Author Archives: Partnership for Water Sustainability

  1. COLLABORATIVE LEADERSHIP: “The Partnership’s Board of Directors is a team of community-minded and mission-focused elders. These individuals bring Experience, Knowledge and Wisdom to the Partnership’s over-arching goal of inter-generational collaboration,” says Derek Richmond, Founding Member and Secretary

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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.

    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.

    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. 

     

     

    An Introduction to the Board of Directors

    The Partnership is led by a team of community-minded and mission-focused elders. Although most of the Directors are retired from their jobs, they continue their water-centric mission as volunteers. These individuals all have a career track record of leadership and pushing the envelope to do business differently. They bring Experience, Knowledge and Wisdom to the Partnership roundtable. This magical combination enhances the effectiveness of the Partnership as “the hub for a convening for action network”.

    When leadership is shared among members, rather than turning to one heroic leader to guide and be the expert, it is known as collaborative leadership. It involves bringing the right people together in constructive ways with good information, such that they create authentic visions and strategies

    The Partnership for Water Sustainability is Guided by a Vision for Inter-Generational Collaboration

    It is the network that is the ultimate source of strength of the Partnership because the network holds the key to intergenerational collaboration. The Partnership has a primary goal, 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. When that happens, decisions will benefit from and build upon past experience.

    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. This is the value-added dimension that the Partnership brings to the vision, mission, and goals for achieving water sustainability.

     

    Ted van der Gulik – Founding Member, Director and  President

    TED VAN DER GULIK was a founding member of the technical committee that was the genesis of The Partnership. In February 2014, he retired from the Ministry of Agriculture after 35 years of service as the Senior Engineer in the Sustainable Agriculture Management Branch in Abbotsford. While in government, Ted led the Agriculture Water Demand Project initiative for the Province. Post-retirement, he continues to have a program delivery role. “The Agriculture Water Demand Model has been instrumental in the recent development to the Agriculture and Landscape Water Calculators developed by The Partnership,” says Ted.

    Richard Boase – Founding Member, Director and Vice-President

    RICHARD BOASE is the District of North Vancouver’s Section Manager, Environmental Sustainability (Operations). Richard is also Co-Chair of the Water Balance Model initiative. “Having the opportunity to continue serving the community of British Columbia as a whole through the activities of the Partnership is a rare and honourable position to be in,” says Richard from his desk in North Vancouver.  “Despite the dramatic changes to our everyday lives due to COVID, the Partnership continues to deliver valuable resources and knowledge to the communities we serve. Despite the challenges faced over the past year I am extremely proud of our efforts and success stories.”

    Mike Tanner – Founding Member, Director and Treasurer

    MIKE TANNER is also Chair of the waterbucket.ca website. He retired as a Senior Manager with BC Hydro’s Power Smart Program where he managed and provided direction to a team of Managers and professional staff engaged in various key marketing functions and, in delivering complex and multi-technology products and services through various programs and initiatives. Mike was an early adopter of the benefits of both energy and water conservation and, the possibilities of Watergy. “Recognizing a need for a single point of access to news, information and tools for sustainable water management in BC, we launched the waterbucket.ca website in 2005,” says Mike.

    Derek Richmond – Founding Member, Director and Secretary

    DEREK RICHMOND worked in the private and public sectors for over 40 years in the UK, USA and across Canada. Derek made his last stop, before retiring, in the Comox Valley, where he served as Chair of CAVI – Convening for Action on Vancouver Island from 2011 through 2016. “Regardless of the complexity of problems with which we are faced, my passion for water resources has taught me the importance of clear visioning, partnering and cooperation with all stakeholders, and that collaboration is essential for success. While it may be tempting to believe that we can function successfully within our own silos, my experience and more recently the world-pandemic, prove otherwise. Our future success will be measured by our ability to maintain water resources in balance with ecology, economy and education,” says Derek.

    Tim Pringle – Founding Member, Director and Past-President

    TIM PRINGLE was the founding Executive Director of the Real Estate Foundation of BC, and served in that capacity for 20 years. “A number of creative and experienced volunteers direct the work of the Partnership and help implement its programs,” says Tim. “I am privileged to work with them and to be able to pursue my passion to see BC communities adopt a more integrated approach to stewardship of land and water. The Partnership’s goal is to help communities implement designing with nature strategies as a basic step to managing settlement change in balance with ecology makes perfect sense.”

    Peter Law – Founding Member and Director

    PETER LAW was a Senior Biologist with the Ministry of Environment. In addition to his Partnership responsibilities, Peter is President of the Mid Vancouver Island Habitat Enhancement Society. “My principle interest is to promote Water Sustainability as it pertains to the restoration of our small streams and how this is linked to maintaining a watershed’s health.  While with the Ministry of Environment for 30-plus years, I became acutely aware of how our existing land development practices are causing natural systems to degrade. I have supported the need for ‘change’ through educational approaches promoted by The Partnership to Design with Nature.”

