“I really believe that the key to the success of the Ministry’s relationship with the Partnership and its evolution over the years has been our shared vision for water stewardship. Also, I have a really strong belief that senior governments can’t do it alone…can’t do it nor should senior governments do it alone…when there is such a wealth of knowledge and innovation and ideas at the local level,” stated Lynn Kriwoken.
“On the North Shore, people are passionate about their creeks. Protection of salmon habitat and stream health is important to us. We all can make a difference by designing with nature. The change starts with rain gardens. A single rain garden will not make a material difference to stream health. But 1000 rain gardens would be a different story. Restoring stream health requires a long-term commitment,” states Mayor Darrell Mussatto.
“There is no question that all of Council relishes Champion Supporter recognition. We strive to make sure that our watersheds work properly. We have a number of committees that are aimed at improving the health of the watershed and the health of the river – everything from sand and gravel operations to the way in which stormwater management takes place adjacent to city streets, the kinds of initiatives we have undertaken and continue to undertake,” stated Mayor Richard Stewart
Jim Dumont and Dr. Charles Rowney are the Engineering Applications Authority and Scientific Authority, respectively. The are responsible for constant improving the Water Balance Model to meet the needs of local government.
“The Regional Board is committed to achieving the vision that we share for watershed sustainability in our region. We also appreciate the leadership shown by Kate Miller in guiding the CVRD to the destination. Kate truly is a champion. She is demonstrating how benefits are flowing to this region because we collaborate with other regions,” stated Mayor Rob Hutchins, Chair of the Regional Board.
“We at the District like to think that, not only do we comply with provincial legislation, in fact usually we precede and quite often we lead provincial legislation – for example, as we did in the 1990s when we enacted our Environmental Protection Plan,” stated Councillor Alan Nixon.
“The Surrey Sustainability Charter is about making the right choices and doing the right things. The Charter provides a comprehensive lens through which we will view all future initiatives, programs and plans. It provides us with a framework to best develop and manage Surrey’s human and physical resources to create a strong, sustainable city,” states Mayor Dianne Watts.
“Since 2002, Metro Vancouver has formally put the concept of sustainability at the centre of its operating and planning philosophy, and has committed itself to be a leader. The Integrated Plan for managing rainwater as a resource now provides the means to translate the Sustainability Framework into tangible actions on the ground,” notes Chair Greg Moore.
“Local governments will benefit from the information sharing between four Vancouver Island regional districts, learn from the experiences of the other regional districts, and be able to participate in workshops delivered locally and elsewhere on Vancouver Island,” stated Glenn Harris.
“Through the Urban Containment Boundary, we have avoided urban sprawl and we are doing our best to do what is right; and that is why the RDN Board is both supporting and partnering with CAVI. As a Board, we believe it is our job to protect the quality of life values that attract people to Vancouver Island,” stated Joe Stanhope, Chair.
