“Our eco-assets journey began in 2012,” stated Emanuel Machado. “The triggering event was the release of the Gibsons Aquifer Mapping Study. Shortly afterwards the Town changed the definition of infrastructure and formally acknowledged the need to understand and manage (eco)systems and not simply individual infrastructure assets. This action led directly to the Gibsons Eco-Asset Strategy.”
Mayor Dianne Watts – City of Surrey
A municipally-owned utility that will be responsible for the DE systems in Surrey. The first system will be built in City Centre under the new City Hall using ground source heat exchange as the primary energy supply.
“Vancouver has continued to add to its urban forest by planting another 3,000 street trees this winter. The total number of street trees in Vancouver’s 22 districts now stands at 138,000, compared to only 80,000 back in 1990,” wrote Steve Whysall.
UBC Centre for Interactive Research on Sustainability
University is uniquely positioned to develop and test system-wide energy solutions.
Corino Salomi (120p) – 2010
Lessons learned by those who have done it can help those who want to ensure that pending and/or future settlement change (development) is in balance with ecology.
Released in November 2009, ‘Water Balance Model for Canada – The Plan for the Future’ is a comprehensive document that will guide tool enhancement over the next three years. “In Alberta, the Water for Life Strategy and Land Stewardship Act provide a framework for efforts that will help Alberta achieve a better balance between economic growth and environmental / social values,” stated Liliana Bozic. “Water for Life and the Land Stewardship Act promote sustainable use of water resources in Alberta.”
“Formation of the society is a pivotal milestone in the history of the WBM. Over the years, various people have asked us who owns the WBM. Now when we answer ‘the Partnership owns it’, it will be crystal clear to everyone that the Partnership is in fact a legal entity. This evolution is important to our funders becauses it increases our ability to obtain grants for ongoing enhancement of WBM capabilities,” stated Ted van der Gulik.
Patrick Condon (120p)
A group of architecture and planning students at the University of BC has recently crafted a master plan for the City of Vancouver that paints a vivid and compelling picture of change over the next 40 years.
Mayor Malcolm Brodie – City of Richmond
The next step in an ongoing program to help Richmond reduce its greenhouse gas emissions and further promote the use of secure, cost effective and sustainable energy sources.
“The City of Vancouver is proud to have contributed to the ‘working with nature’ philosophy and applying the principles of the Water Balance Model to the Olympic Village project and the East Fraserlands redevelopment project,” stated David Desrochers.
