Okanagan Water Stewardship Council wins first-ever “Water Stewardship Award for British Columbia”
—Minister of Forests, Lands and Natural Resource Operations Steve Thomson presents award to Nelson Jatel, Water Stewardship Director for the Okanagan Basin Water Board.
Award Recognizes Outstanding Achievement, Innovative Practice and Leadership
The Excellence in Water Stewardship Award was established by the Council of the Federation – a collaboration of Canada’s provincial and territorial premiers – to recognize outstanding achievement, innovative practice and leadership in the area of water stewardship. Thirteen inaugural awards, one for each province and territory, were awarded on World Water Day, March 22, 2013.
The Okanagan Water Stewardship Council was presented with the first-ever Excellence in Water Stewardship Award for British Columbia. The council, which is a technical advisory body of the Okanagan Basin Water Board (OBWB), was chosen from 16 nominations.
Convening for Action in the Okanagan
“The Okanagan Water Stewardship Council exemplifies the World Water Day theme of ‘water co-operation’ perfectly,” said Minister of Forests, 
Lands and Natural Resource Operations Steve Thomson who presented the award on behalf of Minister of Environment Terry Lake. “The council’s membership is made up of more than two-dozen volunteer representatives from a wide range of interests who come together to work as a team to find effective solutions to benefit everyone in the Okanagan.”
“Fresh water is one of the most precious natural resources we have,” said Lake. “While the B.C. government continues to act on ‘Living Water Smart’ – which is our vision and plan for keeping our water healthy and secure for the future – what the Province does is only part of the solution. Local and regional groups like the Okanagan Water Stewardship Council are stepping up and demonstrating leadership throughout the province.”
“Stewardship in the Okanagan is a balancing act among various, often competing, interests,” said Nelson Jatel in accepting the award on behalf of the Council. He is the OBWB’s Water StewardshipDirector. “It is essential to build bridges across the different interests in the water sector – including farmers and urban planners, fishers and developers, First Nations, and local and senior governments.”
To Learn More:
To download a copy of the news release by the Ministry of Environment, click on Okanagan Water Stewardship Council wins award.
To download a copy of the related announcement by the Council of the Federation, click on Background Information.