    Ray Fung – Founding Member and Director

    RAY FUNG was formerly the Director of Engineering & Transportation with the District of West Vancouver, a position he held for 12 years.  Ray previously chaired two of the Partnership’s original incarnations, namely: the Water Sustainability Committee of the BCWWA (2003-2008) and the BC Green Infrastructure Partnership (2008-2011).  Reflecting on the 10 year anniversary of the Partnership, Ray stated, “Water sustainability remains a key challenge related to climate change.  While the Partnership has accomplished much, this imperative has the potential to inspire many more actions in the years ahead.”

     

     

  2. PUT THE MISSION AT THE CENTRE OF THE OPERATION: “The Partnership’s guiding philosophy is to help others be successful in achieving a shared goal. When our partners and collaborators are successful, we are successful,” stated Mike Tanner, Founding Director of the Partnership for Water Sustainability, when he explained the foundational difference between evolving a network and building an organization

    Comments Off on PUT THE MISSION AT THE CENTRE OF THE OPERATION: “The Partnership’s guiding philosophy is to help others be successful in achieving a shared goal. When our partners and collaborators are successful, we are successful,” stated Mike Tanner, Founding Director of the Partnership for Water Sustainability, when he explained the foundational difference between evolving a network and building an organization

    Note to Reader:

    The focus of the article that follows below is on what it means to evolve a partnership network rather build a conventional organization. The article is in two parts. In the first half, Mike Tanner and Derek Richmond on the ingredients that account for the success of the Partnership for Water Sustainability in British Columbia as a network that “convenes for action”. In the second half, Mike Tanner reviews the research into the reasons why “networked nonprofits” are far more effective than conventional entities.

    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. Directors are the only formal ‘members’ and are the only ones to have voting rights.

    The mission of “The Partnership” involves bringing the right people together in constructive ways with good information, such that they are in a better position to create authentic visions and strategies for addressing the concerns of community. As the secretariat for the Georgia Basin Inter-Regional Educational Initiative (IREI), The Partnership is the hub for a convening for action network in the local government setting.

    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. The article below is presented as a conversation between Mike Tanner and Derek Richmond, two Founding Members of The Partnership. The desired outcome of the interview approach to information sharing is that it would provide readers with insight into the modus operandi and success of The Partnership.

    DOING BUSINESS DIFFERENTLY IN BRITISH COLUMBIA: We put our Mission at the Centre of our Operation

    “The Partnership for Water Sustainability is incorporated as a non-for-profit society and therefore is a legal entity, yet operationally it functions as a network rather than as an organization in any conventional sense. The work of The Partnership is guided by a network way-of-thinking that reflects our genesis as a water-centric technical committee in the 1990s,” states Mike Tanner, a Founding Director and Partnership Treasurer. Prior to his retirement from BC Hydro, Mike was a senior manager responsible for delivering the Power Smart program.

    “In the pre-society era of The Partnership, we were primarily an inter-governmental committee. We brought together representatives of many organizations who then worked collaboratively for the greater good in delivering the Convening for Action in British Columbia initiative. We did this work under the umbrella of the Water Sustainability Action Plan,” adds Derek Richmond, another Founding Member and Partnership Secretary. He is a Past-Chair (2011-2016) of CAVI- Convening for Action on Vancouver Island. Prior to his retirement from government, he was Manager of Engineering with the City of Courtenay.

    Collaborative leadership is a foundation piece for achieving the mission of the Partnership for Water Sustainability 

    MIKE TANNER: “When the moment of truth came in 2010 to incorporate the convening for action network of collaborating organizations as “The Partnership”, the Founding Members made a conscious decision to continue our evolution as a network rather than build an organization with all the obligations that entails.”

    “We had no intention of falling into the trap where the focus is on fundraising in order to pay the salaries of staff. Rather, we recognized that to be successful in facilitating changes in practice over the long-term, the groundwork had to be done by our partners.  This means that the work of The Partnership must be aligned with and support their organizational objectives.”

    DEREK RICHMOND: “Building on Mike’s reference to alignment, this means that The Partnership has a facilitating role. We bring people and organizations together to achieve a shared goal. Our mantra is develop tools, develop talent, and focus on outcomes.”

    “We learned very early in our evolution that it takes a third party to bring people together. Otherwise, they tend to become wrapped up within their own worlds and rarely venture beyond their boundaries.”

    MIKE TANNER: “Derek, I believe it would help inform others if you and I take a moment to reflect on the story of how The Partnership got its start. In the early 2000s, as you will recall, the provincial government and Real Estate Foundation agreed to be bold and co-fund Tim Pringle’s idea for implementing collaborative leadership, also known as convening for action.“

    “At the  time, Tim was the Executive Director of the Real Estate Foundation. Tim had a vision and this vision aligned with the philosophical think pieces that the late Erik Karlsen (1945-2020) had crafted to guide the process for development of the Water Sustainability Action Plan. Erik was The Partnership’s ‘eminence grise’,

    “As a funder, Tim was in a position was to put his ideas into action. Long story short, two provincial government Ministries matched the multi-year funding commitment by the Real Estate Foundation. This gave us the time and flexibility to make things happen.”

    DEREK RICHMOND: “That is right, Mike, we had the time and space to learn by doing. A lot of it was intuitive. We tapped into universal principles. We learned through experience. One of our big take-aways was the power of peer-based learning. And that only happens when you bring people together. Especially when it is the right people in the right place at the right time.”

    “When leadership is shared among members, rather than turning to one specific leader to guide and be the expert, it is known as collaborative leadership. This involves bringing the right people together in constructive ways with good information, such that they create authentic visions and strategies for addressing the shared concerns of their organizations and community.”

    “Collaborative leadership is a foundation piece for the Water Sustainability Action Plan and the success of the The Partnership.”

    MIKE TANNER: “Collaborative leadership combined with the network way-of-doing business has allowed The Partnership to be lean and nimble. We have a long history. We have built on the many successes that we achieved during the period 1992 through 2010.”

    “By placing the emphasis on evolving a network rather than building an organization, it means that The Partnership is that much more effective and adaptable in helping others be successful in achieving a shared goal. When our partners and collaborators are successful, The Partnership is successful.”

    DEREK RICHMOND: “We define success in terms of how our partners incrementally make progress in achieving the vision for Living Water Smart in British Columbia. By that, we mean reconnect people, land, water and fish in altered landscapes! Bringing this vision to fruition requires an inter-generational commitment.”

    “The Partnership has a primary goal, to build bridges of understanding and pass the baton from the past to the present and future. The role of elders is therefore a lynch-pin for inter-generational collaboration.”

    Mike Tanner’s research into the characteristics that the Partnership shares with “Networked Nonprofits”

    “Within British Columbia, and certainly within the local government setting, The Partnership has a unique modus operandi in terms of our partnership network reason for being. So, we wondered, how unique are we? With this thought in mind, I embarked on a search of the published literature to look for other precedents,” reports Mike Tanner.

    “In the process, I learned that the Harvard Business School has been looking at this question of network versus organizational success for a long period of time. In particular, professors Jane Wei-Skillern and Sonia Marciano are co-authors of the groundbreaking 2008 Stanford Social Innovation Review article titled The Networked Nonprofit. Their research is validation of what The Partnership has accomplished intuitively. Their  findings explain  why an organization such as The Partnership is far more effective than conventional entities.”

    “The authors note that  management wisdom says that nonprofits must be large and in charge to do the most good. But they report that some of the world’s most successful organizations instead stay small, sharing their load with like-minded, long-term partners. Their conclusion  is  that the success of networked nonprofits suggests that organizations should focus less on growing themselves and more on cultivating their networks.”

    “The focus of Jane Wei-Skillern and Sonia Marciano is on non-government organizations (NGOs). The Partnership is unique in that our main focus is on evolving a network that is government-based. Governments, especially local governments, are also nonprofits. From experience, we can draw the conclusion that the research findings for an NGO-based network apply equally well to The Partnership’s government-based network.”

    Mission, Not Organization

    “What is valuable about the research by Jane Wei-Skillern and Sonia Marciano is that they identify the factors that explain why The Partnership has a history of being successful in collaborating with other organizations. First, we put our mission rather than our organization at the center of our operation. By sharing the pursuit of our mission with our network of partners, we forsake many conventional organizational benefits, such as control over program implementation, funding, and recognition. At the same time, however, we have far more impact than we could ever have on our own.”

    “In an interview in 2016, Jane Wei-Skillern said that she and Sonia Marciano coined the term “networked nonprofit” to describe a particular approach to collaboration, one that was oriented around social impact above all else, that emerged from the bottom up by community members in the field, as a way to address problems more effectively, rather than collaboration for collaboration’s sake.”

    “She added that the networks were unique in that while they might have been catalyzed by a few instrumental actors initially, all participants worked in true partnership, as peers and equals to drive toward field level impact.”

    Trust, Not Control

    “In a network, the parties would prefer to discuss issues and work through a problem to reach a solution. This leads to a second critical success factor identified by Jane Wei-Skillern and Sonia Marciano. It is the principle of trust, not control. There is a very high level of trust in a network  because there is no formal partnership or documentation. It is just based on the trust aspect because the people involved know and respect each other.”

    “The collaborators within a network share and help each other through what is called the ‘norm of reciprocity’. This requires that we repay in kind what another has done for us. An underlying norm of reciprocity is by itself a powerful engine for motivating, creating, sustaining, and regulating cooperative behavior. Simply put, everyone in the network is successful when other are successful. And that certainly is The Partnership’s guiding philosophy.”

