. It is how our behaviour has changed over the decades. We are trying to make things better,” added Dr. Peter Tschaplinski. “The way we are managing really goes well with the designing with nature concept. We are part of nature. We are part of the ecosystem. We have a big effect because there are so many of us. We change the landscape profoundly. But we are still part it.”

    Federal – Provincial Team for 3rd Module in Watershed Moments Series:

    The YouTube video of the  eulogy by Nick Leone when he informed the Watershed Moments Team of the passing of Kim Hyatt:

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

  4. Lifetime Member – Lynn Kriwoken (inducted in 2021)

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    Note to Reader:

    Lynn Kriwoken played an instrumental role in the creation and launching of the Water Sustainability Action Plan in February 2004. A true visionary, Lynn saw how the Water Sustainability Action Plan would provide an umbrella for on-the-ground initiatives that would inform provincial policy through the shared responsibility model. There was a natural fit. Her advocacy within government was essential to securing a flow of provincial funding that got the ball rolling and resulted in a self-fulfilling prophecy. Without Lynn Kriwoken, there would not have been an Action Plan. It really is that simple.

    An introduction to Lynn Kriwoken

    Lynn Kriwoken retired from government as the Executive Director of Water Protection and Sustainability with the British Columbia Ministry of Environment and Climate Change. Lynn devoted her career to water resource management starting in work with indigenous communities in the Mackenzie River Basin, James Bay and Hudson Bay Lowlands. Over her 30-year career, her work spanned the development and delivery of a range of water programs, policies, agreements and initiatives.

    Recognized as an innovator and change leader, Lynn’s accomplishments are founded on a basis of relationships, collaboration and trust. In the last phase of her career, Lynn had the privilege of leading the provincial water program in charting the direction for water governance and management in BC for the 21st century.

    Lynn had represented British Columbia on the Mackenzie River Basin Board since 2001 and was the province’s lead in negotiating and implementing bilateral transboundary water agreements with other jurisdictions in the Basin.  Lynn is a Geographer and holds a Master’s Degree in Resource and Environmental Management.

    The following description of Lynn’s career is reproduced from the nomination that the Partnership for Water Sustainability submitted to the Order of British Columbia

    Lynn Kriwoken’s relentless advocacy for water sustainability and her visionary and collaborative leadership over three decades in the provincial public service was responsible for ushering in a new era of sustainable water management in British Columbia.

    In the 1990’s, limitations with British Columbia (BC)’s water policies became increasingly problematic. The 100+ year-old Water Act required substantial changes to enable BC to manage water sustainably in the face of a growing population, climate change and water scarcity and a renewed interest among First Nations and local governments for a greater role in decision making for water.

    First, BC’s Water Protection Act:

    In the mid-1990’s, Lynn assumed a leading role developing BC’s Water Protection Act, which prohibited bulk export of water from BC. This was one of Lynn’s first major contributions towards improving water sustainability in BC.

    Modernizing BC’s water management was a significant challenge and demanded creative policy development, as well as strong trusting partnerships with business and landowners, local communities, industry, stewardship groups and First Nations.

    Achieving success required balancing a wide range of – and at times conflicting – water interests. Lynn’s vision and collaborative leadership, her relentless pursuit to develop leading edge water policy for BC, gained her much respect from her peers, the academic sector, industry, communities, First Nations and political leaders alike.

    Then, Living Water Smart:

    In subsequent years, Lynn led the development of the Living Water Smart (LWS) plan, launched in 2008. LWS framed the vision for sustainable water stewardship and set in motion a process to engage thousands of British Columbians over a 5-year period, including First Nations, stewardship groups, industry, and the academic sector in crafting government’s future water policy.

    It was a call to action on many fronts and Lynn excelled at working with these diverse groups, seeking common ground and collaboration to address water sustainability. Three of Lynn’s outstanding achievements under Living Water Smart include the following:

    • Lynn’s efforts resulted in the WSA coming into effect in 2016 to replace the old Water Act, enabling government to finally regulate groundwater use for the first time in BC’s history, managing surface water and groundwater as a single resource, and setting a legally-binding framework for Water Sustainability Plans. The WSA is landmark legislation that brought BC to the forefront nationally in water management.
    • Lynn was also a leading driver in the development and on-going implementation of three Bilateral Water Management Agreements with Yukon Territory, Northwest Territories, and Alberta, including Indigenous partners. These progressive Agreements negotiated under the Mackenzie River Basin Master Agreement represent extraordinary opportunities for collaborative, proactive and innovative management of our transboundary waters. The investments led by Lynn are recognized globally as exemplary practice in multi-jurisdictional water management and have set the stage for water leadership and true reconciliation with Indigenous peoples in BC and Canada.
    • In the last 5 years in government, Lynn worked diligently with five First Nations in the Nicola River watershed to enable the province and First Nation governments to jointly explore collaborative decision making models for water. The collaborative work that Lynn and her colleagues accomplished will contribute significantly to the process of reconciliation with Indigenous peoples in BC.

