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3RD IN A SERIES: “When CAVI began, we established a goal that Vancouver Island would be well on its way to water sustainability by 2010. CAVI has moved forward significantly and successfully promoted the message of water sustainability by engaging governments, developers and the community in water-centric thinking, planning and development activities. Water sustainability is now a common thread in discussions and decisions about land development, water use and water conservation,” stated John Finnie.

“There is growing national and international interest in the British Columbia experience and our lessons learned in moving from talk to action in implementing green infrastructure practices that lead to water sustainability,” explained Kim Stephens. “For this reason, the former Water Sustainability Committee was asked to provide a knowledge-transfer module at Resilient Cities: Urban Strategies for Transition Times in October 2009. This provided us with a platform to tell our story.”

Beyond the Guidebook 2010 describes how a ‘convening for action’ philosophy has taken root in British Columbia. Lessons learned by those who have done it can help those who want to move to a ‘design with nature’ strategy. “It is a great resource, well written. Down to earth, and in line with what the Water Sustainability Action Plan speaks about… The new business as usual, connecting the dots and giving useful tools and roadmaps for success. It is an easy read, and captivating with the stories, quotes and pictures,” states Kathy Bishop.

“Sustainable communities are all about choices – choices that become reality very quickly, with lasting consequences. In the years ahead, much will depend on getting the choices right in British Columbia, especially in those communities that are experiencing growth and/or renewal. By choosing to live water smart, communities will be more prepared for climate change and their quality of life will be enhanced. If we can show how to get the water part right, then other parts are more likely to follow ,” states Lynn Kriwoken.

2ND IN A SERIES: “For me, the watershed moment for the CAVI-Comox Valley Leadership Team occurred in 2010. The schedule for our regular learning-lunch series had been impacted by circumstances. The planned postponement of the series to early 2011 left us with the risk of losing momentum and interest; hence, we decided to host a developer-dialogue session. The ‘ah-ah’ moment for all parties lay in recognizing the importance of getting things done right at the front-end; and that by aligning collective efforts on a watershed scale, a regional response to (minimizing) infrastructure liability could be achieved,” stated Derek Richmond.

1ST IN A SERIES: “The drought, forest fires and floods that British Columbia experienced in 2003 created a teachable moment for change in the way we view water in this province. Over the past decade, we have showcased innovation, developed tools and provided training, and collaborated with local governments to develop talent and build capacity in the Vancouver Island and Lower Mainland regions. Water sustainability in the local government setting will be achieved by implementing green infrastructure policies and practices.” stated Ray Fung.

“We are building on the ‘collaborative model’ to implement Living Water Smart and Green Communities. We are doing this by delivering the Water Sustainability Action Plan through partnerships. Over the past decade, we have built a ‘partnership architecture’ that solidifies commitment to achieving practical outcomes under the umbrella of the Action Plan. It is the breadth of these partnerships that enables the Partnership for Water Sustainability to fulfil its integrating role and connect dots to links humans, watershed, landscape and buildings,” concludes Kim Stephens.

The 2010 Land Awards Gala, an event hosted by the Real Estate Foundation of British Columbia on November 18, provided a platform for announcing formation of the Partnership for Water Sustainability in British Columbia. “Founded upon the principle of collaboration, the Partnership is an autonomous society. The Partnership provides a legal entity for further evolution and delivery of program elements developed under the umbrella of the Water Sustainability Action Plan for British Columbia, released in February 2004,” states Richard Boase.

“The strategy for leading and implementing change is called Convening for Action in British Columbia. The shared vision is that settlement change will be in balance with ecology: the right development in the right place at the right time. We can achieve this vision if development is guided by a ‘design with nature’ philosophy: start with green infrastructure and truly restore the urban fabric,” states Kim Stephens.

“The Partnership had its genesis in the Water Sustainability Committee, known to many by the acronym WSC, a technical committee of the BC Water & Waste Association. From 2003 through 2010, the Water Sustainability Committee was the hub for a partnership network operating in the local government setting. Going forward, the Partnership is now that hub,” stated Tim Pringle, Partnership President.