Metro Vancouver Region is a ‘Champion Supporter’ of the Partnership for Water Sustainability in British Columbia

April 9, 2013 - Posted in articles for period 2013 thru 2020, Convening for Action in Lower Mainland, Uncategorised

 

 

Note to Reader:

The Partnership for Water Sustainability in BC has established the CHAMPION SUPPORTER category of membership as a way of formally recognizing government and non-government organizations that:

• provide the Partnership  with substantial financial and/or in-kind support; and
• are playing a leadership role in the  Convening for Action in British Columbia initiative.

The Champion Supporters make it possible for the Partnership to develop tools and talent under the umbrella of the Water Sustainability Action Plan for British Columbia. Metro Vancouver has a long history of commitment to “convening for action”. 

In March 2013,  the Partnership formally recognized Metro Vancouver as a Champion Supporter. Kim Stephens, Partnership Executive Director, met with the Metro Vancouver Utilities Committee to present the region with a framed “letter of recognition”. Seven of the region’s 21 mayors sit on this committee. Mayor Darrell Mussatto received the letter of recognition on behalf of the Regional Board. Scroll down to learn more.

 

Recognition of Metro Vancouver

“The Champion Supporter designation recognizes both the historical and ongoing contributions of organizations such as Metro Vancouver, without which there would be no Partnership and no assets such as the Water Balance Model (WBM) decision support tool and waterbucket.ca website,” stated Kim Stephens when he presented the letter of recognition to Utilities Committee Chair Mayor Darrell Mussatto on April 4, 2013.

“Metro Vancouver’s demonstrated commitment to achieving a shared vision for water sustainability in a local government setting is vitally important to the Partnership’s capability to carry out our mission in delivering the Water Sustainability Action Plan for BC.

“Efficient, cost-effective and environmentally responsible use of our precious water resources is a guiding principle for Metro Vancouver,” responded Darrell Mussatto.  “We place great value on working with others to ensure the ongoing sustainability of that resource which is a key contributor to the quality of life residents of Metro Vancouver enjoy.  Our relationship with the Partnership for Water Sustainability in BC is a good example of that collaborative approach.”

“The Partnership is pleased to recognize Metro Vancouver as a Champion Supporter. The commitment by the Metro Vancouver Board, senior management and staff has been tangible, consistent and long-term. Their support continues to help the Partnership advance a vision for designing with nature and implementing green infrastructure. In this way, communities can restore and protect the Water Balance,” states Tim Pringle, Partnership President.

To Learn More:

To download a PDF copy of the PowerPoint presentation by Kim Stephens, click on Rainwater Management in a Watershed Sustainability Context: Collaborative Initiatives Will Help Municipalities Better Deliver on Regulatory Compliance.

To download a copy of the Executive Summary that accompanied the presentation, click on Reporting Out on Progress During the October 2012-March 2013 Period.

 

Sustainability Context for Integrated Liquid Waste & Resource Management in Metro Vancouver

“Completed in 2010, the Metro Vancouver region’s Integrated Liquid Waste & Resource Management Plan (i.e. ‘the Integrated Plan’) has established the framework for moving beyond regulatory compliance and implementing a ‘design with nature’ philosophy that is outcome-oriented and achieves the Sustainable Region Vision. The rainwater component of the Integrated Plan is the focus of Partnership collaboration with Metro Vancouver,” explains Kim Stephens.

During the period 2008 through 2010, Kim Stephens chaired the advisory Liquid Waste Management Reference Panel. Appointed by the Metro Vancouver Board, the Reference Panel played a key role in informing and educating members of the Board through interaction with two regional committees.

“The Integrated Plan is aligned with, and supports, the provincial policy framework established by the Living Water Smart and Green Communities initiatives. Furthermore, the strategy for managing liquid discharges and rainwater as resources has two tracks: End-of-Pipe and At-the-Source.”

“The Partnership is described as the implementation arm for Living Water Smart and Green Communities. We play a bridging role between the Province, local government and community. We are developing tools such as the Water Balance Model Express for Landowners that will help Metro Vancouver member municicipalities fulfill their regulatory requirements pursuant to the Integrated Plan,” emphasized Kim Stephens.

“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 Mayor Greg Moore of the City of Port Coquitlam. He is Chair of the Metro Vancouver Board.

Waterbucket Website Partnership

“In 2004, Metro Vancouver was a founding partner when a group of agencies came together to fund the waterbucket.ca website,’  recalls Mike Tanner, Waterbucket Chair.  In fact, Metro Vancouver provided co-funding for three of our communities-of-interest: Rainwater Management, Green Infrastructure and Water-Centric Planning. Waterbucket.ca is the vehicle for telling the stories of the champions in the local government setting.”

Water Balance Model Partnership

“In 2002, Metro Vancouver was a founding partner in the Water Balance Model initiative. Last year, a $50,000 grant from Metro Vancouver towards the WBM Express for Landowners leveraged almost $250,000 in co-funding. The Express will help the region better deliver on regulatory compliance because it provides a pathway to implement cumulative actions at the site scale that will benefit watershed health,” observes Ted van der Gulik, Chair of the Water Balance Model Partnership.

Georgia Basin Inter-Regional Education Initiative

When he presented the “letter of recognition”, Kim Stephens also foreshadowed how collaboration with Vancouver Island local governments will help Metro Vancouver members fulfil regulatory requirements for protecting watershed health.

Integrate the Site with the Watershed and Stream

“In May 2011, the Minister’s conditions of approval for the region’s Integrated Plan connected the dots between land use planning and watershed health,” Stephens reminded the Utilities Committee.

“This is the year that we wrestle this issue to the ground. The Partnership is facilitating an inter-regional collaborative process that will bring together local government representatives from the Metro Vancouver region and four largest Vancouver Island regional districts, as well as representatives from two regional offices of the Ministry of Environment.”

“The theme is Watershed Health: how to measure it and how to monitor progress.”

“The concept is that each of the five regions will host a ‘sharing and learning’ working session: what each is doing, what works and what does not.”

Consistent Application of Outcome-Oriented Actions

“The desired outcome is inter-regional consensus on a performance monitoring framework that can be used to adjust actions and inform land use planning that maintains healthy streams. The framework must be effective, affordable and adaptable.  And a key to creating a long-term legacy is that implementation would involve the stewardship sector,” concluded Kim Stephens.