    Lynn’s exceptional leadership and tenacity has produced the outstanding achievements described above that will benefit BC for generations to come!

    The Day Job May Be Over, But the Mission Continues!

    “In my ‘happyment’, I am committed to water in my two backyards,” says Lynn Kriwoken.

    “First, I am a Trustee and Chair of the Oceanview Improvement District which serves my neighbourhood in Mill Bay on Vancouver Island. We are responsible for ensuring safe drinking water, from our 300 ft. deep bedrock aquifer, for our small community of 22 homes.”

    “Secondly, I am President of the Whistler Lakes Conservation Association, incorporated in June 2020 just a couple of months after my retirement from government. For those who know me, it will come as no surprise that I’ve got the board doing visioning and strategic planning around the 7th Generation principle. My daughters are 4th generation Whistler kids, and their grandkids will make it 7 generations.”

    “The primary goal is to preserve the pristine lakes of Whistler.  This goal is not new to this area because Whistler is on the shared, unceded ancestral lands of the Sk̲wx̲wú7mesh Úxumixw, people of the Squamish Nation and the L̓il̓wat7úl, the people of the Lil’wat Nation.”

    “The use of the word ‘shared’ represents a unique historic protocol agreement signed in March 2001, between the Lil’wat Nation, Squamish Nation and Resort Municipality of Whistler (RMOW).  It provides a framework for the establishment of stronger government-to-government-to-government relationships. This agreement seeks to continue to build the tri-partite relationship and move forward key areas of mutual interest.”

    Whistler Lakes Volunteer Lake Monitoring  Program

    “After incorporation,” continues Lynn Kriwoken, “I spent the next 9-month period  building the Whistler Lakes Volunteer Lake Monitoring Program under the WLCA ; with growing concerns about the impact of human activity in and around Whistler lakes, a stewardship group like WLCA is timely. It provides a strong linkage back to my water literacy/stewardship ethic quotable quote (above).”

    Kim Stephens, Partnership Executive Director, presents the “certificate of recognition” to Lynn Kriwoken in July 2022.

    We Take Care of Our Water, Our Water Takes Care of Us

    Created by Lynn Kriwoken in collaboration with Carina Nilsson, graphics designer, the  image below encapsulates and gives an immediate sense of the HISTORY OF WATER in British Columbia. This unique way of visualizing the ‘water story’ provides a natural entry point for the highlighting of Lynn’s timely contributions. Click on the image to view a high resolution version.

     

    Lynn Kriwoken recognized an opportunity and seized the moment to create the Water Sustainability Action Plan for British Columbia through partnerships

    “The 2001 provincial election resulted in a change in government, with Gordon Campbell elected as Premier. His grasp of water issues meant that BC’s top decision-maker was a ‘water champion’ whose interests encompassed the vision for the Water Sustainability Action Plan,” recalls Kim Stephens, Executive Director, Partnership for Water Sustainability in BC.

    Charting  a New Course

    “In his mandate letter to the Minister of Water, Land and Air Protection, for example, the Premier framed objectives for three key areas of the Ministry’s Service Plan as follows:

    • “increased service delivery through partnerships;
    • facilitation of community initiatives to protect and restore their local environment; and
    • the strategic shift from sole protector of the environment to shared stewardship – sharing responsibility for the environment with others.”

    “Lynn connected the dots between her Ministry’s Service Plan and the Action Plan potential. There was a natural fit.  Thus, this statement of intent crafted by Lynn Kriwoken became our call to action:

    The Water Sustainability Action Plan provides an umbrella for on-the-ground initiatives that are informing Provincial policy through the shared responsibility model.”

    “In 2003, this ‘top-down and bottom-up’ context for action represented a remarkable paradigm-shift in guiding philosophy for government.”

     

     

  5. Lifetime Member – Hugh Fraser (inducted in 2021)

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    Note to Reader:

    The Partnership for Water Sustainability in British Columbia has honoured Hugh Fraser as a Lifetime Member. Hugh Fraser’s engineering career spans four decades, from his graduation in 1983 until his retirement in 2021. His experience is Canada-wide. In 1997, he joined the City of Delta, the 10th largest city in British Columbia with a population of over 100,000 people. Below, Hugh Fraser reflects on his journey and provides a window into his career highlights as a professional engineer and a local government leader in the Metro Vancouver region. His reflections make for an interesting and entertaining read.

