FLASHBACK TO 2010: “Implementing a New Culture for Urban Watershed Protection and Restoration in British Columbia” – rollout of the second in the Beyond the Guidebook Series of guidance documents commenced with a presentation to elected representatives at Union of BC Municipalities Convention
Note to Reader:
The formal rollout of Beyond the Guidebook 2010: Implementing a New Culture for Urban Watershed Protection and Restoration in British Columbia commenced in September 2010 at the annual convention of local governments, held in Whistler. This guidance document describes how water sustainability can and will be achieved through implementation of green infrastructure policies and practices. Getting there requires a change in minds-set.
Glen Brown (Ministry of Community Development) and Ray Fung (District of West Vancouver) represented the provincial and local government perspectives, respectively, in delivering an integrated presentation to a packed study session (180 attendees). They spoke on behalf of the “convening for action” partnership.
Forging Gold Medal Standards
“The spirit of collaboration and newfound bonds that we have fostered in 2010 are undeniably valuable. But without action, we cannot move our communities forward. This year’s Convention will offer an opportunity to…. take our goals, and forge them into tangible outcomes….and continue to build gold medal standard communities,” stated Harry Nyce, President of the Union of British Columbia Municipalities. The convention theme, Forging Gold Medal Standards, flowed from the 2010 Winter Olympics which British Columbia hosted.
To Learn More:
To access a set of stories about the 2010 UBCM Annual Convention and the rollout of Beyond the Guidebook 2010, click here.
To view the storyline for UBCM, click on Integrated presentation by Glen Brown and Ray Fung at the 2010 UBCM Convention to download their PowerPoint.
Beyond the Guidebook 2010
In October 1997, a focus group workshop convened by UBCM set in motion a chain of outcomes that culminated in Stormwater Planning: A Guidebook for British Columbia, released in June 2002. This was a catalyst for change that has resulted in British Columbia achieving international recognition as a leader in implementing green infrastructure.
Beyond the Guidebook 2010 is the story of what had been accomplished on the ground during the first decade, through partnerships and collaboration, under the umbrella of the Water Sustainability Action Plan for British Columbia.
To Learn More:
To download a copy, click on Beyond the Guidebook 2010: Implementing a New Culture for Urban Watershed Protection and Restoration in British Columbia
Beyond the Guidebook 2010 was the second in a series of guidance documents that build on the Stormwater Guidebook foundation. Visit the Rainwater Management community-of-interest for complete information. Click on these links to access a wealth of resources:
A Provincial Government Perspective: Collaboration, Partnerships and Alignment
The Province of British Columbia has provided a ‘design with nature’ policy framework that enables local governments to build and/or rebuild communities in balance with ecology. A key message in Beyond the Guidebook 2010 is that the future desired by all will be created through alignment of federal, provincial and local policies and actions.
“The philosophy behind the Water Sustainability Action Plan is quite simple: bring local and regional stakeholders together where there is a desire and energy to make some form of change,” explained Glen Brown when he elaborated on the ‘regional team approach’.
“As we move forward with the Action Plan, it is making sure that we provide the people on the ground with the tools and resources that they need to help support action at the local level.”
“A top-down approach does not work. It is all about being bottom-up… that is to say, the regional team approach. When a community shows interest or a desire to move something forward, that is when we mobilize. The Action Plan purpose is to engage, listen, understand and support the local interests in moving forward. That is where we have been successful.”
LINK TO YOUTUBE VIDEO:
To view a 3-minute video clip of Glen Brown elaborating on the ‘regional team appoach’, click here, or on the image below:
A Local Government Perspective: Embracing Shared Responsibility Leads to Outcome-Oriented Actions
Beyond the Guidebook 2010 synthesized a set of ten guiding principles that provide a framework for a successful local government implementation process. Ray Fung spoke to these principles in his part of the integrated presentation.
Shared responsibility is a foundation piece for Beyond the Guidebook 2010. The law and policy component of the Outreach & Continuing Education Program described in the document produced a decision support tool that was branded as the Shared Responsibility Matrix.
“There are a lot of times when we in local government like to blame or put on senior governments the responsibility to provide the framework for doing something…but there are things that we in local government can do. We need to choose to be enabled,” stated Ray Fung.
“So, what we mean by shared responsibility is that everyone has a role, and everyone can act…. all levels of government, developers, regulators, bureaucrats, consultants, planners, engineers…. we all have a role.”
LINK TO YOUTUBE VIDEO:
To view a 90-second video clip of Ray Fung speaking about Guiding Principle #9, Promote Shared Responsibility, click here, or on the image below:
