Green Infrastructure

In 1957, the Metropolitan Toronto and Region Conservation Authority was formed, replacing four smaller authorities. In December of 1997, Bill 148 amended the Conservation Authorities Act changing the name of the Metropolitan Toronto and Region Conservation Authority to the Toronto and Region Conservation Authority, reflecting the amalgamation of the former cities and borough within Metropolitan Toronto. Since its formation Toronto and Region Conservation has prepared and delivered programs for the management of the renewable natural resources within its watersheds.

Founded in 1992, the Center for Watershed Protection is a non-profit corporation that provides local governments, activists, and watershed organizations around the country with the technical tools for protecting some of the nation's most precious natural resources: our streams, lakes and rivers. The Center has developed and disseminated a multi-disciplinary strategy to watershed protection.

The Low Impact Development Center is a non-profit organization dedicated to the advancement of Low Impact Development technology. Low Impact Development is a new, comprehensive land planning and engineering design approach with a goal of maintaining and enhancing the pre-development hydrologic regime of urban and developing watersheds.

THe Center for Neighborhood Technology (CNT) promotes the development of more livable and sustainable communities. The CNT strives to recognizew, preserve, and enhance the value of hiden assets and undervalued resources inherent in the urban environment to make households, neighborhoods, and regions more efficient, more economically viable, and more equitable.

“Stormwater Planning: A Guidebook for British Columbia, was a pioneer application in North America of ‘adaptive management’ in a rainwater management setting. In the Guidebook, adaptive management means: We change direction when the science leads us to a better way,” stated Kim Stephens. “The goal of adaptive management is to learn from experience and constantly improve land development and rainwater management practices over time.”

Published in 2002, “Stormwater Planning: A Guidebook for British Columbia” was a catalyst for change that has resulted in British Columbia achieving international recognition as a leader in implementing a natural systems approach to rainwater management. “Beyond the Guidebook” is an initiative that builds on this foundation by advancing a runoff-based approach and tool – the ‘Water Balance Model powered by QUALHYMO' – to help local governments achieve desired urban stream health and environmental protection outcomes at a watershed scale.

Because use of the Water Balance Model for British Columbia can facilitate better land use decisions and ‘greener design’, the Green Infrastructure Partnership has embraced the tool as an element of its Outreach and Continuing Education Program; and is collaborating with the Inter-Governmental Partnership to promote use of the tool province-wide.

Formed in 2002, the Inter-Governmental Partnership draws its strength from local government and is a consortium of local governments and regional, provincial and federal agencies. The Water Balance Model promotes an understanding of how to achieve a light ‘hydrologic footprint'.

The Real Estate Foundation is a philanthropic organization created in 1985 by an amendment to the Real Estate Act. The Foundation's mission is to support sustainable real estate and land use practices for the benefit of British Columbians.

Formed in 1973, BCWWA is a non-profit association dedicated to the safeguarding of public health and the environment through the sharing of skills, knowledge and experience in the water and wastewater industries.