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“There is no question that all of Council relishes Champion Supporter recognition. We strive to make sure that our watersheds work properly. We have a number of committees that are aimed at improving the health of the watershed and the health of the river – everything from sand and gravel operations to the way in which stormwater management takes place adjacent to city streets, the kinds of initiatives we have undertaken and continue to undertake,” stated Mayor Richard Stewart

“This category recognizes agencies and organizations whose support is vitally important because that is what enables the Partnership to develop tools and deliver programs under the umbrella of Convening for Action in British Columbia. Their demonstrated commitment to achieving a shared vision for water sustainability allows the Partnership to carry out our mission,” states Kim Stephens,

4TH IN A SERIES: “The waterbucket.ca website facilitates communication and integration across initiatives, regions, sectors and disciplines and links these in order to foster development and implementation of ‘Design with Nature’ practices. We share stories about how practitioners can reduce project (and environmental) costs by applying ‘Design with Nature’ principles,” explained Mike Tanner.

3RD IN A SERIES: “When CAVI began, we established a goal that Vancouver Island would be well on its way to water sustainability by 2010. CAVI has moved forward significantly and successfully promoted the message of water sustainability by engaging governments, developers and the community in water-centric thinking, planning and development activities,” states John Finnie.

“There is growing national and international interest in the British Columbia experience and our lessons learned in moving from talk to action in implementing green infrastructure practices that lead to water sustainability,” explained Kim Stephens.

Lessons learned by those who have done it can help those who want to move to a ‘design with nature’ strategy. “It is a great resource, well written. Down to earth, and in line with what the Water Sustainability Action Plan speaks about… The new business as usual, connecting the dots and giving useful tools and roadmaps for success. It is an easy read, and captivating with the stories, quotes and pictures,” states Kathy Bishop.

“Sustainable communities are all about choices – choices that become reality very quickly, with lasting consequences. In the years ahead, much will depend on getting the choices right in British Columbia, especially in those communities that are experiencing growth and/or renewal. By choosing to live water smart, communities will be more prepared for climate change and their quality of life will be enhanced. If we can show how to get the water part right, then other parts are more likely to follow ,” states Lynn Kriwoken.

“The Water Balance Model supports new approaches to water management, and will facilitate informed decision-making about climate change adaptation. The Water Balance Model is moving toward an expert system with broad capabilities,” said Ted van der Gulik.

“The website is a vehicle for documenting and then sharing what takes place in forums organized under the umbrella of the Water Sustainability Action Plan. We are writing our history as we create it. The website is designed to provide the complete story on integrated land and water management – why, what, where and how,” said Mike Tanner.

2ND IN A SERIES: “For me, the watershed moment for the CAVI-Comox Valley Leadership Team occurred in 2010. The ‘ah-ah’ moment for all parties lay in recognizing the importance of getting things done right at the front-end; and that by aligning collective efforts on a watershed scale, a regional response to (minimizing) infrastructure liability could be achieved,” stated Derek Richmond.