    Node, Not a Hub

    “Networked nonprofits share a third trait, say Jane Wei-Skillern and Sonia Marciano. They see themselves as nodes within a constellation of equal, interconnected partners, rather than as hubs at the center of their nonprofit universes. Because of the unrestricted and frequent communication between their different nodes, networked nonprofits are better positioned to develop more holistic, coordinated, and realistic solutions to social issues than are traditional nonprofit hubs.”

    “In practice, The Partnership is both a hub and a node. We are the hub for the Georgia Basin Inter-Regional Educational Initiative. Yet there are also nodes within the IREI. What is the correct way to visualize a constellation of relationships? Is spokes on a wheel the appropriate image? Or is it overlapping circles? Does it really matter?”

    DEREK RICHMOND: “By virtue of our constitution pursuant to the Societies Act, the Partnership is primarily a tool for facilitation, rather than an organization for membership.”

    “The Partnership purpose is to share, disseminate and coordinate information that helps others achieve their goals in accordance with the vision for Living Water Smart. To achieve this, our role is to build and maintain a hub or foundation, from which others can connect, build and expand thus enabling continued dissemination of information.”

    “To be successful, the network needs other nodes, each with a contact or ‘ambassador’ to ensure the seamless exchange of information and ideas on a self-supporting, independent and free-flowing basis. Success in water sustainability is contingent upon collaboration; inter-municipal, inter-regional, and inter-provincial. This can only be achieved through working across boundaries.”

    “The segue to success is through the ambassadors of the Partnership who are the bridges across the boundaries  connecting to other nodes.”

    Quotable Quote

    “By mobilizing vast external resources, networked nonprofits can focus on their own expertise. At the same time, these external resources enhance the value and influence of each organization’s expertise. They help each network partner respond to local needs and become self-sustaining. And they allow networked nonprofits to develop holistic solutions at the scale of the problems they seek to address.” – Jane Wei-Skillern and Sonia Marciano, 2008

    To Learn More:

    Download a copy of The Networked Nonprofit. Jane Wei-Skillern and Sonia Marciano coined the term “networked nonprofit” with this article in 2008.

    At the time of publication, Jane Wei-Skillern was an assistant professor of business administration in the General Management Unit and Social Enterprise Group at Harvard Business School. Sonia Marciano was a clinical associate professor of management and organizations at New York University’s Stern School of Business. Before that, Marciano was a senior lecturer at Harvard University.

     

     

  3. INTER-GENERATIONAL MISSION OF THE PARTNERSHIP: “Collaborative leadership involves bringing the right people together in constructive ways with good information, such that they create authentic visions and strategies for addressing the shared concerns of their organizations and community,” explains Kim Stephens, Executive Director

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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.

    Collaborative Leadership

    “When leadership is shared among members, rather than turning to one heroic leader to guide and be the expert, it is known as collaborative leadership. It involves bringing the right people together in constructive ways with good information, such that they create authentic visions and strategies for addressing the shared concerns of their organizations and  community. Thus, collaborative leadership is an apt description of the Partnership Leadership Team and our approach in collaborating with individuals and organizations,” explains Kim Stephens, Executive Director.

    “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.”

    “The Partnership leadership team brings experience, knowledge, and wisdom – a forceful combination to help collaborators reach their vision, mission, and goals for achieving water sustainability.”

    The Partnership has a primary goal, 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. When that happens, decisions will benefit from and build upon past experience.”

    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:

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

     

     

  4. OPERATIONAL FRAMEWORK FOR PARTNERSHIP LEADERSHIP TEAM: “When individuals are invited to join the Partnership Leadership Team, it is because there is ‘a job to be done’. The Province’s Living Water Smart strategy guides what we do. The Partnership’s expectation is that individuals and organizations they represent are committed to advancing the sustainability goals in the Water Sustainability Act (WSA) and its implementation,” states Mike Tanner, Founding Director

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    Note to Reader:

    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.

    The “BC Process” for moving from Awareness to Action is founded on alignment, collaboration and partnerships

    “Membership on the Partnership Leadership Team is based on feeding back Water Sustainability Action Plan outcomes into member organizations. When individuals are invited to join the Partnership Leadership Team, it is because there is ‘a job to be done’. Invitations are restricted to individuals who are willing to provide energy and commitment to implement Action Plan elements,” explains Mike Tanner, Founding Director and Treasurer.

    “Representation criteria are two-fold. First, that individuals will represent an organization that has a specific interest or mission in implementing the Action Plan. And secondly, that those individuals will feed back the Partnership outcomes into their organizations. The expectation is that the process of feeding back outcomes will be guided by the BC Process for moving from awareness to action.”

    Water Sustainability Action Plan

    “The Action Plan is a partnership umbrella for an array of on-the-ground initiatives. It comprises interconnected program elements that provide local governments and practitioners with the tools and understanding that will help them better manage land and water resources.”

    “Action Plan elements are also categorized under three ‘threads’ to reflect the breadth of roles that the Partnership plays:

    • Thread One – Initiator: The Partnership is the vehicle for direct action.
    • Thread Two – Collaborator: The Partnership is the vehicle provider for others.
    • Thread Three – Educator: The Partnership spans boundaries as the connector of initiatives or is an education facilitator.”

