Green Infrastructure

CHAMPION FOR AN ECOSYSTEM-BASED APPROACH IN BRITISH COLUMBIA: Barry Janyk, former 4-term mayor of Gibsons, was an early political champion whose efforts as an influencer elevated the profile of the green infrastructure movement in the urban regions of BC

January 28, 2025 - Posted in Chronicle of Green Infrastructure Innovation in Metro Vancouver (1994-2024), Extracts from the Chronicle

Note to Reader:

Published by the Partnership for Water Sustainability in British Columbia, Waterbucket eNews celebrates the leadership of individuals and organizations who are guided by the Living Water Smart vision. The edition published on January 28, 2025 celebrated the contributions of the late Barry Janyk (1952-2024), former 4-term mayor of the Town of Gibsons.

He was outspoken, funny and fearless in following his passions and advocating for the causes he believed in. One of those causes was “Smart Development”. Because he believed in doing the right thing, he played a leadership role in setting the green infrastructure movement in motion a generation ago. He was an influencer in a profound and public way.

Barry Janyk is recognized by the Partnership as one of seven Tier One Champions for implementing an Ecosystem-based Approach in British Columbia. This article is an extract from the Chronicle of Green Infrastructure Innovation in Metro Vancouver from 1994 through 2024.

Barry Janyk was an early political champion for Smart Development in urban BC

“In 1999, Barry Janyk had a vision which morphed into the SmartStorm Forum Series. The genesis for the series was a focus group workshop convened by UBCM in October 1997. Barry Janyk coined the term Smart Development to clearly differentiate the BC approach from the Low Impact Development terminology which was then being used in the United States,” states Kim Stephens, Waterbucket eNews Editor and Partnership Executive Director.

“Barry Janyk chaired the inter-governmental committee which initiated the series. He added political profile in his moderator role for the series. His tone-setting presentation to kickoff each event was titled The Political Consequences of Doing the Wrong Thing: Why Elected Officials Must Consider Smart Development.”

“In 2007, when he was Vice-President of the Association of Vancouver Island and Coastal Communities, Barry Janyk was the political champion who helped the Partnership for Water Sustainability bring to fruition the vision for the inter-regional Green Infrastructure Leadership Forum .”

“The Green Infrastructure Leadership Forum was a catalyst event for the CAVI-Convening for Action on Vancouver Island initiative which was the proof-of-concept for the Georgia Basin Inter-Regional Education Initiative.”

Context for green infrastructure champions whose contributions showed they were influencers in a profound and public way

“Zooming out to view the past three decades as a whole, the period 1997 through 2005 was the crucible for the golden period that followed from 2006 through 2011. This is our context for remembering Barry Janyk, a true political champion for smart development. He was an influencer in a profound and public way,” explains Kim Stephens.

“The crucible era is bracketed by the passage of the Fish Protection Act in 1997 and the Green Infrastructure Consultation Workshop held in May 2005. These were literally watershed moments.”

“A large cast of characters was involved. We were venturing into uncharted territory, and that meant taking leaps of faith and calculated risks that we were heading in the right direction. We pushed the boundaries of knowledge and experience. We learned together.”

Circa 2000, green infrastructure in BC was founded on an ecosystem-based approach and was a movement

“The cast of players during the period 1997 through 2005 was large indeed. There was passion, there was commitment, and most of all there was a can-do attitude. It was a movement,” continues Kim Stephens.

“Drawing on my firsthand knowledge and experience in working closely with so many during this period, I view the roster of players in term of three tiers of champions. Keep in mind that my perspective is the convening for action lens.”

Who are the Tier One champions?

“Many individuals have played important roles in the green infrastructure movement. But whose efforts were make or break during the crucible period? Seven individuals stand out as Tier One champions because of their ability to change the game. And Barry Janyk is one of the seven!”

“The whole is greater than the sum of the parts. That expression captures the collective contribution of the group of seven. Their individual orbits intersected, overlapped and aligned in ways that powered a movement that was inspired by the greater good.

“Each individual in the group of Tier One champions rose to the moment in ways that were complementary. They provided leadership within their individual spheres of influence. When the smoke cleared, the collective impact of their contributions was transformational,” concludes Kim Stephens.

To Learn More:

Download a copy of Tier One Champions for implementing an Ecosystem-based Approach in British Columbia. This is an extract from the Chronicle of Green Infrastructure Innovation in Metro Vancouver from 1994 through 2024.

Living Water Smart in British Columbia Series

To read the complete 3-part story released on January 28, 2025, download a copy of Living Water Smart in British Columbia: Remembering Barry Janyk, political champion for Smart Development.