“The Tsolum story underscores the value of community stewards working collaboratively with government agencies and the private sector towards a common vision. It also highlights the need for dedicated insiders within government who ‘stay the course’ and remain committed,” wrote Eric Bonham.
“Local governments bear the entire financial burden to stabilize and restore watercourses impacted by increased rainwater runoff volume after land is developed or redeveloped. The resulting unfunded ‘infrastructure liability’ is a driver for the ISMP Course Correction,” stated Ted van der Gulik.
“The vision of the Partnership is that water sustainability will be achieved through implementation of green infrastructure policies and practices. The Partnership mission is to facilitate change,” stated Tim Pringle, President. “The Partnership is a legal entity. This opens the door to new opportunities to build on the foundation provided by the Water Sustainability Action Plan for British Columbia.”
“The Province is challenging local governments to think about what infrastructure asset management entails BEFORE an asset is built. The paradigm-shift starts with land use planning and determining what services can be provided sustainably, both fiscally and ecologically,” stated Glen Brown.
“Establish partnerships with those who share a vision to add the 'water dimension' to community planning and land development, and to promote change at four scales – region, neighbourhood, site and building,” said Kim Stephens. “Build support for a paradigm-shift in British Columbia that, over time, will result in water being at the heart of decision-making for human activities. Promote an ecosystem approach to protecting water resource health that recognizes that what the cell is to the body, the site is to the region.”
“Vancouver Island communities enjoy many natural amenities that are in the resources bank and producing returns. These assets enable communities to draw on nature for infrastructure services needed for the built environment,” writes Tim Pringle.
“The former Water Sustainability Committee was a broadly based roundtable of organizations that had a specific interest or mission in implementing the Water Sustainability Action Plan. The roundtable encompassed government organizations, non-government associations, the private sector and universities,” stated Ted van der Gulik. “The Partnership is helping the Province implement the Living Water Smart and Green Communities initiatives. We are doing that through shared responsibility in delivering the Water Sustainability Action Plan.”
“Conditions that apply to the approved Metro Vancouver plan highlight the importance of land use planning in protecting stream health. The conditions focus attention on how the degree, type and location of land development can affect the long-term health of the watershed,” summarizes Avtar Sundher, Ministry of Environment.
“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.
“Water accumulates and flows as interflow through the topsoil as it follows the path of least resistance (rather than through the underlying tighter soils). This explains why surface flows from pervious surfaces are often observed to be nil,” states Jim Dumont, Engineering Applications Authority for the Water Balance Model Partnership.
