“Living Water Smart provides a framework and sets a direction. The purpose in convening for action is to establish consistent expectations on-the-ground: This is what we want to achieve, and this is how we will get there. Our immediate objective in convening for action is to encourage ‘green choices’ that will ripple through time,” stated Kim Stephens.
The Penticton Forum showcased how partnerships, collaboration, innovation and integration are helping local governments in three regions. “The Province’s Living Water Smart and Green Communities initiatives provide a framework and direction for convening for action in the Okanagan, on Vancouver Island and in Metro Vancouver. Each regional initiative is developing a vision and road map for achieving settlement in balance with ecology,” stated Glen Brown.
“Set the vision based upon community values, support the vision with information and education via the Water Bucket website, and apply web-based water management tools to make better decisions,” stated Kim Stephens.
“The water sustainability session showcased how partnerships, collaboration, innovation and integration are helping local governments apply a water-centric lens to make the best choices,” explained Pia Nagpal.
“Living Water Smart, BC’s Water Plan and the Green Communities Initiative must be viewed as an integrated package. Living Water Smart presents the vision, and the Green Communities Initiative provides enabling tools to achieve the vision. Together they represent a call to action,” stated Kim Stephens.
The forum promoted moving beyond pilot projects to a watershed-based approach to achieving performance targets for rainwater management and green infrastructure. “We envisioned that the Surrey Forum would be a transformational event and a catalyst for action. One of our goals is to implement an educational program in Metro Vancouver that would be modelled on the Vancouver Island Learning Lunch Series,” stated Raymond Fung.
The technical program for the 2009 BC Ground Water Association Convention included a session on water sustainability so that the groundwater community would be informed about provincial initiatives underway in BC, and the implications for groundwater. “In speaking to a groundwater-oriented audience, my objective was to connect the dots between land development activities and groundwater protection,” stated Kim Stephens.