    The Partnership is led by a team of community-minded and mission-focused elders. These individuals believe that when each generation is receptive to accepting the inter-generational baton and embracing the wisdom that goes with it, the decisions of successive generations will benefit from and build upon the experience of those who went before them. Thus, the Partnership hopes that Hugh Fraser will have future opportunities to pass on his knowledge, experience and wisdom to those who wish to accept the baton!

    Hugh Fraser, M.A.Sc., P.Eng., FEC

    “High school students often have a difficult time making a career choice.  I was no exception as there are so many options from which one can choose.” recalls Hugh Fraser. “I enjoyed the sciences in high school and was not particularly taken with writing essays. I also wanted to learn land surveying and so decided to pursue a degree in civil engineering; little knowing the numerous career options available in that area of study.”

    The early 1980s was a period of high unemployment in Canada

    “After six years of study at University of Toronto, the last two with Dr. Barry Adam’s, I graduated in the spring of 1983 with a Master of Applied Science, in water resources and environment.   The fall of 1982 was a time when the economy was heading into a recession. I attend a storm water management conference in Ottawa in the fall of 1982 and although work prospects were not great Dr. Paul Wisner kindly offered me work as a research assistant at the University of Ottawa.  Through that assignment I made many contacts, helped with the IMPSWM program, assisted with coding of OTTHYMO, assisting with organizing seminars / conferences.”

    A decade of experience in Ontario provided a career foundation

    “In 1985 I joined Cumming Cockburn Associates in Ottawa and was involved in development projects, watershed studies and flood plain analysis.  Small firms offer great learning opportunities for junior engineers.  In the fall of 1987, I joined UMA Engineering in Toronto as the Ontario, Manager of Water Resources and led a team of professionals working on the analysis of the Metro Toronto sanitary and combined sewer systems.”

    “The projects involved integrating sewer system modeling with sewage treatment plant process models.  This allowed the team to evaluate the impact on the treatment plant of different sewer system operational strategies. The models assessed the treatment plants hydraulic and biological operational strategies during dry and wet weather conditions.”

    “UMA provided me with consulting opportunities across Canada which ultimately led to my being transferred to the BC Regional office in Burnaby.  Once in BC I volunteered with Engineers and Geoscientists of British Columbia (EGBC) at the New Westminster branch and also chaired the Association’s Mentoring committee for several years.”

    The move to local government in British Columbia

    “In 1997, Mr. Peter Steblin P.Eng. provided me with the opportunity to join Delta’s utility division.  At the time, little did I know the range of projects in which I would participate over the next two decades.  Delta, an oasis in Metro Vancouver region, has many unique infrastructure elements that present a range of engineering challenges.”

    A Range of Infrastructure Challenges:

    “One of my first tasks was to develop long range plans for each of the utilities.   This took several years but provided a longer term operational, capital and financial framework for utility operations. The engineering works are Delta are extensive and can be taken for granted.  For example the lowland pumped storm water system capacity exceeds 30 cubic metres per second.  This is more than the storm runoff discharge of many streams and small rivers in Ontario.”

    “The communities of Ladner and Tsawwassen rely on a sewage pump system that is approximately 20 km in length and must operate safely and continuously in the worst of storm conditions.  The community has an extensive dike system that is about 67 km in length to protect the lowlands from the potential of daily inundation.”

    “During the summer months the agriculture land depends on an extensive irrigation system which forms an important component of regional food production.  Farms that supply food to the local region rely on a good supply of fresh irrigation water.   The province and Delta upgraded the system as part of the SFPR highway construction project.”

    “The highway has improved the transportation network in the region and the irrigation system upgrade has enhanced the water supply.   For utility operation decisions the SCADA and GIS systems have been significantly improved over the past decade. They assist many Delta staff in the day to day work responding to local residents and informing staff about system’s operational performance.”

    “Delta is proactively working to maintain and improve the local environment through foreshore improvement projects and Burns Bog restoration projects. In this regard, as a member of Delta staff, I worked with Dr. Sarah Howie, Dr. Richard Hebda, Don Demill (a consultant), and the Burns Bog Scientific Advisory Panel in the design and implementation of a monitoring and water management strategy for the Bog. Ongoing storm water management initiatives in the community have involved numerous neighbourhood level projects.”

    Delta’s Innovative Rain Garden Program:

    “Delta implemented an integrated design team with Sarah Howie as the landscape architect, a design engineer and drafting staff to work with local stream keepers. The engineering operations staff provided in-field installation and implementation expertise at many of the locations.”

    “To assist with student education a rain garden implementation program was jointly developed with the Ms. Deborah Jones, of Cougar Creek stream keepers, Delta School District and the City of Delta. Elementary school students in conjunction with engineering staff were provided with hands on planting experience.  As the Partnership for Water Sustainability’s Kim Stephens knows from his experience, Deborah is an incredible volunteer, a great motivator and a community champion.”