    “The Action Plan is advancing a Whole-System Approach to integration (or interweaving) of land and water management. The goal in ‘designing with nature’ is to manage the built and natural environments as one system.”

    To Learn More:

    Download a copy of the Operational Framework for the Partnership for Water Sustainability in British Columbia

    More 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,” states Kim Stephens, Executive Director.

    “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. The Partnership leadership team brings experience, knowledge, and wisdom – a forceful combination to help collaborators reach their vision, mission, and goals for achieving water sustainability.”

    “The Partnership has a primary goal, 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. When that happens, decisions will benefit from and build upon past experience.”

    To Learn More:

    To mark the 10th anniversary of incorporation as a not-for-profit society, the Partnership published Celebration of Our Story: Genesis / First Decade / What Next.

    The reader will learn that the combination of a guiding philosophy, committed team members and timely actions built the foundation for The Partnership’s record of success. The Partnership’s mix of program initiatives are building blocks for reconnecting people, land and water.

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

     

     

     

     

  5. PARTNERSHIP HUB FOR A CONVENING FOR ACTION NETWORK: “Launched in 2012, the Georgia Basin Inter-Regional Education Initiative facilitates peer-based education among local governments located on the east coast of Vancouver and in the Lower Mainland,” states Richard Boase, Founding Director and Partnership Vice-President

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    Note to Reader:

    The Partnership’s guiding philosophy is to help others be successful. When they 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. 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. 

    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.2

    The Partnership is the secretariat for the Georgia Basin Inter-Regional Educational Initiative (IREI). Five regional districts, representing 75% of the BC population, are partners in the IREI program.

    Peer-Based Learning through Sharing of Experience and Knowledge: Georgia Basin Inter-Regional Education Initiative

    Launched in 2012, the IREI facilitates peer-based learning among local governments located on the east coast of Vancouver Island and in the Lower Mainland. The IREI builds on the legacy of Erik Karlsen whose leadership inspired the original Georgia Basin Initiative in 1994.

    “In the IREI program, we focus attention on the 4Cs – communication, cooperation, coordination, collaboration. The 4Cs guide what we do. We live and breathe collaboration. This plays out in everything that the Partnership does. Building trust and respect starts with a conversation. Listen, listen, listen. Conversations lead to dialogue. In turn, dialogue leads to consensus,” explains Richard Boase, Founding Director and Partnership Vice-President.

    Nested Initiatives / Cascading Objectives

    “The IREI is nested within the Water Sustainability Action Plan which, in turn, is nested within Living Water Smart. Cascading is the reverse way to think about this nesting concept. Each successive layer in the cascade adds depth and detail to enable the move from awareness to implementation – that is, action.”

    “A desired outcome of inter-regional sharing and learning is a common understanding of the science and consistent application of a whole-system, water balance approach to community development. Branded as Sustainable Creekshed Systems, through Asset Management, the goal of this approach is to reconnect hydrology and ecology.”

    High-Level Endorsement / Grant Funding 

    “In 2016, The Partnership asked the five regional districts for Board Resolutions that: 1) expressed their support for The Partnership; and 2) endorsed IREI program objectives through 2021. Having this clear demonstration of support was a difference-maker for The Partnership. We secured senior government grants to fund the IREI program through 2021.”

    “Five years ago, and under the leadership of Tim Pringle, the Partnership introduced the vision for EAP, the Ecological Accounting Process. The driver for EAP is degradation of stream channels and streamside protection areas. EAP addresses the elephant in the room which is the unfunded cost (hence liability) to protect, remediate or enhance stream systems in urban and rural landscapes.”

    EAP Program Showcases Benefits of Inter-Regional Collaboration

    “It has been five years of hard slogging by EAP Chair Tim Pringle and his team to test, refine and mainstream EAP. EAP bridges a gap and is a game-changer. EAP satisfies a local government need for a financial methodology and metrics for valuation of ecological assets. Most importantly, EAP interweaves the financial, social and ecological perspectives within a single number.”

    “This has been accomplished through collaboration with a group of local government partners willing to break new ground. This has only been possible because of the trust-based relationships that the Partnership has developed through collaboration over the past two decades. The success of EAP underscores the essential nature of the role the Partnership plays as the hub for a network.”

    “By the end of 2021, the Partnership will have completed two demonstration applications in each region for a total of ten. Each case study is unique in that partner communities frame creekshed-specific questions to be addressed by their EAP application. Each case study yields key lessons and results in fresh observations. Each has supported the depth of analysis for subsequent EAP applications.”

    Watershed Moments Symposia Series Also Showcases
    Inter-Regional Collaboration

    Watershed Moments, the Vancouver Island Symposia Series on Water Stewardship in a Changing Climate is a forum for showcasing what can be accomplished through collaboration. Richard Boase is the Series Moderator. Watershed Moments 2021 will be the fourth in the series.

