In May 2005, the Green Infrastructure Partnership (GIP) conducted a Consultation Workshop in collaboration with the Regional Engineers Advisory Committee of the Greater Vancouver Regional District. “The clear message was to make outreach and practitioner education the #1 priority. This resulted in a reconfiguration of the GIP Work Plan as a set of ten educational elements,” reports Kim Stephens.
The Greater Vancouver Regional District launched the Sustainable Region Initiative (SRI) in 2001 to identify principles that should guide regional development.
“Monthly breakfast meetings provide an ongoing opportunity for network and partnership building while at the same time building awareness and understanding of urban sustainability challenges, bringing together individuals and organizations interested in the sustainability of the region,” stated Mayor Lois Jackson when explaining the Strategic Region Initiative.
The Celebrating Green Infrastructure Program was launched in May 2006 in the Greater Vancouver region as a provincial pilot.
The University of British Columbia has implemented the world's first closed-loop system integrating rainwater runoff, wastewater treatment and ground source heating, and a small-scale biodiesel production unit which will transform waste cooking oil into a clean-burning fuel.
During the summer of 2003, the City of Vancouver constructed three “Country Lanes” as part of a demonstration project to evaluate more sustainable alternatives to regular lane paving.
Representatives from the Caribou Regional District and six Central Interior municipalities participated in an October 2004 workshop on sustainable planning that was organized by Canada Mortgage & Housing Corporation and hosted by the City of Quesnel. The Big Ideas workshop featured numerous examples of succcessful practices from municipalities within BC and across Canada. A principal focus was on the Water Balance Model.
Parking Management Best Practices” is an important new book that will change the way you think about and solve parking problems. It describes more than two-dozen strategies that result in more efficient use of parking resources, and explains how to assemble them into an effective parking management program.
The third in the 2006 Showcasing Green Infrastructure Innovation Series was co-hosted by the University of British Columbia and the City of Vancouver. Three roadway projects were showcased: the Country Lanes Demonstration Project and Crown Street Streetscape & Fish Habitat Enhancement Project in the City, and the Sustainability Street Project at UBC.
During the summer of 2003, the City of Vancouver constructed three “Country Lanes” as part of a demonstration project to evaluate more sustainable alternatives to regular lane paving. The Country Lane Demonstration Project has also been recognized throughout the Lower Mainland, Canada and internationally with requests for design data from many cities and municipalities. The project has also been an overwhelming success in terms of community involvement and education.
