Green Infrastructure

“In 2004, the City of Stratford in Ontario approved a secondary plan for a future city expansion based on an evaluation of three plans, one of which was the Fused Grid. In 2006, CMHC initiated a supplementary case study to assess the potential for reducing or eliminating rainwater runoff from the development area,” reports Fanis Grammenos. “The question for this analysis was to assess to what extent street layout, amount and distribution of open space, and building form affect the post-development runoff resulting from the impermeable surfaces that urban development creates.”

“Have a look at some of the Water Balance Model slideshow presentations that have been made to industry and government groups starting in 2001. This includes some of the early presentations on the Water Balance Methodology that helped pave the way for the paradigm-shift from 'peak flow thinking' to 'volume-based thinking',” stated Kim Stephens.

“The Green Infrastructure Partnership has achieved a great deal over the past four years, and can take credit for spurring innovation in the BC engineering community. Now, there are parallel programs such as Local Motion and the Gas Tax Agreement that recast the opportunity to make the every day investments that will lead us to the right place,” stated Dale Wall.

In April 2008, the Metro Vancouver Board appointed the Metro Vancouver Liquid Waste Management Reference Panel. It will provide input on the discussion documents and on the subsequent Draft Plan. The Reference Panel concept is modeled on the Working Group approach which has been successfully implemented in the District of West Vancouver. “The Reference Panel will provide comments and advice on the strategies for updating the plan,” explained Director Marvin Hunt.

At the Beyond the Guidebook Seminar in November 2007, a key message from Fisheries & Oceans Canada was that RAINwater management is about protecting stream health, not just how much runoff volume can be infiltrated.

The New York Times reports that more than 1,500 commercial buildings and 684 homes have been LEED certified but just 48 homes have received the platinum ranking.

“A major challenge for Metro Vancouver and its members is adapting legacy sewerage and stormwater infrastructure from a 20th century model to a sustainable 21st century model. The Integrated Resource Recovery approach requires the successful alignment and integration of provincial, municipal and regional plans and a willingness to embrace and refine new technologies and techniques,” wrote Fred Nenninger.

Building on the interest and momentum generated by successful series on both sides of the Georgia Basin in 2007, 'CAVI – Convening for Action on Vancouver Island' is collaborating with the Capital Regional District and the Green Infrastructure Partnership to organize 'Showcasing Green Infrastructure Innovation in the Capital Region: The 2008 Series'.

The Inter-Governmental Partnership (IGP) has released the Preliminary Agenda for the Water Balance Model Partners Forum to be held on February 29. The Forum will be the formal launch of the Water Balance Model powered by QUALHYMO, and will be hosted by the District of North Vancouver in a ‘Town Hall’ setting.

Because Oceans Canada are on the Steering Committee for the Green Infrastructure Partnership, the Beyond the Guidebook Seminar in Novmber 2007 provided a timely opportunity to inform local government and land use practitioners regarding the emerging policy framework and senior government expectations for applying a 'Beyond the Guidebook' approach to land development and watershed management. A key message from Fisheries & Oceans Canada is that RAINwater management is about protecting stream health, not just how much runoff volume can be infiltrated.