    “The Partnership  and NALT, the Nanaimo & Area Land Trust, are the founding partners for the series. Four Vancouver Island regional districts, along with federal and provincial representatives, are members of the Watershed Moments Team,” continues Richard Boase. “Each symposium event builds on the last and points the way to the next.  The programs are built around success stories – precedents can be replicated and/or adapted in other communities.”

    “Again, this series is only possible because the Partnership is the hub for a network. We align inter-regional collaboration with the work plans of the individual partners. This helps them through a peer-based sharing and learning process. Everyone benefits, underscoring why the Partnership is successful when we help our partners be successful.”

    The Partnership’s Story: Genesis / First Decade / What Next

    “Celebration of Our Story is structured in two part parts. Part One is high-level. It sketches an outline of many ideas and nuances about the work of The Partnership. Part Two is a deeper dive into our history,” states Kim Stephens, Partnership Executive Director.

    “In Part Two, we paint a picture of the multi-decade journey. The strokes are broad-brush. There is so much more to the story, with still more to come in the years ahead. In reading Our Story, the reader will learn that the combination of a guiding philosophy, committed team members and timely actions built the foundation for The Partnership’s record of success.”

    To Learn More:

    To mark the 10th anniversary of incorporation as a not-for-profit society, the Partnership published Celebration of Our Story: Genesis / First Decade / What Next.

    The reader will learn that the combination of a guiding philosophy, committed team members and timely actions built the foundation for The Partnership’s record of success. The Partnership’s mix of program initiatives are building blocks for reconnecting people, land and water.

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

     

     

     

  6. CHAMPION SUPPORTER: recognition of David Mackenzie, volunteer extraordinaire (January 2021)

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    Note to Reader:

    David Mackenzie, volunteer extraordinaire, is the first individual to be honoured by the Partnership with both Lifetime Member and Champion Supporter status. Watch the video of the co-presentation by Kim Stephens and Richard Boase on YouTube. 

    The Champion Supporter designation recognizes individuals and/or organizations whose commitment to “convening for action” enables the Partnership to foster and support collaborative leadership in the local government setting. A goal of collaborative leadership is to build bridges between those in the stream stewardship sector and those who work for government.

    David Mackenzie is only the fourth individual to be recognized by the Partnership as a Champion Supporter. He follows in the footsteps of North Vancouver Mayor Darrell Mussatto and the Water Balance Model team of Jim Dumont and the late Dr. Charles Rowney.

    David Mackenzie holding his two certificates of recognition

    David Mackenzie – Director, Editor Videographer for “Watershed Moments, the Video Trilogy Series”

    “In 2020, the COVID pandemic changed everything and created a new reality for everyone on Planet Earth. Until there is a vaccine, mass gatherings are not allowed in British Columbia, by order of the Provincial Health Officer. Thus, events such as the Third Annual Vancouver Island Symposium on Water Stewardship in a Changing Climate were delivered online rather than in-person,” stated Kim Stephens, Executive Director, Partnership for Water Sustainability in British Columbia.

    “The series is the result of collaboration between the Partnership and NALT, the Nanaimo and Area Land Trust. David Mackenzie, NALT volunteer extraordinaire, stepped up and opened our minds as to what could be. This is the moment, he said, to leverage technology and reach far beyond those in the symposium room. Be bold and do something other than a Zoom webinar. Inspired and guided by David Mackenzie’s passion, knowledge and attention to detail, a plan took shape to deliver Watershed Moments, the Video Trilogy Series via YouTube.”

    Volunteer Extraordinaire

    “David Mackenzie is a volunteer extraordinaire. His journey from symposium audience member to communications champion has had a remarkable outcome. He shared his passion for video production to help us realize we were missing a critical piece of our communications plan. Then, with patient mentoring and tireless volunteerism, he led us to full online delivery of Watershed Moments, the Video Trilogy Series in a unique and engaging way.”

    “COVID has changed and challenged how we do outreach and peer-based education. In the age of COVID, how does one inspire an audience over a computer? Addressing this existential challenge was our starting point for re-imagining the third in the Vancouver Island Water Stewardship Symposia Series as a virtual event. David stepped up and opened our minds as to what could be. This is the moment, he said, to leverage technology and reach far beyond those in the symposium room. Be bold, he urged.”

    “With David’s inspiration and guidance, we moved well beyond a Zoom webinar by leveraging the YouTube platform to provide a viewer experience that we believe is comparable to viewing an engaging TED Talk. David’s video production skill-set, coupled with his can-do confidence and utmost attention to detail, made it possible to bring a vision to fruition.”

    “David is always positive; he sees no obstacles that cannot be overcome. He always find solutions. He smiles through it all,” concluded Kim Stephens.

    To Learn More:

    In the interview below, David shared the story of his transition from interested community member to technical director of the Video Trilogy Series. He revealed what took place behind the camera to ensure success on screen.

