“The Okanagan Basin Water Board is the hub for people to convene around when the topic is water. Its mandate is to communicate and coordinate. In the process, it is tapping into a huge reservoir of volunteers. This is what creates the energy, the will and the momentum to do business differently in the valley,” states Anna Warwick Sears. “The OBWB is a unique form of inter-regional government.”
The forum showcased how partnerships, collaboration, innovation and integration are helping local governments in three regions make the best choices for living water smart. “It was an EXCELLENT day! I appreciated the great thought provoking presentations. This forum was very timely and the information and contacts made on this one day may ultimately have a significant influence on my ability to lead from a position of knowledge. I will try to embody the clear messages of the day,” stated Maria Besso.
The forum program comprised four modules built around the creating our future and doing business differently themes. “Since 2004, Convening for Action in British Columbia has evolved into a ‘made in BC’ approach and process for moving from awareness to action. The Convening for Action vision is that water sustainability in British Columbia will be achieved through implementation of green infrastructure policies, practices and standards,” states Ray Fung.
“A key message in Living Water Smart is that green development makes sense. New thinking about development leads to new benefits. These include more green spaces, more water and fish in the streams, improved community vitality, reduced demand for water, and reduced expenditure on infrastructure,” stated Lynn Kriwoken.
“To get to the big picture, it starts with the smallest pieces. Thus, the ultimate goal of the Living Water Smart and Green Communities initiatives is to establish expectations that, in turn, will influence the form and function of the built environment. Improving the built environment can protect or help restore the natural environment. How we develop or redevelop individual sites has ripple effects at the watershed scale,” states Kim Stephens.
“The forum program is organized as four modules and is built around two themes that are intertwined, namely – ‘creating our future’ and ‘doing business differently’. The Penticton Forum supports and/or complements various provincial initiatives, states Glen Brown. “These initiatives establish expectations that, in turn, will influence the form and function of the built environment in general and green infrastructure on the ground in particular.”
The forum program is organized as four modules built around the creating our future and doing business differently themes. “The Forum will be an exciting day because regional leaders will help you understand new approaches and tools for doing business differently; you can share your experiences in town hall sessions; and the networking opportunity means you can learn from each other,” anticipates Anna Sears.
