Green Infrastructure

The Hawthorne project is a 230 house suburban neighbourhood development in the City of Nanaimo. The project illustrates how a green value approach has been implemented. The Hawthorne project represents approximately half of the City’s annual new home production.

Published in 2007, “The Green Infrastructure Guide: Issues, Implementation Strategies and Success Stories” builds on a body of work that has preceded it, and is designed to be used in conjunction with the range of important resources available from various organizations and government to support a sustainable approach to community development of infrastructure.

Local governments in British Columbia have extensive and very specific tools available to them to implement rainwater management solutions. They also have the discretion to use them or not.

Urban Watersheds Research Institute (UWRI) is a Colorado Non-Profit Corporation whose mission is to provide professional resources through seminars, conferences, research, technical support, scholarships, intern programs and other related activities to scientists, engineers and other professionals involved in the planning, designing and managing of urban watersheds, their water resources and ecologies.

Building on the interest in rainwater / stormwater modelling generated by a province-wide series of technical seminars, the Association of Professional Engineers and Geoscientists of British Columbia (APEGBC) is collaborating with the Green Infrastructure Partnership to deliver a one-day seminar on how to implement ‘green solutions’ that actually protect stream health. Scheduled for November 15, the seminar is the next step in the rollout of 'Beyond the Guidebook: Context for Rainwater Management and Green Infrastructure in British Columbia.'

Management Forum has been working to establish a basin-wide Water Management Plan. The plan will ensure that there is enough water – for people and ecosystems – now and in the future.

Located near Shawnigan Lake, O.U.R. Ecovillage began operations in 1999 with a mandate to create a model demonstration sustainable village community rooted in social, ecological, and economic well being. People from all walks of life and all ages are able to benefit from educational services on redesigned sustainable modes of living, delivered on the location in a healthy, supportive, and operational Ecovillage.

The District has embraced ‘design with nature' as a philosophy for achieving integration of rainwater management and green infrastructure. Two projects in North Cowichan will be profiled as part of the Showcasing Innovation Series: the Echo Heights neighbourhood in Chemainus and the Stonegate subdivision.

Consistent with the direction provided by the 'Cowichan Basin Water Management Plan', the City of Duncan in June 2007 adopted a new Official Community Plan that establishes expectations for implementation of green infrastructure standards in conjunction with redevelopment and densification.

The Association of Vancouver Island and Coastal Communities is the longest established area association under the umbrella of UBCM. This area association was established in 1950. It now has a membership of 49 municipalities and regional districts which stretch from the Central Coast Regional District down to the tip of Vancouver Island and include Powell River and the Sunshine Coast. The association deals with issues and concerns that affect large urban areas to small rural communities.