In October 2013, Asset Management BC and the Local Government Management Association of BC co-hosted a workshop in Richmond.  At the workshop, Glen Brown announced that the Province has formalized its policy for Sustainable Service Delivery. Going forward, opportunities for local governments to apply for provincial grants will be linked to viewing watersheds through a “Sustainable Service Delivery” lens.

Also at the workshop, a panel of three Chief Administrative Officers representing local governments from three geographic regions spoke to the topic of Sustainable Service Delivery. Emanuel Machado (speaking on behalf of the Town of Gibsons) provided a pragmatic perspective on the long-term benefits of viewing watersheds through an “asset management lens” and “designing with nature” in order to both reduce a community’s infrastructure liability and save money over time.

Legislative Authority for “Sustainable Service Delivery”

“Asset management usually commences after something is built. The challenge is to think about what asset management entails BEFORE the asset is built. Cost-avoidance is a driver for this ‘new business as usual’. This paradigm-shift starts with land use and watershed-based planning, to determine what services are affordable, both now and over time,” states Glen Brown, the Executive Director of the Province’s Local Government Infrastructure and Finance Division and the Deputy Inspector of Municipalities.

Town of Gibsons: Leading by Example

“The Town of Gibsons has recognized, formally and in practice, that nature, and the ecosystems services that it provides, are a fundamental and integral part of the Town’s infrastructure system. Gibsons is one of the first communities in North America to do so,” stated Emanuel Machado, Chief Administrative Officer, and a member of the CAO Panel.

“The policy change occurred with the adoption of the 2013/14 Strategic Plan. Natural assets are considered cheaper to operate; and can last indefinitely, if properly managed.”

To Learn More:

To read the complete story posted elsewhere on the Green Infrastructure community -of-interest, click on Provincial Funding in British Columbia Linked to Viewing Watersheds through a “Sustainable Service Delivery” Lens.