    Closing Reflections:

    “Throughout the years I was involved in several committees, numerous Council meetings and public meetings.  As Deputy Director for more approximately 15 years this involved participating in the technical, financial and management aspects of the department.   I enjoyed the team camaraderie fostered by Directors Mr. Ian Radnidge P.Eng. and Mr. Stephen Lan P.Eng. and our administrative assistant Lyn Lappin.  I look forward to maintaining the friendships developed with staff and community members for years to come,” concludes Hugh Fraser.

     

    Hugh Fraser, Green Infrastructure Champion

    “Hugh Fraser is a green infrastructure pioneer in the Metro Vancouver region,” states Kim Stephens, Partnership Executive Director. “In the early 2000’s, Hugh was a leading voice on Metro Vancouver’s Stormwater Interagency Liaison Group, known by the acronym SILG. Comprising representatives from three levels of government, this group had energy and made things happen under the umbrella of the rainwater component of the region’s Liquid Waste Management Plan. SILG is a foundation piece in the history of the Partnership for Water Sustainability.”

    “Funded by SILG, one of the Partnership’s early capacity-building initiatives was the Metro Vancouver Showcasing Green Infrastructure Series, held in both 2006 and 2007. This idea for the series was an outcome of the Green Infrastructure Consultation Workshop hosted by the City of Surrey in 2005, and organized by the Partnership. Hugh Fraser was a key participant. His sharing of Delta’s early rain garden experience certainly influenced the conversation around the table.”

    “Framed from a local government manager perspective, and guided by the leadership of Paul Ham (Surrey’s General Manager of Engineering), we designed the 2005 workshop to engage the Metro Vancouver Regional Engineers Advisory Committee (REAC).  We wanted REAC input into our work plan for developing policy and technical communication guides for elected officials and senior managers, respectively.”

    Showcasing Green Infrastructure Innovation Series

    “The workshop proved to be a revelation for all those who participated,” recalls Raymond Fung, Partnership Director. At the time of the workshop he was the Director of Engineering & Transportation with the District of West Vancouver. “As we went around the table, the stories came out as to what Metro Vancouver municipalities were doing. A common refrain was: ‘We didn’t know you were doing that!’ The energy in the room just kept building and building.”

    “At the end of the day, we literally tore up our Partnership work plan. It was clear that practitioners did not need another guidance document that would go on a shelf. Rather, they needed to network and learn from each other. The 2005 workshop truly was a dynamic and transformational event. We witnessed the motivational power of celebrating successes. We also recognized the need to get the story out about the leadership being shown by local government. This influenced everything that followed, including the work on Vancouver Island.”

    “Fast forward to 2007. Delta hosted one of three showcasing events with the enthusiastic support of (former) Mayor Lois Jackson who was then Chair of the Metro Vancouver Regional District,” adds Kim Stephens.

    Statement by Lois Jackson to open the 2007 Series:

    “It was exactly a year ago that I met Paul Ham, Kim Stephens and Ray Fung. I remember that first meeting quite clearly,” stated (former) Mayor Lois Jackson. “At first I was not sure I understood what was meant when they talked about ‘green infrastructure’ and ‘celebrating successes’. And then the light went on when I realized they were talking about things like Delta’s sidewalk retrofit strategy and our program for transforming ditches into landscaped amenities that beautify roadways.”

    “I remember saying now I get it! – the point being that when you have examples of what can be done, and projects are being built, you can then wrap your mind around the green infrastructure vision and say to yourself: ‘what’s the big deal….this is really common sense….if we can do this, then we can do more.’ And before you know it, the ball is rolling and the landscape is changing for the better. “

    Delta’s Rain Garden Program Demonstrates Shared Responsibility

    “Delta is making ‘green infrastructure’ a standard practice in our community.  These are no longer just ‘pilot projects’. When we re-build roads in Delta, streetscape enhancement is part of the capital budget. In addition, each year we invest in two or three community rain gardens,” Hugh Fraser stated in 2014.

    “Everyone in the process, students, designers, managers and constructors, must understand and care about the big-picture goal. This requires an ongoing educational process that instills an ethic. This is a team effort. Nothing would have happened without all working together and continuing to work together.”

    “Creating a watershed health legacy will ultimately depend on how well we are able to achieve rain water management improvements on both public and private sides of a watershed. There is a huge up-side if the private sector embraces their contribution to shared responsibility.”

