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“The group was asked to identify what issues, problems or concerns exist currently within the Vancouver Island region,” wrote Kerry Elfstrom. “It was agreed that Vancouver Island could be the focus since it has clearly defined geographical boundaries, every element of the industry represented (suppliers, operators, consultants, educators, interested Associations etc.) and advantageous proximity to the provincial Government.”

The 2005 workshop resulted in ‘Showcasing Green Infrastructure Innovation Series in Metro Vancouver and on Vancouver Island during the period 2006 – 2008. “Practitioners in local government want to learn from those who are innovating, and they want to visit projects that are precedent-setting. The Showcasing Innovation Series enabled local governments to tell their stories in a way that no other forum provided,” recalls John Finnie.

The Convening for Action initiative is informing change in British Columbia through implementation of an outreach and continuing education program. “This program has a number of elements. While the main focus is on events organized under the Convening for Action umbrella, the program also includes making presentations at events organized by others,” stated Kim Stephens.

Rainwater harvesting workshops held in Vancouver and Victoria in mid-2005 were part of a national series. Peter Coombes (from Australia) was the featured speaker at the Vancouver event.

“Drawing on the experience of two international experts, workshops held in Vancouver and Victoria connected the dots between WHY harvest rainwater and HOW to cost-effectively implement rainwater collection, storage, treatment and delivery systems,” wrote Colwyn Sunderland.