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The Partnership for Water Sustainability originated as a network in the 2000s as an outcome of the provincial “convening for action” initiative. This multi-year program demonstrated the power of peer-based learning, collaboration and partnerships in combination with a regional team approach that spans jurisdictional boundaries. “When you bring the appropriate people together in constructive ways with good information, you look to them to create authentic visions and strategies for addressing the shared concerns of their organizations and community,” stated Derek Richmond.

“Incorporation of the Partnership for Water Sustainability as an independent legal entity was a transformative decision in 2010. It ensured the legacy and sustainability of tools, resources and programs developed under the umbrella of the Water Sustainability Action Plan for British Columbia; and delivered through inter-governmental partnerships. A decade later, the document titled ‘Celebration of Our Story’ is a short history of the Partnership. A set of nine articles weave a compelling storyline to describe defining moments over a three-decade period,” stated Tim Pringle.

“In celebrating the first decade of the Partnership legal entity, we paint a picture of the journey that began in the 1990s. The strokes are broad-brush. When reading Our Story, the reader will learn that the combination of a guiding philosophy, committed team members and timely actions built the foundation for the Partnership’s record of success. The BC culture is that we choose to work together. In the mid-2000s, the Partnership pioneered a peer-based educational process for building local government capacity to achieve a consistent regional approach,” stated Kim Stephens.

“Incorporation of the Partnership for Water Sustainability in British Columbia as a not-for-profit society on November 19th 2010 was a milestone moment. Incorporation culminated a multi-year effort; and signified a bold leap forward. The Partnership has not looked back. Now, our journey stretches over three decades,” stated Mike Tanner. “Premier Gordon Campbell was set to make the public announcement at the 2010 BC Land Champion Awards Gala hosted by the Real Estate Foundation. However, the Premier’s surprise resignation two weeks earlier changed everything.”

“The focus of the Water Sustainability Action Plan is on the framework for building partnerships, and that is the tag-line. The document is a communication tool – that is, it articulates the vision and the desired outcomes for a water-centric approach to development. The water-centric approach recognizes that the greatest impact on water occurs through our individual values, choices and behavior – that is, our land ethic. This approach also enables consideration and application of an ecosystem perspective that links physical, biological and human perspectives,” stated Erik Karlsen.

“British Columbia’s water sustainability journey currently stretches over five decades – from the 1980s through the 2020s – and has five distinct eras. The 1987 drought resulted in an unprecedented test of water supply sources throughout BC to provide for existing populations, raising concerns regarding the consequences of continued growth. A legacy of the 1987 drought were two landmark studies for Metro Vancouver and the Okanagan, respectively. Both were influential in shaping water supply and water conservation planning for decades to come,” stated Ted van der Gulik.

“The National Action Plan provided us with a focus and a raison d’être for influencing water policy in British Columbia. The National Action Plan opened the door for our committee to carve out a leadership role vis-à-vis provincial water stewardship. It was a defining moment. During this foundational era, the committee was a committee of water utility managers – with regional representation from the southern half of the province. Years later, the experience gained would prove essential and invaluable for implementation of the Water Sustainability Action Plan,” stated Kim Stephens.

“The Water Conservation Strategy identified 10 strategic directions aimed at minimizing barriers to whole-system actions, and encouraging a broader understanding and adoption of water use efficiency actions. This opened the door to ecosystem-based thinking and the water balance approach. It also connected a myriad of dots in laying out a framework for action. For three years, 1998 through 2001, the WUEC Executive Committee successfully delivered an outreach program that spread the word about the Water Conservation Strategy,” stated Eric Bonham.

“The 2001 provincial election resulted in a change in government, with Gordon Campbell elected as Premier. His grasp of water issues meant that BC’s top decision-maker was a ‘water champion’ whose interests encompassed the vision for the Water Sustainability Action Plan. It was a model for informing provincial policy through shared responsibility. The partnership umbrella provided by the Water Sustainability Action Plan allowed the Province to leverage partnerships to greatly enhance the profile and resulting impact of Living Water Smart, released in June 2008,” stated Lynn Kriwoken.

“Every team member involved is passionate about what she or he does. This is what we hope and believe will inspire our audiences to apply what they absorb from our work. It is best to view what we as important milestones in a journey. We hope to bring others along with us. We believe success will follow because we will have seeded information that allows others to carry on and follow a path that is right for them. Everyone will reach their own conclusions based on what they got out of they learned, and what resonated with them individually,” stated Richard Boase.