UBCM session on “Tools, Resources & Funding for Local Governments” informed BC elected representatives about the ‘convening for action’ leadership role played by the Partnership for Water Sustainability

September 26, 2015 - Posted in Events with an Action Plan component, In 2011 thru 2015, Regional Events, Water Sustainability Action Plan for British Columbia

 

Note to Reader:

In September 2013, the Union of BC Municipalities (UBCM) held the first half-day session on “Tools, Resources & Funding for Local Governments” at the annual UBCM Convention.   Building on that initial success, UBCM organized a second session at the 2015 Convention. The Partnership for Water Sustainability in BC was invited to participate on both occasions.

Tools, Resources & Funding for Local Governments

“The half-day session was a ‘market place’ style event, with representatives of organizations seated at tables and local government delegates moving throughout the room to meet with the organizations they are interested in. It was not a tradeshow,” reports Danyta Welch, Policy & Programs Officer, Local Government Program Services.

“Given the limited number of funding opportunities that are currently available, we intended that this session would be an opportunity for organizations to highlight the tools, resources or other supports they can provide to help local governments to increase capacity and undertake local planning, projects and development.”

The Partnership for Water Sustainability in BC was one of 21 participating organizations, including a number of provincial ministries and agencies.

Develop Tools. Develop Talent. Focus on Outcomes

“The UBCM event provided us with yet another opportunity to introduce local government elected representatives, especially those elected in the November 2014 election, to the Partnership and to the Water Sustainability Action Plan,” states Mike Tanner, a founding Partnership Director and Chair of the Waterbucket Website Partnership.

“This year we had a number of desired outcomes in participating. We wished to inform and educate the politicians regarding both the Agricultural Water Demand Model and the Georgia Basin Inter-Regional Education Initiative. We hoped that some would be interested in attending our Feast AND Famine Workshop on December 1st. And we saw it as an opportunity to raise awareness regarding our weekly e-newsletters which celebrate the champions in local government,” explains

Convening for Action in BC

The Partnership for Water Sustainability embraces shared responsibility, is the hub for a “convening for action” network in the local government setting, and is responsible for delivering the Action Plan  program through partnerships and collaboration.

Convening for Action calls for moving from defining the problems (the ‘what’), to determining options (the ‘so what’) and taking action to achieve results (the ‘now what’).