Improving the Urban Landscape through Inter-Provincial Partnerships

 

IWA conference at calgary - audience scene

In September 2005, the International Water Association held its 10th International Specialist Conference on Watershed and River Basin Management in Calgary, Alberta. This event created an opportunity for a public unveiling of an inter-provincial partnership between British Columbia and Alberta that is founded on the Water Balance Model.

The unveiling took the form of a co-presented paper titled The Water Balance Model for British Columbia: Improving the Urban Landscape through Inter-Provincial Partnerships. In addition, the City of Calgary provided a booth complete with Internet connection so that conference participants could have a hands-on experience with the model. To download the PowerPoint presentation, click here.

Bert van duin, alidpBert van Duin, representing the Bow River Basin Council on the Alberta Low Impact Development Partnership (ALIDP), co-presented with Kim Stephens, Project Coordinator for the BC-based Inter-Governmental Partnership.

The success of the Water Balance Model, particularly in promoting an understanding of how to improve the built environment and protect the natural environment,  has generated interest in expanding the focus of the tool to reach a national audience. The paper elaborates on the decision by Environment Canada, the Canada Mortgage & Housing Corporation and the Province of British Columbia to create a truly national Water Balance Model for Canada.

IWA conference at calgary - city of calgary boothAt the conference, the Alberta Low Impact Development Partnership provided conference delegates with a Water Balance Model 'look-and-feel' experience.The City of Calgary sponsored a display booth complete with Internet connection so that delegates could try the model.

 

Context for Inter-Provincial Collaboration

According to Ted van der Gulik (British Columbia Ministry of Agriculture & Ted van der gulikLands), Chair of the British Columbia Inter-Governmental Partnership (IGP) that developed the Water Balance Model, “Because the province of Alberta is our eastern neighbour, we approached them to form the first inter-provincial partnership. In the co-authored paper we describe how IGP participation in the first Low Impact Development Conference held in Alberta served as the catalyst to bring together a cross-section of parties interested in promoting sustainable drainage initiatives in Alberta.”

Capitalizing on the enthusiasm and early momentum generated by this workshop, the Alberta Low Impact Development Partnership (ALIDP) was created in November 2004. By March 2005 the early enthusiasm had resulted in approval of a Terms of Reference, election of a Steering Committee, and the decision to move forward with the inter-provincial partnership with British Columbia.

Speaking on behalf of the ALIDP Steering Comittee, Co-Chair Liliana Bozic (City of Calgary) observed that “Our joint paper also comments on how differences in drainage culture, starting points and terminology are being addressed in adapting the Water Balance Model to suit Alberta conditions – that is, a cold and semi-arid climate. ALIDP believes the experience gained during the partnership-building with Alberta will be useful, not only in the ongoing efforts to implement the Water Balance Model nationwide, but also to advance sustainable drainage initiatives across Canada.”

IWA conference at calgary - lilian bozic at city of calgary booth

 

Over-Arching Provincial Initiatives

The #1 goal of ALIDP is to facilitate the development of a ‘Made in Alberta’ LID strategy that is consistent with and achieves the desired outcomes of Alberta’s Water for Life initiative, namely:

  • Safe, secure drinking water supply
  • Healthy aquatic systems
  • Reliable water quality supplies for a sustainable economy.

The Water Balance Model is one of six inter-connected initiatives that comprise the Water Sustainability Action Plan for British Columbia. The Action Plan is comprehensive in scope and provides an umbrella for grassroots initiatives, ranging from governance to site design, that are informing Provincial policy through shared responsibility. The goal is that use of the Water Balance Model will become standard practice for land development decisions throughout British Columbia.

 

IWA conference at calgary - bert van duin making presentation

At the IWA Conference in Calgary, Bert van Duin made a co-presentation on the Water Balance Model for Canada and the inter-provincial partnership between Alberta and British Columbia.

 

First posted on www.waterbalance.ca in September 2005