    A BLUEPRINT FOR MAKING VIDEOS IN THE AGE OF COVID: “My intent is to try and help illuminate a pathway for interested parties, and the visionary leaders as well. It’s about human interaction and how to adapt to it on our COVID planet,” stated David Mackenzie, technical director for ‘Watershed Moments, the Video Trilogy Series’

     

     

  7. Raymond Fung, Founding Member & Director

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    Raymond Fung

    Ray Fung had a longstanding role in local government.  Prior to retirement, he was the Director of Engineering & Transportation with the District of West Vancouver, a position he held for 12 years.

    Ray is a founding member of The Partnership. He previously chaired two of the Partnership’s original incarnations, namely: the Water Sustainability Committee of the BCWWA (2003-2008) and the BC Green Infrastructure Partnership (2008-2011).

    Reflecting on the 10 year anniversary of the Partnership, Ray stated, “Water sustainability remains a key challenge related to climate change.  While the Partnership has accomplished much, this imperative has the potential to inspire many more actions in the years ahead.”

    Career Highlights

    In 2003, Ray Fung was one of the architects of the Water Sustainability Action Plan for British Columbia. He created the graphic that illustrates the “BC process” for moving from awareness to action in order to achieve water sustainability.

    “All of us have attended workshops, seminars and conferences where we simply sit and listen all day. And at the end of the day, we go back to our offices and we carry on doing what we were doing,” stated Ray Fung in 2007.

    “When we convene for action in a forum such as the Showcasing Green Infrastructure Innovation Series, however, it is not just for the sake of listening. Rather, when we leave the forum  we want to use what we have learned so that we can take action and make a difference in our professional lives. That difference is to change the way we develop land.”

    To Learn More:

    Watch a 10-minute video of Ray Fung explain the BC Process.

     

     

  8. Emanuel Machado, Member of Leadership Team

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    Emanuel Machado

    Emanuel Machado is the Chief Resiliency Officer of the Town of Gibsons, BC and the Chair of the Municipal Natural Assets Initiative (MNAI).

    Since 2001, Emanuel has worked with communities throughout Canada, promoting a greater use of renewable energy, net-zero buildings, water strategies, social plans and sustainability frameworks, all with a focus on people, recognized with numerous awards including the Arbor Vitae Award from the Province of British Columbia and the Professional Award for Innovation in local government.

    More recently, Emanuel led the development of the Town of Gibsons Eco-Assets Strategy, a first in North America to formally recognize the role of nature as a fundamental component of the municipal infrastructure system, leading to a greater understanding of the value of ecosystems services and improved financial and operational management plans of the community’s natural assets.

    Nature’s Assets Support Local Government Services

    Emanuel Machado changed the local government conversation. As the ‘face of MNAI’, Emanuel’s philosophy and local government credibility continues to generate interest in replicating the ‘Gibson’s Model’ in other communities.

    The second video in Watershed Moments Video Trilogy features Emanuel Machado in conversation with Tim Pringle, also a member of the Partnership Leadership Team. Emanuel and Tim independently ventured into uncharted territory. They took an abstract concept – nature’s assets support local government services – and they made it tangible so that it is implementable. Their pioneer efforts in leading parallel initiatives have established provincially relevant case study precedents.

    To Learn More:

    Click below to watch the Watershed Moments video on YouTube. In the video, Emanuel Machado and Tim Pringle share their perspectives on how to take into account the social, ecological and financial values of ecological assets when developing metrics and calculating the financial value of ecological systems such as streams and adjoining riparian setbacks.

     

  9. Lifetime Member – David Mackenzie (inducted in 2020)

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    Note to Reader:

    David Mackenzie, volunteer extraordinaire, is the first individual to be honoured by the Partnership with both Lifetime Member and Champion Supporter status. Watch the video of the co-presentation by Kim Stephens and Richard Boase on YouTube.

    In recognition of his amazing commitment to a shared vision for the Vancouver Island Symposia Series on Water Stewardship in a Changing Climate, the Partnership has deemed David Mackenzie to be a Lifetime Member of the Partnership. His contribution has elevated the potential of the Symposia Series as a way to share ideas and inspire action.

    David Mackenzie – Director, Editor Videographer for “Watershed Moments, the Video Trilogy Series”

    “In 2020, the COVID pandemic changed everything and created a new reality for everyone on Planet Earth. Until there is a vaccine, mass gatherings are not allowed in British Columbia, by order of the Provincial Health Officer. Thus, events such as the Third Annual Vancouver Island Symposium on Water Stewardship in a Changing Climate were delivered online rather than in-person,” stated Kim Stephens, Executive Director, Partnership for Water Sustainability in British Columbia.

    “The series is the result of collaboration between the Partnership and NALT, the Nanaimo and Area Land Trust. David Mackenzie, NALT volunteer extraordinaire, stepped up and opened our minds as to what could be. This is the moment, he said, to leverage technology and reach far beyond those in the symposium room. Be bold and do something other than a Zoom webinar. Inspired and guided by David Mackenzie’s passion, knowledge and attention to detail, a plan took shape to deliver Watershed Moments, the Video Trilogy Series via YouTube.”

