Convening for Action in British Columbia

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Darrell Mussatto

    CHRONICLE OF GREEN INFRASTRUCTURE INNOVATION: “We treat our watercourses like the gift that they are. We try to do the best we can with how we grow and develop the community while recognizing those watercourses and protecting an important part of our natural system,” stated Samantha Ward, Drainage Manager with the City of Surrey


    “There are so many benefits associated with watercourses that go well beyond moving water from A to B. This understanding is reflected in our Biodiversity Conservation Strategy. Without our watercourses, Surrey would feel different. It would not be the place that it is. In the uplands, it is the biodiversity piece. And going beyond just setting a corridor to ask, how can we enhance that corridor to maximize the biodiversity value it bring. We have been fortunate to have political support to allow us to try things,” stated Samantha Ward.

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    DOWNLOAD A COPY: “Living Water Smart in British Columbia: Regional Team Approach to Municipal Collaboration Powers Change”– released by the Partnership for Water Sustainability in May 2025


    Political commitment is a theme that weaves through and permeates the stories behind the stories of innovators who have led by example. Without leadership at the top, plus everything else being in alignment, change is unlikely. Staff champions in local government can only carry things so far. Most of all, there must be political commitment. “Elected officials saw rainwater management as something positive we could grab onto and run with. And this helped create champions and build committee support for green infrastructure,” stated former mayor Darrell Mussatto.

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    DOWNLOADS FOR THE FALL 2024 SEASON OF THE LIVING WATER SMART SERIES: “Storytelling is among the oldest forms of communication,” stated Professor Rives Collins, author of ‘The Power of Story: Teaching Through Storytelling’


    We share our world view through our stories and storytelling This is how we pass on our oral history. Storytelling is the way we share intergenerational knowledge, experience and wisdom. “Storytelling is the commonality of all human beings, in all places, in all times,” stated Professor Rives Collins, Northwestern University, author of “The Power of Story: Teaching Through Storytelling”.

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    CHRONICLE OF GREEN INFRASTRUCTURE INNOVATION: “When there is trust and respect between politicians and staff, good outcomes for the community are more likely to result,” stated Darrell Mussatto, former mayor North Vancouver City (2nd installment in a preview series)


    “My goal when I was elected mayor in 2005 was all about climate change. After the first month, I organized a meeting with the top 40 staff to share my vision. Part way through my presentation, some staff put their hands up and said…Darrell, we are there with you, we are there. When staff do not feel intimidated, they can be bolder. When elected leaders have a trust-based relationship with their senior staff, and everyone works together to make the community a better place, that is when you really get things moving in the right direction,” stated Darrell Mussatto.

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    DOWNLOAD A COPY OF: “Living Water Smart in British Columbia: When an elected leader is THE CHAMPION, the community benefits” – released by the Partnership for Water Sustainability in October 2024


    “Politicians know how to get elected. But do they know all that other stuff that they need to know? To ask the tough questions, you must be informed and educated about what matters. To be a better, more effective decision maker, you have to understand how things work so that your decisions are in context with other issues. A lot of what happens depends on the leadership, both political and at the staff level. You need BOTH to work. You need the politicians to lead, and you need staff to help educate and bring the politicians along and get good policy,” stated Darrell Mussatto.

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    METRO VANCOUVER GREEN INFRASTRUCTURE JOURNEY: “What was possible in the 2000s would not be possible in the 2020s. Those who are in the front lines of local government are embattled, stretched to the limit, and under-appreciated,” stated Kim Stephens (October 2023)


    “A lot of things that took place in the 2000s are the building blocks which people have forgotten. As Darrell Mussatto, former mayor of the City of North Vancouver, points out in his story behind the story, the loss of understanding in the Metro Vancouver region is real. In the 2000s, politicians and staff were aligned. This fueled political commitment to take action to achieve a shared vision. To find a path forward in these challenging times, you have to understand your oral history and frame it accordingly! Where we have landed on is risk management,” stated Kim Stephens.

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    DOWNLOAD A COPY OF: “Living Water Smart in British Columbia: Green Infrastructure is the Pathway to Water Sustainability” – released by the Partnership for Water Sustainability in October 2023


    “There has been a recent loss of long-term knowledge and experience because people who were providing regional leadership, and trying hard to make a difference, have retired from public office. The loss of understanding is real,” stated Darrell Mussatto. He served on North Vancouver City Council for 25 years, including 13 years as mayor. His time in office coincides with the timeline for the early adopter and leading by example phases of the Metro Vancouver region’s green infrastructure journey. He views the journey through both the local and regional lenses.

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