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“Why did BC local governments not follow through and learn from the example of the three states along the west coast? In BC, in parallel with the US states we did continue to research the problems and to identify practical improvements to our practice of rainwater management. For many practitioners it is far easier to simply add ground infiltration measures to existing drainage practices. The stream has not been included in any meaningful manner and the impacts have not been quantified, nor have the effects of any mitigation works,” stated Jim Dumont.

“Instill a culture of continuous improvement and giving back to the community so that the community elects good, well-meaning people. It is a cycle. The community elects good people to council. And councillors rely on staff to come up with ideas. The council supports those ideas and is willing to fund them. Staff carries them out. The community notices those ideas being implemented, and they are happy. It is a cycle! The community becomes even more appreciative. If you keep that cycle going, there is no end to it. The cycle actually does work,” stated Pete Steblin.

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.

Ramin Seif is a visionary leader. At the Township of Langley Township, he carved out a one-of-a-kind role as general manager of a portfolio that combined planning and engineering. His dual role was an essential ingredient in enabling organizational integration, horizontally and vertically. “What we do as individuals, as engineers, as community builders to effect change is very much dependent on education, raising awareness, and developing a culture. And I think that is the story of Langley. We developed a culture that future generations can now take forward,” stated Ramin Seifi.

“Historically, drainage has been an afterthought in urban planning decisions. Neighbourhoods were developed without thinking about drainage in a broader watershed context. Circa 2000, however, the emphasis became let’s look at this on a watershed basis. For municipalities like Delta with well-developed infrastructure, this meant figuring out HOW to retrofit and redesign drainage systems. Road rights-of-way account for one-third of the land area of a typical urban watershed, Commitment to a rain garden program would make a material difference over time,” stated Hugh Fraser.

“Bringing together and inspiring people, especially those in the trenches, to keep fighting the good fight,” stated Ray Fung. “That is basically what we did in the 2000s and continue to do! How do you judge that time with the advantage of hindsight? It is always a confluence of different things.” In the 2000s, the Green Infrastructure Partnership played a prominent role in leading changes in local government attitudes in the Metro Vancouver region. This influence cascaded from elected representative at Municipal Council and Regional Board tables to practitioners in the trenches.

Robert Hicks, a career engineer-planner in local government, has an experience-based perspective on the impacts of changes to the landscape. His career achievements include co-creating the “streams and trees component” of the existing Integrated Liquid Waste and Resource Management Plan for the Metro Vancouver region. “At the time, the value of managing drainage on a watershed basis within a broad framework of land management and ecosystem planning was not yet apparent. Research on stream health at the University of Washington changed all this,” stated Robert Hicks.

“Launched in 1994, the Georgia Basin Initiative was a call to action by the provincial government. Its influence has rippled through time in profound and lasting ways. In 2024, the Partnership honours and celebrates the 30th anniversary of a watershed moment in BC history with a sweeping narrative of the GBI mission, the key players, and what followed in its wake over three decades and counting. The living legacy of the Georgia Basin Initiative is embedded in and embodied by the Georgia Basin Inter-Regional Educational Initiative which the Partnership leads today,” stated Kim Stephens.

Part A of the Green Infrastructure Chronicle is dedicated to the shared legacy of three inspirational leaders who ran with the vision for the Georgia Basin Initiative: Creating a Sustainable Future and gave it life three decades ago. Without the passion and commitment of Darlene Marzari, Joan Sawicki and Erik Karlsen, the report may not have gone anywhere. They made a difference and they changed history in the Georgia Basin. Darlene Marzari had come out of local government. She was a strong Minister of Municipal Affairs. Land use planning was front and centre.

“Erik Karlsen served the public interest – the public hopes and dreams for a better tomorrow, for the environment, for human communities, and for future generations – almost without equal. And he did it with a style likely not to be seen again for a very long time. An amazing individual, he was one of a kind,” stated Joan Sawicki in a tribute statement when Erik Karlsen died in 2020. “He not only was way ahead of his time, but he also had an unparalleled network of connection with Georgia Basin communities – and, most importantly, a high degree of trust with those communities.”