CHRONICLE OF GREEN INFRASTRUCTURE INNOVATION IN METRO VANCOUVER: “Many of the issues we identified remain as pressing as they were in 2014; there is work ahead to ensure that the systemic issues are fully addressed,” wrote BC Ombudsperson Jay Chalke in his 2022 update report on the Riparian Areas Protection Regulation
Note to Reader:
In November 2024, the Partnership for Water Sustainability in British Columbia released THE SYNOPSIS for the Chronicle of Green Infrastructure Innovation in Metro Vancouver. The Chronicle is a sweeping narrative of the 30-year period from 1994 through 2024. The Chronicle is a layered package comprising four documents: the Chronicle of the Journey, Stories Within the Story, Synopsis and Executive Summary. The target audience for each layer is different.
The Synopsis is the third layer in the cascade. It is oriented to senior managers who have limited time to absorb what they need to know to make informed decisions. The Synopsis is visual and so can easily be skimmed in 20 minutes or less!
Stream Systems and Liquid Waste Management Plan
“The takeaway message from a set of three storyboards on page S3 of the Synopsis is that failure to stay true to water balance principles creates risks, costs and consequences for people, property and habitat. This is a cautionary tale,” stated Kim Stephens, Synopsis author and Partnership Executive Director.
“After 2011, the region failed to implement the ISMP Course Correction, and then veered even further off course.”
“In the late 2000s, the hollowing out of the environmental agencies meant they withdrew from former oversight and enforcement roles. Today, there is no regulatory fire under the municipal feet. This is compounded by the loss of corporate memory at Metro Vancouver when staff were replaced.”
“The Riparian Deficit is a measurable consequence. It is the financial case for investing in streams, is the environmental equivalent of the Infrastructure Deficit for engineered assets (e.g., pipes, buildings, roads), and the point of departure for balanced conversations about the services that natural and constructed assets each provide.”
To Learn More:
Download a copy of the Synopsis of the Chronicle of Green Infrastructure Innovation in Metro Vancouver from 1994 through 2024. released in November 2024. The Synopsis is structured as six sections.
DOWNLOAD A COPY: https://waterbucket.ca/gi/wp-content/uploads/sites/4/2024/11/Metro-Van-Chronicle_Synopsis_DRAFT_Nov2024.pdf