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The Partnership for Water Sustainability in British Columbia (the Partnership) is the hub for a “convening for action” network in the local government setting, is responsible for delivering the Water Sustainability Action Plan program through partnerships and collaboration, and embraces a vision for shared responsibility where all the players align their efforts for the greater common good. To learn about the Partnership’s genesis and history, visit About Us.
The Partnership plays a bridging role between provincial and local governments, and between local governments and the stewardship sector; and is the steward for Stormwater Planning: A Guidebook for British Columbia, a provincial guidance document released in 2002.
Under the Action Plan umbrella, the Partnership collaborates with government and others to develop methodologies, tools and resources to support implementation of the Whole-System, Water Balance Approach to land use, infrastructure servicing and asset management.
About the Water Sustainability Action Plan
Released by the provincial government in February 2004, the Water Sustainability Action Plan provides a partnership umbrella for advancing on-the-ground initiatives in the local government setting.
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.
In the early years, initiatives were inspired by and built on the conceptual foundation provided by A Water Conservation Strategy for British Columbia, released in 1998. Ian McHarg’s “Design With Nature” vision has influenced Action Plan implementation. The desired outcome is to achieve settlement, economy and ecology in balance.
"The starting point for EAP is Natural Asset Management. We are taking a spatial approach. We deal with parcels which is as spatial as you can get. We need readers to understand that in order for EAP to be real to them. It lets local governments know the financial value of their streams as a Natural Commons Asset. Next, we are moving EAP from a primary emphasis on Asset Management to use by planners for spatial analysis related to streams and trees. As we evolve EAP through more projects, we will be able to ...
"In Spring 2023, a group of us had meetings with Metro Vancouver planning staff to pass on our knowledge and experience. Our message was, use the strengths of the unique regional planning system you have. We did this in the interest of providing current and future Metro planning staff with some personal background on the people and, in some cases, organizations, that influenced the preparation and adoption of the Livable Region Strategic Plan in 1996 and the subsequent evolution of the planning function," stated Ken ...
“Our focus in moving forward with EAP, the Ecological Accounting Process, is on land we own. The RDN is all-in with our participation. As an organization, we need to get wiser about natural asset management. We need to be able to open people’s eyes about natural asset management in general and as an element of municipal infrastructure services. We also need to open eyes more so to the financial side of what these natural assets contribute. And vice versa. How much financial aid we need to put into these assets to allow them ...
“The network emerges around a common goal, rather than a particular program or organizational model. The community mobilizes the resources from throughout the networ based on existing relationships Once a network is up and running and proves itself to be effective, it becomes the primary vehicle for change, rather than the individual organizations themselves. Once you put committed people in a room together and build trust amongst them, and allow them to experiment and learn, that is when amazing and wonderful things happen," stated Jane ...
"The EAP program is embedded in our Integrated Action Plan. This supports City Plan: Nanaimo Reimagined which provides direction for the coming 25 years on everything...land use, transportation, climate adaptation, etc. We made sure EAP is part of that. It is firmly rooted," stated Bill Sims. "By being pragmatic and making the financial case using real numbers, we answer the question of why we should be investing in stream maintenance and management. You also need the Repetition Factor to reinforce what EAP stands for...so that people have the context in their ...
“It is important for each generation to learn to look back to see ahead so that they can turn rather than reinvent the wheel. At the same time, I think the Mars Rover is an appropriate analogy to describe how things work in local government. If it flips over, and we are not there to right size it...well, all is lost. Wheels are good to go in one direction. You need a steering wheel. But you need something different to change direction. Direction is going to be changed as you move forward. You ...
"Our biggest challenge today is affordability for our residents and businesses. Our local governments and First Nations Councils and Boards are challenged more than ever with balancing priorities of service against tax and fee increases and availability of capital for projects," stated Wally Wells. "With an Asset Management policy to drive the process, the asset management framework and plan, along with the long-term financial plan, Councils and Boards have the background and analysis necessary to make informed decisions and stay within financial ...
“Now how do we become educated? What are we bringing to the table that is going to help make good decisions? Politicians know how to get elected. But do they know all that other stuff that they need to know? Today, the people getting elected know how to use social media to get people to vote for them. But do they know and care about what matters in local government? To ask the tough questions, you must be informed and educated about what matters,” stated Darrell ...
In the 1990s, there was trouble in paradise. In response, the provincial government launched the Georgia Basin Initiative. It was all hands on deck and catalyst for the green infrastructure movement. "Knowing what we know, you have to build new political commitment and basically start all over again in a new crucible phase…where you coalition-build to develop a new shared vision, etc. The task at hand is about how to redefine things in a new political environment so you would be able to get a new vision and new political commitment,” stated Ray ...