    An Implementation Perspective

    “The ‘pioneering’ days of Delta’s rain garden program were a great time of trial and error. We enjoyed the creative challenges of figuring out ways to work around underground utilities, move water across sidewalks and down slopes, deal with unexpected high water tables and poor drainage, and predict which plants would survive the particular site conditions of each garden,” stated Dr. Sarah Howie in 2020.

    “The most interesting part of designing rain gardens was that every single garden was unique to the site, so there were no cookie-cutter designs. We always got to try something new. If it worked out, we would use the best elements in the next garden, in a process of continual refinement.”

    “The success of Delta’s rain garden program is largely thanks to the leadership and committed involvement of the Cougar Creek Streamkeepers. Their energetic and dedicated volunteers keep the rain gardens functional and beautiful, which gives the city confidence to do more of these types of projects.”

    To Learn More:

    Download a copy of Creating the Future in The Corporation of Delta: Rain Gardens Help Restore Nature, published by the Partnership in January 2015 to help celebrate launch the second decade of Delta’s rain garden program.

    Download a copy of Delta’s Rain Garden Program for Urban Landscape Enhancement: Sustaining the Legacy through the Second Decade and Beyond, published in 2020.

     

  6. Lifetime Member – Carrie Baron (inducted in 2021)

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    Note to Reader:

    The Partnership for Water Sustainability in British Columbia has honoured Carrie Baron as a Lifetime Member because of her sustained commitment and contributions over two decades to the enduring success of the Partnership. Carrie Baron is an innovator and local government leader in the Metro Vancouver region. Below, she reflects on her career as a professional engineer. Her life story makes for an interesting read. One of the first generation of women to go into civil engineering in Manitoba, Carrie Baron has left her imprint on the profession.

    Carrie Baron, P.Eng.

    “Growing up, I lived across Canada. I started in Richmond playing in ditches before moving with my family to Edmonton. Then it was onto Montreal before finally graduating from high school in Winnipeg,” recalls Carrie Baron.

    “Coming out of high school, I was interested in chemistry and thus entered the engineering program at the University of Calgary in 1979.  I worked at the Shell refinery in Winnipeg in the testing lab for the summers.”

    “After two years in engineering at U of C, I decided I wanted to be a civil engineer instead of a chemical engineer.  So, in 1981, I transferred back to Winnipeg to enter the civil engineering program at the University of Manitoba. In the summers I worked for the City of Winnipeg doing work on rain water management and water systems.”

    Overcoming Gender Stereotyping!

    “In 1985, I graduated with a Bachelors of Science in Civil Engineering. From there, I worked for the City of Winnipeg before starting my consulting career. There were few women in engineering when I graduated.  Manitoba was in a significant recession such that it was a difficult period for new graduates to get jobs.”

    “At the time, the government had some equal opportunity programs, but many thought these were the only reason that the women were hired.  Many of us had to prove we were good engineers and deserved our positions.  We also had to overcome stereotypical thinking that we were only in the profession to get married and would therefore leave at the first opportunity!”

    An Early Career Focus on Drainage Modelling

    “A year later, in 1986, I joined ID Engineering in Winnipeg.  While I worked on a variety of projects, I was soon focused into stormwater management work and solving drainage issues.  I worked on combined sewer modelling and spring thaw simulations.  Today’s graduates might find it hard to believe that original coding was done on tape and then later on early computer systems.”

    “During this period, I worked with Reinhardt Sprenger who helped test early SWMM models with professors from Florida.  We would test coding by doing hand calculations on gate and chamber losses etc. In the early days of modelling, the systems were know to have many flaws. So, continuity checks etc., were important to ensure that results made sense!”

    “In Winnipeg, the majority of our  work involved combined sewer modelling.  We also modelled new developments with complex pond systems, spring thaw with partial frozen waterways and complex pump systems, plus flood modelling.  Most modelling involved a version of SWMM or HEC 2 as this was the period before HEC RAS.”

    The Move to British Columbia

    “In 1991, ID Engineering purchased Duncan & Associates, a BC company. The firm needed a drainage engineer to assist the BC offices particularly with the design of the 1994 Commonwealth Games facilities. And so I was transferred to the Victoria office in 1991 where I worked under Stuart Parkinson.”

    First Victoria

    “While based at the Victoria office, I worked on various water resource projects. These included the University of Victoria student housing (used for Commonwealth Games), various subdivision designs, modelling sanitary and storm services for the Western Communities in the Capital Regional District (this was prior to sewage treatment or collection), and also some logging road bridge hydraulics.”

    Then Surrey

    “In 1994, I was transferred to the Surrey offices of the ID Group because they needed a hydraulic modeller to assist with various projects.  While In Surrey, I worked under John Sidnell and Sudu Vatagodakumbura. We were one of the first firms to undertake master drainage modelling for the City of Surrey.  The three of us had been involved in this type of modelling across Canada  – Manitoba and BC for myself, Ontario and Alberta for Sudu and John.”

