Metro Vancouver appoints Reference Panel to provide input to Liquid Waste Management Plan
APRIL 18, 2008: In January 2008, Metro Vancouver drafted discussion documents 
for updating its Solid Waste and Liquid Waste Management Plans. In April 2008, the Metro Vancouver Board appointed the Metro Vancouver Solid and Liquid Waste Management Reference Panels. According to Board Chair Lois Jackson, the Reference Panels will provide input on the discussion documents and on the subsequent Draft Plans.
Reference Panel Concept
The Reference Panels will report directly to the Metro Vancouver Waste Management Committee during the consultation process. “The Reference Panels will provide comments and advice on the strategies for updating each plan,” explained Councillor Marvin Hunt (City of Surrey), Chair of the Waste Management Committee. “Each panel is comprised of nine community members who bring a variety of perspectives to solid and liquid waste issues, including technical experts, solid and liquid waste management specialists, business representatives and citizens with an interest in solid and liquid waste topics.”
According to Mayor Pam Goldsmith-Jones (West Vancouver), Vice-Chair of the Waste Management Committee, the Reference Panel concept is modeled on the Working Group approach which has been successfully implemented in her municipality. The essence of the West Vancouver experience is that the community benefits when there is collaboration and a true partnership between local government staff and community members in a working group. A critical success factor is the creation of a collegial and cooperative atmosphere.
Members of LWMP Reference Panel
The ten members of the Liquid Waste Management Plan (LWMP) Reference Panel are listed as follows:
- Susan Rutherford
- Christianne Wilhelmson
- Elaine Golds
- Ken Hall
- Don Mavinic
- Kim Stephens
- Shaun Carroll
- Garry Cooper
- Mark Hodgson
- Simon Poole
The three categories of representation are: residents or representatives of non-governmental organizations, technical experts, and practitioners.
Representatives of non-governmental organizations:
Susan Rutherford, Staff Counsel, West Coast Environmental Law (WCEL): Susan works on WCEL’s Livable and Sustainable Communities program where she specializes in local government bylaws and policy tools that support green infrastructure in communities. She is also a member of the Green Infrastructure Partnership Steering Committee. Susan is the author of the Green Infrastructure Guide.
Christianne Wilhelmson, Managing Director Georgia Strait Alliance: Christianne has worked for the Georgia Strait Alliance for over six years and is currently their Managing Director. She is an Ontario transplant who came to BC in 1995 to pursue 
a MSc in ecology at UBC and stayed on after graduation. She has worked as a lab technician and freelance science writer. She leads GSA’s government and media relations efforts as well as coordinating its Clean Air and Water program, with a particular focus on bring innovative and advance sewage treatment to communities around the Georgia Basin region.
Elaine Golds, Vice President, Burke Mountain Naturalists: Elaine has conducted research in the field of cellular immunology and has previously provided input on 
both the Liquid Waste Management Plan, and the Drinking Water Management Plan. She is a former member of Metro Vancouver’s Regional Water Advisory Committee. Elaine is a volunteer with the Noons Creek Fish Hatchery, a member of the Port Moody Ecological Society, Vice-President of the Burke Mountain Naturalists, and President of the Colony Farm Park Association.
Technical Experts:
K
en Hall, Professor Emeritus, Westwater Research Centre, University of British Columbia (UBC): In addition to his work at UBC, Ken is also an active member of Metro Vancouver’s Environmental Monitoring Committee. Ken has helped to organize and co-ordinate projects on water pollution research and water resources management throughout the Metro Vancouver area.
Don Mavinic, Professor, Faculty of Applied Science, University of British Columbia: Don is a researcher and professor of civil engineering at UBC, and an editor on several peer-reviewed journals, including Environmental Technology, the Canadian Journal of Civil Engineering, and the Journal of Environmental Engineering and Science.
Kim Stephens, Program Coordinator, Water Sustainability Action Plan for British Columbia: A principal author of Stormwater Planning: A Guidebook for British Columbia, 
Kim is an engineer-planner who specializes in public policy and its implementation. In his current role, he is the secretariat for a half-dozen partnerships (including the Green Infrastructure Partnership) that are developing tools and providing continuing education for practitioners under the umbrella of the Action Plan.
Practitioners:
Shaun Carroll, Executive Director, North American Society for Trenchless Technology – BC Chapter: Shaun is an industry representative for a not-for-profit organization whose mission includes the promotion, education, training, research, 
and development of trenchless technologies for rehabilitation of linear infrastructure, such as sanitary sewers. Shaun is a practical multi-disciplined engineer with 18 years of experience in the public and private sectors. Her work experience is in municipal and industrial water and wastewater network efficiency assessment, infrastructure condition assessment, rehabilitation program development, project management and classroom/field training.
Garry Cooper, General Manager, Organic Resource Management (BC) Inc. OMI is Canada’s largest provider of vacuum truck services for the collection, treatment and disposal of organic and other non-hazardous liquid waste for commercial, industrial, institutional and residential customers in Ontario, Quebec, and British Columbia. ORMI is moving towards the use of Anaerobic Digesters as a way of recycling liquid waste into biogas renewable energy and fertilizer.
Mark Hodgson, Chair, Infrastructure Delivery and Finance Committee, British Columbia Water and Waste Association (BCWWA): In addition to his work with BCWWA, Mark is a partner at Deloitte & Touche LLP, Vancouver, BC. He leads the Infrastructure Advisory and Project Finance group in Western Canada and has many years of experience with developing and executing public-private partnership procurements and transactions.
Simon Poole, Plant Manager, Saputo Foods: Simon is the Plant Manager for the fluid milk production plant (Dairyland Fluid Division Ltd) of Saputo Foods Ltd. in Burnaby, one of the permitted industries under Metro Vancouver’s Liquid Waste Bylaw.