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“I am pleased with the continuing success of the partnership in providing program delivery for the Water Sustainability Action Plan for British Columbia,” stated Barry Penner. “This initiative is all about sharing information and promoting water stewardship at the community level. I value the important role this partnership is playing in promoting water awareness and supporting communities to integrate water management practices with local land use planning and development programs.”

“The Partnership will continue to evolve and deliver program elements developed under the umbrella of the Water Sustainability Action Plan for British Columbia,” stated Tim Pringle. “The Partnership vision is that water sustainability will be achieved through implementation of green infrastructure policies and practices. How communities in BC get there relies on a change in mind-set. The Partnership mission is to facilitate that change.”

“CAVI is an innovative and precedent-setting approach to partnerships and collaboration that brings Together those who plan and regulate land use, those who build and those who provide the legislative framework,” wrote Eric Bonham. “Vancouver Island is the pilot region for rollout of ‘Beyond the Guidebook: The New Business As Usual’ with the adoption of an innovative approach to practitioner education. This provincial initiative builds on the foundation provided by ‘Stormwater Planning: A Guidebook for British Columbia’, published in 2002, and incorporates further lessons learned over the past 6 years.”

At each of three events, Eric Bonham explained how CAVI got started and provided insight as to why this bottom-up approach is resonating with local government and beyond. The goal is to promote networking, inform and educate practitioners, and help local governments move ‘from awareness to action’ in doing business differently.

“Convening for Action on Vancouver Island was launched in September 2006. A consultation workshop that was held as an adjunct to the “Water in the City Conference” in Victoria provided a timely opportunity to test and validate an approach that can bridge the gap between talk (interest) and action (practice)in advancing a water-centric approach to community development,” reported Kim Stephens. “The goal is to educate stakeholders on how to implement a Design with Nature approach to community development. Because how we develop land determines how we use water and how water runs off the land.”

“The Partnership is the evolution of many initiatives around water sustainability in BC. The Partnership is building on and continuing the work that has gone on before under the umbrella of the Water Sustainability Action Plan. Incorporating the Partnership as a legal entity is a natural outcome. This demonstrated record of collaboration is our strength going forward,” stated Eric Bonham. “We can cross regional boundaries with comfort and draw players together for the benefit of the whole, and as a result, encourage an inclusive sustainability vision for Vancouver Island and beyond.”

“The REFBC has had a longstanding interest and involvement in water sustainability. We have provided core funding for the Water Sustainability Action Plan since 2005. In addition to our funding role, we have played an active part in programs implemented under the Action Plan umbrella, notably Convening for Action on Vancouver Island. So, a logical next step for the Foundation was to establish a Water Sustainability Endowment Fund in support of non-profit initiatives related to water stewardship. The income generated from this fund will support non-profit activities in water sustainability in the province of BC. This endowment will support projects which demonstrate the values of the REFBC’s Land Award,”stated Karin Kirkpatrick.

Bringing passion and energy to everything he does, the ability of Kim Stephens to build relationships and partnerships with broad water stakeholders has resulted in a positive change to how practitioners understand the relationship between land-use and the true value of water. He specializes in public policy and integration of perspectives as they relate to urban watershed planning and application of decision support systems, and has had a leadership role in a series of Provincial initiatives in British Columbia related to water sustainability, rainwater management, green infrastructure, and smart development.

The Water Sustainability Action Plan is being delivered through partnerships and regional pilot projects and programs. Convening for Action program has evolved into a ‘made in BC’ process for moving British Columbia practitioners from awareness to action. “Through outreach and education, the guiding vision is to influence land and water practitioners to learn about and use practices that better balance the necessary relationships of settlement activity and ecological assets in local and regional landscapes,” explains Glen Brown.

Ted van der Gulik is a visionary and an innovator. While others talk, Ted does. His accomplishments are many and his innovative leadership encompasses provincial tools such as the Water Balance Model and the Irrigation Scheduling Calculator. Ted brings energy to everything that he does, and he inspires those around him. He is the epitome of the old adage: If you want something done, ask a busy person. Ted will look into the future, identify the desired outcome, and then issue this challenge: Okay, what steps will we take now so that we can get there?