    “In 1995, I left ID Group just before it was purchased by a large consulting firm, and joined Dillon Consulting in Richmond. At Dillon I reported to Dave Clark who had a wealth of knowledge in environmental engineering. Dillon Consulting in Richmond was primarily focused on natural environment and contaminated sites. I brought the drainage perspective to the group in BC and assisted in merging projects involving the design and integration of the natural environment in drainage works.”

    “In 1996, Dillon was given the challenge by the City of Surrey to develop a summer employment opportunity so that students could gain experience by doing work in Surrey creeks.  The scope of work included creek enhancements and community education.  Ken Bennett, City of Surrey, and I developed the Salmon Habitat Restoration Program (SHARP). It has now been in place for over 25 years in the City of Surrey.  For the first 20 years, I was part of the program.

    25 Years at the City of Surrey

    “In 1997, I was recruited by the City of Surrey to assist with resolving significant flooding that had occurred in the winter of 1996/1997.  Before that, I had been seconded to the City for a few months because they were short staffed.  Within my first month at the City, I was dealing with additional flood events.  When I first joined the  City, I reported to Eric Emery. Soon I  was dealing with flooding issues and those of drainage planning and land development.”

    “A few months after I started, the manager of engineering split the drainage section into two sections.  One section would focus on land development and planning for development while the other section would focus on resolving drainage issues.  I was appointed manager of the existing drainage systems section.”

    Dual Portfolio: Drainage and Environment

    “The City created a drainage utility to assist with development, lowland flooding and the significant flooding from the winter runoff in the urban areas.  With this transfer of funding, the natural environment was rolled into the drainage section. It was then that my portfolio was expanded to encompass both drainage and environment.”

    “I would manage this section for almost 20 years. My expanded duties included fisheries approvals for capital and maintenance works, flooding issues, urban dyking issues and foreshore areas, spill investigations and contaminated sites issues.”

    “Once created, the drainage and environment section coordinated monthly ERC meetings with federal and provincial approving agencies. As well, we facilitated the process for obtaining the fisheries approvals. Over the years, the approval processes changed as higher level legislation changed.  Similarly, contaminated sites regulations frequently changed and it was my section’s responsibilities to stay on top of the legislation.”

    “In or about 2015, the City put the two drainage sections back together but spun off the environment portfolio.  By 2015, the environment portfolio was quite large because the expanded responsibilities included new bylaws such as the Sediment and Erosion Control Bylaw and a revised Drainage Bylaw. The latter included receiving water quality and a new Soil Bylaw.”

    Leadership and Innovation Along a Continuum of Interests

    “Through the years, I have been involved with regional, provincial and federal committees on fisheries, contaminated site, climate change and sea level rise. I sat on the sea level rise consortium with multiple governments and experts from BC, Washington State, Oregon, etc.”

    “I was also on the CSAP board of directions for 4 years at the request of the BC government. From 2000 onwards, I sat on the Fraser Basin Council’s Joint Partnership Committee. I was also a member of Metro Vancouver’s Environmental Monitoring Committee (EMC) from about 2000 until my retirement.”

    “More recently, I was involved with the National Floodplain Mapping Program as a reviewer on numerous documents.  Similarly, as a CSA reviewer on a flood risk document.  I continue to serves as a member of the UBC advisory panel for the Masters of Urban Systems.”

    “During my 25-year tenure with  the City of Surrey, I was  involved with the development of Surrey’s Integrated Stormwater Management Plans (ISMPs), the updated Official Community Plan, numerous Neighbourhood Concept Plans, the original Surrey Sustainability Charter as well as the subsequent update, the Environmental Management Plan which was followed by the Biodiversity Conservation Strategy, and most recently, the Climate Action Strategy.  This was one of the first climate action strategies. We later updated it with more recent science.”

    “My section was responsible for the City’s Climate Change Sea Level Rise reports and later the City’s Coastal Flood Adaptation Strategy (CFAS).  After CFAS was adopted by Council, the City was successful in obtaining significant DMAF funding to begin some of the works.  These works are ongoing and include such items as a Living Dyke and Sea Dam replacements to name a few.”

    Career Reflections

    “When I reflect on my career, it is with a sense of satisfaction because of the enjoyable opportunities I had to work on a variety of issues. These opportunities allowed me to push forward science and incorporate new ideas and concepts.”

    “Our society is always changing and we need to be open to change and learning from nature. We also cannot work in silos.  Our best progress comes from working together and solving issues together.  Younger staff also need to move forward with their ideas and concepts,” concludes Carrie Baron.

