Convening for Action in British Columbia

“Change is slow in the urban environment. It usually happens with re-development of individual lots as buildings wear out or as population density increases. With re-development comes opportunity for creek restoration or creek day-lighting,” writes Tanis Gower. “The Bowker Creek Initiative has produced a plan – the Bowker Creek Blueprint – that includes policy recommendations. Creek restoration opportunities typically arise with little warning, and the detailed plan and long-term vision will help all its partners be ready.”

“A ‘regional team approach’ is founded on partnerships and collaboration, and seeks to align local actions with provincial and regional goals. Vancouver Island is demonstrating the regional team approach. It is revealing that inserting the word team could have such a profound impact on how practitioners view their world. Inclusion of the team word implies there is personal commitment – that is why the regional team approach is fundamentally different than a regional approach,” states Tim Pringle.

Ed von Euw (120p)
Metro Vancouver's 'Integrated Liquid Waste & Resource Management Plan' envisions outcome-oriented watershed plans that have clear linkages with land use planning and development approval processes.

“How to accommodate a doubling of the population in the high growth regions of British Columbia is the driver for implementing changes in the way we develop land and use water,” stated Kim Stephens. “Conversations with elected representatives have yielded insights that have shaped implementation of Convening for Action pilot programs.”

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.

“The Province has enabled local government by providing law and policy tools to help achieve water sustainability and settlement change in balance with ecology,” stated Tim Pringle. “The program goals for Living Water Smart, BC’s Water Plan and the companion Green Communities Initiative constitute a ‘call to action’ on the part of British Columbians.”

“Co-sponsored by the Green Infrastructure Partnership and the Water Balance Partnership, the Forum was about moving beyond pilot projects to a watershed-based approach to achieving performance targets for rainwater management and green infrastructure,” explained John Sidnell, a member of the Green Infrastructure Partnership Steering Committee. “The Province’s Green Communities Initiative and Living Water Smart, BC’s Water Plan provided the backdrop for the Surrey Forum.”

Sustainability imperatives, the call for climate action, and the pressure for new approaches in almost every urban system have North American cities scrambling to manage the shift toward ecological practices and greater resilience. “BC is a living laboratory for many of the conference themes at Resilient Cities. This unique two-and-a-half day gathering addresses the challenges that all cities, whether large or small, urban or rural, are facing”, stated Glen Brown. “It includes a module that showcases the Water Sustainability Action Plan for a partnership delivery vehicle for the Living Water Smart and Green Communities initiatives.”

Hosted by the City of Surrey, and organized under the umbrella of the Water Sustainability Action Plan, the program was built around the HOW question as it pertains to green infrastructure: HOW will a consistent regional approach be achieved in Metro Vancouver? “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 Penticton Forum showcased three regions where communities are ‘convening for action’ and embracing a ‘regional team approach’ to make a difference. Each regional initiative is developing a vision and road map to change the way that land is developed and water is used. The Penticton Forum also showcased web-based provincial tools that have been developed to help communities achieve water sustainability through truly green development,” reports Kim Stephens.