    Valued Member of the Team

    “The story of how David Mackenzie became involved in the Symposia Series shows what is possible for a concerned citizen who wishes to make a difference. In 2018, he went to the first symposium looking for leadership. He found it, he told us later. He was energized by the experience. Afterwards, he volunteered to provide videography oversight for subsequent symposia. Beginning with his video work for Parksville 2019, he became a valued member of the team.”

    “In 2020, his contributions were crucial to sustaining our land and water stewardship message in a time of global pandemic. His efforts made possible Watershed Moments, the Video Trilogy Series. To say we could not have done it without David is an understatement; we did not even know we were not doing it until he came along and challenged us to be bold and seize the moment.”

    “Thanks to David’s attention to detail, the videos are much more than talking heads in a studio setting. His commitment to interweaving of outdoor imagery has added a compelling visual dimension that draws the reader into the conversation. Also, the addition of speaker interviews in their natural habitats is powerful for connecting with an audience. These vignettes are personalized and revealing; and this helps the audience understand the motivation of team members and how commitment flows from passion.”

    “The result of David’s amazing effort is that the Symposia Series has a set of legacy educational resources. Thus, the series is an experience that will keep on giving. We envision that the video content will inform collaboration among the stewardship and local government sectors for some time to come,” concluded Kim Stephens.

    To Learn More:

    In the interview below, David shared the story of his transition from interested community member to technical director of the Video Trilogy Series. He revealed what took place behind the camera to ensure success on screen.

    A BLUEPRINT FOR MAKING VIDEOS IN THE AGE OF COVID: “My intent is to try and help illuminate a pathway for interested parties, and the visionary leaders as well. It’s about human interaction and how to adapt to it on our COVID planet,” stated David Mackenzie, technical director for ‘Watershed Moments, the Video Trilogy Series’

     

     

  10. Eric Bonham, Founding Member

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    Eric Bonham

    Eric’s engineering career, over 5 decades, has included involvement on a diverse range of water related projects, both within the UK and Canada, introducing him to work experience in consulting, the construction industry and both the federal and provincial government. Eric is a founding member of the Partnership.

    Career Highlights

    During his employment with the BC Provincial Government beginning in 1969, initially with the Ministry of Environment, he was involved with design and construction of water supply and irrigation systems in the Okanagan. Joining the Fraser River Flood Control Program (FRFCP) in 1974, his role as a project manager, involved the coordination of local governments, consultants and contractors on the construction of dykes and flood control structures in the Fraser Valley. As the Director of the Floodplain Management Branch in 1982, he managed a team of specialists responsible for policy development, flood response and the delivery of flood control programs across the province.

    Eric was tasked with implementing the provincial Urban Salmon Habitat Program (USHP) in 1989, involving the development of partnerships with local governments, federal fisheries and community stewards. The long term goal of the program was to engage community steward volunteers, supported by their local government, on the rehabilitation of urban streams and improvement of salmon habitat throughout the Lower Mainland and Vancouver Island.

    In 1996 he joined the Ministry of Municipal Affairs as Director of Engineering. The ministry was responsible for the delivery of water and sewer infrastructure programs to local governments. Grants were closely aligned with conservation measures. In 1997, he contributed to the development of the Water Conservation Strategy for British Columbia as a member of the Ministry of Environment Working Group.

    He served on the Board of the BC Water and Waste Association (BCWWA), was a member of the Water Sustainability Committee and chaired the Climate Change and Vancouver Island BCWWA Committees. With the formation of the PWSBC in 2010, his involvement continued on Vancouver Island under the banner of Convening for Action on Vancouver Island (CAVI).

    Community Stewardship

    Eric has been an active supporter of community stewardship. As a Director on the Board of the BC Lake Stewardship Society, he is involved in the development of community lake stewardship  throughout the province. In 1994, he was a member of the Gowlland Foundation in the District of Highlands, that resulted, in collaboration with Nature Conservancy Canada and the Provincial Government, in the creation of the Gowlland-Tod Provincial Park. He is a firm believer in community  leadership that supports the passion and commitment of local volunteers.

    Recognition

    The Queen Elizabeth Diamond Jubilee Medal 2012 for Community Service

    Water Supply Association 2004, CWRA 2005, AWWA 2008 and BCWWA 2012. Awards received in appreciation of dedication and contribution to water management in British Columbia.

    British Columbia Lake Stewardship Society 2003 Volunteer Award.

    The Honorary Citizen of Victoria Award 1987 in recognition of contributions to the peace movement.

    Watch the Video:

    In 2020, an inspirational call to courage by Eric Bonham was framed around this theme: Mission Possible. Eric was passionate when he elaborated on how a top down bottom up strategy leads to action.