     

     

  7. Lifetime Member – Nick Leone (inducted in 2021)

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    Nick Leone, Fisheries Biologist

    Nick Leone is a former Fisheries Biologist, recently retired after some 28-years with Fisheries & Oceans Canada (DFO), having held positions within the former Habitat Management Program, Environmental Assessment Unit, and in later years as a Restoration Biologist within the Salmonid Enhancement Program.

    Prior to joining the DFO, Nick was employed as an instructor within the fisheries and natural resource management program for the College of New Caledonia (Prince George, B.C.) teaching Diploma as well as Technical Community Extension Programs working with Regional Indigenous Communities through the North-Central Interior.

    Prior to moving to British Columbia from Oregon, Nick secured his BSc. (79’ Zoology/Fisheries) from Oregon State University, and then pursued working with the USDA Federal Forest Service PNW Fish-Forestry Research Unit and as a Resource Technologist for the San Juan National Forest, SE Colorado, and the Oregon & Idaho Departments of Fish & Wildlife in fields of hydrometric, fisheries & wildlife monitoring.

    During his time with the USDA-PNW Research Program, Nick had the unique opportunity of working within a multidisciplinary team on the Mt. St. Helens Ecosystem Recovery initiative – monitoring ecological and watershed recovery from a mass-scale, natural catastrophic volcanic disturbance.

    While Fisheries became a prominent career focus, Nick maintained a concurrent and keen interest in landscape and ecosystem dynamics, and the influence of land & resource use planning & societal behaviors governing these dynamics. Understanding of the complexities, functions, values & benefits of sustaining natural systems and dependent populations, including humans, through ecosystem provisions/services, remains a core interest.

    Ultimately, water as a physical-process driver of landscapes and natural systems and as resource priority, has played a pivotal role through Nick’s career leading to his affiliation with the Partnership for Water Sustainability in British Columbia.

    Valued Member of the Watershed Moments Team

    “Nick Leone has played a prominent role as a member of the Watershed Moments Team in planning and delivering the Vancouver Island Symposia Series on Water Stewardship in a Changing Climate. His enthusiasm is infectious. Most importantly, his participation in the Watershed Moments Series has reconnected DFO with the work of the Partnership for Water Sustainability. It is indeed a pleasure to recognize Nick’s contribution to Living Water Smart in British Columbia by honouring him as a Lifetime Member of the Partnership. Nick may now be retired from his day job with DFO, but his mission continues through his work as a valued member of the Watershed Moments Team,” stated Kim Stephens, Partnership for Water Sustainability.

    “It was Nick who inspired the Watershed Moments Team to draw attention to the International Year of the Salmon, a multi-year program. And that we have done, first with Nick’s rousing presentation to close the Parksville 2019 Symposium, and then with the finale event in Watershed Moments 2020, the Video Trilogy Series. It was Nick who called the Watershed Moments Team to action when he said: the International Year of the Salmon represents a ‘once in a generation’ moment to ‘reconnect fish, people and the landscape’ through shared federal-provincial authority.”

    Nick Leone receiving his Lifetime Member certificate in a parking lot because of COVID-19 pandemic restrictions, May 2021

     

  8. WHAT DO YOU WONDER / AT A GLANCE: “This page provides a snapshot of what the reader needs to know in order to have a sense of how the Partnership originated, who we are, and why we do what do in developing tools and resources, delivering programs and facilitating peer-based education under the umbrella of the Water Sustainability Action Plan,” states Ray Fung, Founding Member and Director and a former Chair of the predecessor BC Water Sustainability Committee

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    Note to Reader:

    In November 2016, the new Societies Act came into effect in British Columbia. It provided clarity regarding types of societies. This clarity helped the Partnership define its identity. The Partnership is not, and cannot be, a member-funded society. The reason is that The Partnership is funded mostly by government and provides services to government. Directors are the only formal ‘members’ and are the only ones to have voting rights. Although the Partnership is a non-for-profit legal entity, the Partnership is creating a collaborative network rather than building a conventional organization. The difference in visions is fundamental. 

    Water Sustainability Action Plan for British Columbia

    The Partnership for Water Sustainability in BC is a non-profit society that delivers services in collaboration with government. The Partnership was incorporated under the BC Societies Act on November 19, 2010. This was a transformative decision.

    “Morphing of the ‘BC water sustainability technical committee’ into ‘The Partnership’ was a logical step to ensure continuity, longevity and sustainability in evolving tools, resources and programs developed under the umbrella of the Water Sustainability Action Plan for British Columbia (Action Plan),” states Ray Fung, Chair of the Water Sustainability Action Plan from 2003 through 2008. He is a Founding Member and a current Director of the Partnership.

