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“The Partnership’s Constitution is now aligned with the new Societies Act. 2018 was our first full year operating under the new act,” stated Derek Richmond. “Changes in municipal staffing and recent municipal elections have enabled us to renew and strengthen old relationships and also develop new relationships. This re-enforces the importance of collaboration between all parties and the opportunity to review and embrace the foundation of our past success through collaboration, cooperation and coordination.”

“The Plan provides guidance that leads to commitment and working arrangements that extend to cooperation, coordination and coevolution with shared goals. One of the priority goals is to enhance the capabilities of the online Water Balance suite of tools to support the Ecological Accounting Process (EAP) as well as expanding their use,” stated Mike Tanner. “The Plan will also help the Partnership use the resources available most effectively to achieve desired outcomes.”

“The themes for this year’s symposium are Sustainable Stream Restoration and Restorative Land Development. Stand-alone initiatives but intrinsically linked to a Design with Nature philosophy. The partner co-hosts have brought together experts in the field to speak, and to educate and challenge participants about the critical importance of recognizing that what happens on the land in the creekshed does matter to streams,” stated John Finnie. “The first symposium in 2018 struck a chord. So we bring you Parksville 2019.”

“The concept of natural capital and natural assets can be a challenge to integrate effectively into asset management practices,” stated Tim Pringle. “EAP deals with a basic question: what is a creekshed WORTH, now and in future, to the community and various intervenors? Ecological services are diverse, and provide environmental, social and traditional (core) services to the community via a natural asset – in this case, a creek/riparian area.”

“Changes to the BC Societies Act have meant changes to our Constitution and By-laws to bring us into alignment with the new Act and to carry out some house-cleaning to be more effective and efficient in our general operations. Part of these changes have meant a clarification around ‘membership’ and to review the need for additional directors. The board currently comprises seven (7) directors. These changes were discussed at a directors’ meeting in October and were passed by special resolution,” stated Derek Richmond.

“Now that the Societies Act has provided the Partnership with clarity regarding our identify, it allows the Board of Directors to focus on the Partnership mission – which is to serve as the hub for a ‘convening for action’ network in the local government setting, and to deliver the Water Sustainability Action Plan for British Columbia through partnerships and collaboration,” wrote Kim Stephens. “The Partnership is funded exclusively by government and provides services to government.”

“Because groundwater licencing is a requirement under the Water Sustainability Act, the Province looked to the Partnership to develop an agriculture water licencing tool,” wrote Ted van der Gulik. “The tool went live on February 29th and is now being used by those applying for a water licence as well as the water licence adjudicators. Additions that have been added to the tool include groundwater and watershed boundaries.”

“The journey to a water-resilient future would be guided by Cathedral Thinking,” states Kim Stephens. “The concept dates back to medieval times. It aptly describes the inter-generational commitment that would be required to achieve a ‘design with nature’ vision – one that integrates water balance solutions into land use decisions, and restores ecosystem values.”

Bob Sandford, water champion and author, was the keynote speaker for the workshop that was built around the AGM. “After a period of relative hydro-climatic stability, changes in the composition of the Earth’s atmosphere have resulted in the acceleration of the global hydrologic cycle with huge implications for every region of the world and every sector of the global economy,” stated Bob Sandford.

The Vancouver Sun’s Larry Pynn covered the 2015 Annual General Meeting. In his front-page report, Pynn wrote that “British Columbians are fooling themselves if they think feel-good market gardens are the solution to making the province less reliant on outside food services.”