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Chronicle of Green Infrastructure Innovation in Metro Vancouver (1994-2024)

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


In 1999, Barry Janyk had a vision which morphed into the SmartStorm Forum Series. He 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. “Technical people have to demonstrate cost-effectiveness in order to transform political acceptability into political will to implement change and spend money,” stated Barry Janyk.

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GREEN INFRASTRUCTURE INFLUENCER IN THE METRO VANCOUVER REGION: “We must start and end with the stream for a true measure of success,” says Jim Dumont, rainwater management thought leader who evolved the Water Balance Methodology through a rigorously analytical approach


“We are on the right path. But that path seems to be a path less travelled. While many advances have been made in managing rainwater on-site in BC, we have fallen behind US west coast states in protecting streams and reducing risk. The West Coast experience of Washington State, Oregon and California is a counterweight to those who lean to Ontario and Northeastern USA for their experience. We cannot force the change. The thing that I have found works is RISK MANAGEMENT. If we can get that discussion going, senior people will follow along,” stated Jim Dumont.

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GREEN INFRASTRUCTURE INFLUENCER IN THE METRO VANCOUVER REGION: “My passion is about driving positive change. Being committed to goals. Setting long-term objectives. And committing to those until they are delivered. That is what gets these big items over the finish line,” stated Melony Burton, Manager of Infrastructure Planning with the City of Port Coquitlam


Melony Burton’s actions in driving positive change are guided by her no-nonsense approach to keeping it simple, practical and implementable. She is results-based and has a history of accomplishment with three local governments. Her responsibilities encompass the entire infrastructure portfolio. “I have leveraged my career into a position that allows me to have more influence and positive change. This came, in part, from channeling the frustration at being limited in the role I was in. When you are comfortable, you are not motivated to make a change,” explains Melony Burton.

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1 – LESSONS FROM THE PAST INFORM THE FUTURE IN METRO VANCOUVER: Stream Systems and the Metro Vancouver region’s Liquid Waste Management Plan


“The stream systems component of the region’s first two LWMPs drove changes in practice through the 2000s. The ecosystem-based approach emerged because of the need to remedy stream channel and corridor erosion and flooding. The unintended consequences and costs of land use practices were unfunded liabilities. Once the Minister of Environment approves an LWMP, it is legally binding. Thus, the LWMP is potentially an effective mechanism for influencing what we do within watersheds. The third LWMP is a window of opportunity to get it right,” stated Kim Stephens.

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2 – LESSONS FROM THE PAST INFORM THE FUTURE IN METRO VANCOUVER: Protecting stream integrity and managing risks depends on going beyond just doing enough


Between 2014 and 2022, the BC Ombudsperson published the Striking a Balance series of reports on riparian enforcement. Jay Chalke linked loss of riparian integrity to failure by local governments to employ adequate oversight of stream systems. In the late 2000s, the hollowing out of the environmental agencies meant they withdrew from former oversight and enforcement roles.

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3 – LESSONS FROM THE PAST INFORM THE FUTURE IN METRO VANCOUVER: Floods create teachable moments


“Advances in science led to different paths along the west coast for British Columbia, California, Oregon and Washington. West Coast experience is a counterweight to those who lean to Ontario and northeast USA for their experience. But many in BC do not understand why mimicking flow duration is risk management. It baffles me why it is that way. Risk management is a really big deal,” states Jim Dumont.

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4 – LESSONS FROM THE PAST INFORM THE FUTURE IN METRO VANCOUVER: History of the past three decades


“The 1990s was a very instrumental time of policy and regulation development. The productiveness of the dialogues during the years 1997-2005 inspired a lot of professionals to dig deeper and find solutions and learn. You felt like you were part of a movement. Those were such fantastic discussions and collegiality between municipalities. There was a really good alignment and call to action on making streamside regulation work,” stated Susan Haid.

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5 – LESSONS FROM THE PAST INFORM THE FUTURE IN METRO VANCOUVER: In the 2000s, there was consensus that development practices must change


“We saw rainwater management as something positive. We could grab onto and run with it. And this helped create champions and build committee support for green infrastructure,” stated Darrell Mussatto, former mayor of North Vancouver City. His time in office (1993-2018) coincides with the timeline for the early adopter and leading by example phases of the Metro Vancouver region’s green infrastructure journey.

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7 – LESSONS FROM THE PAST INFORM THE FUTURE IN METRO VANCOUVER: Get on with implementing the course correction!


“You can bend the hydrology of a watershed over decades just because of the housing redevelopment cycle. But you get just one chance every 50 years,” stated Robert Hicks. “In the 2000s, Metro Vancouver had the budget to fund work on the Water Balance Methodology and bridge the source control information gap. Use the water balance approach and green infrastructure to bend the hydrograph down.”

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