    Action Plan Informed “Living Water Smart, BC’s Water Plan”

    “The Action Plan is guided by the vision that on-the-ground initiatives inform Provincial policy through the shared responsibility model. The Partnership plays a bridging role among the provincial government, local government and community stewardship sectors. It is the hub for a convening for action network in the local government setting. We deliver Action Plan initiatives and programs through partnerships.”

    “When the Action Plan was released in 2004, it brought together six Action Plan Elements. The Water Balance Model, an online decision support tool, was the centrepiece initiative. The success of this initiative lent immediate credibility. There was a track record of intergovernmental cooperation, communication, coordination, collaboration and funding.”

    “Action Plan experience informed development of Living Water Smart, British Columbia’s Water Plan, released in 2008, as well as the parallel Green Communities Initiative. The Action Plan is nested within Living Water Smart. In 2008, Living Water Smart was the provincial government’s call to action, and to this day transcends governments. The partnership umbrella provided by the Action Plan has allowed the Province to leverage partnerships to greatly enhance the profile and impact of Living Water Smart.”

    About the Partnership for Water Sustainability in BC

    The Partnership’s guiding philosophy is to help others be successful. When our partners and collaborators are successful, we are successful. The Partnership is led by a team of community-minded and mission-focused elders. Although many on the team are retired from their jobs, they continue their water-centric mission as volunteers.

    Conceptual Framework for Inter-Generational Collaboration

    Technical knowledge alone is not enough to resolve water challenges facing BC. Making things happen in the real world requires an appreciation and understanding of human behaviour, combined with a knowledge of how decisions are made. It takes a career to figure this out. And so experience, knowledge, and wisdom is the magical combination that the Partnership leadership team brings to the vision, mission, and goals for achieving water sustainability.

    Going forward, making the right decisions depends upon benefitting from, and building on, the experience of elders with knowledge plus the wisdom that has been gained through decades of experience. Thus, a Partnership goal is to build bridges of understanding and pass the baton from the past to the present and future. However, inter-generational collaboration is a two-way street. Minds must be open and receptive to accepting the inter-generational baton and embracing the wisdom that goes with it.

    Application of Experience, Knowledge and Wisdom

    The umbrella for Partnership initiatives and programs is the Water Sustainability Action Plan for British Columbia. In turn, the Action Plan is nested within Living Water Smart, British Columbia’s Water Plan. Released in 2008, Living Water Smart was the provincial government’s call to action, and to this day transcends governments.

    Incorporation of the Partnership for Water Sustainability in British Columbia as a not-for-profit society on November 19, 2010 was a milestone moment. Incorporation signified a bold leap forward. Two decades earlier, a group of like-minded and passionate individuals, including representatives of three levels of government, came together as a technical committee. Over time, this “water roundtable” evolved into The Partnership.

    TO LEARN MORE, VISIT: https://waterbucket.ca/about-us/

    DOWNLOAD: https://waterbucket.ca/atp/wp-content/uploads/sites/9/2020/11/PWSBC_Story-of-First-Decade_Nov-2020.pdf

     

     

     

     

  9. STRUCTURE AND GOVERNANCE OF THE PARTNERSHIP: “Directors are the only formal ‘members’ and are the only ones to have voting rights,” stated Ted van der Gulik, President and Board Chair, Partnership for Water Sustainability in British Columbia

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    WHAT IS OUR STRUCTURE?

    In November 2016, the new Societies Act came into effect in British Columbia. It provided clarity regarding types of societies. This clarity helped the Partnership define its identity. The Partnership is not, and cannot be, a member-funded society. The reason is that The Partnership is funded mostly by government and provides services to government.

    Directors are the only formal ‘members’ and are the only ones to have voting rights. The Directors are empowered to create non-voting categories of membership and to date have created four categories:

    • Lifetime Members – individuals who have made outstanding contributions to the success of the Partnership, especially in the early years (10 to date).
    • Champion Supporters – typically organizations that collaborate with and support the Partnership on a continuing basis (28 to date).
    • Ambassadors – key individuals who, through their day jobs and/or community involvement, support and help advance the work of the Partnership.
    • Associate Members – individuals with an interest in green infrastructure and/or water sustainability who are on the distribution list for the weekly Waterbucket eNews.

    The Partnership’s Leadership Team is comprised of Directors and non-voting Founding Members and Ex Officio Members who are available to participate in discussions relating to any ideas, issues relating to the Partnership and its direction in delivering the program for the Water Sustainability Action Plan.

    The Partnership is led by a team of community-minded and mission-focused elders. Although many on the team are retired from their jobs, they continue their water-centric mission as volunteers. These individuals bring experience, knowledge and wisdom to the Partnership roundtable. This enhances the effectiveness of the Partnership as “the hub for a convening for action network”.