CHRONICLE OF GREEN INFRASTRUCTURE INNOVATION IN METRO VANCOUVER: “SO WHAT are the ways we inform, inspire and enable people to work together through partnerships to ACT NOW?” asked the late Erik Karlsen, former Director of Growth Strategies in the BC Ministry of Municipal Affairs
Note to Reader:
Published by the Partnership for Water Sustainability in British Columbia, Waterbucket eNews celebrates the leadership of individuals and organizations who are guided by the Living Water Smart vision. Stories are structured in three parts: One-Minute Takeaway, Editor’s Perspective (REPRODUCED BELOW), and the Story Behind the Story.
The edition published on April 29, ,2025 is a tribute to the memory and legacy of the late Erik Karlsen on the 5th anniversary of his death. For a generation of elected representatives, his was a familiar face in the local government setting. His influence was profound and far-reaching. He touched many lives over the course of his unique career in public service.
EDITOR’S PERSPECTIVE / CONTEXT FOR BUSY READER
“When Erik Karlsen brought people together, he would cast a magic spell. When he asked you to get involved in an initiative, of course you said yes! That is what happened to me on October 10, 1997 during a consultation session for development of the Streamside Protection Regulation. My subsequent collaboration with Erik Karlsen was career-defining,” stated Kim Stephens, Waterbucket eNews Editor and Partnership Executive Director.
Convening for Action in British Columbia
“Erik Karlsen was a thought leader and change agent. Former cabinet minister Joan Sawicki told me that Erik turned networking skills into art form She added that you could count on Erik to nurture a fragile seed into yet another interdisciplinary cross government committee – of which he himself was always an active member.”
“Erik Karlsen, Ray Fung and I co-created the Water Sustainability Action Plan,” continued Kim Stephens. “When the Partnership rolled it out in February 2004, Erik Karlsen chaired and infused the component Convening for Action initiative with his vision and pragmatic approach to influencing choices by individuals and organizations.
“Erik Karlsen has a special place in the history of the Partnership for Water Sustainability. He was our ‘eminence grise’. He guided us through a sharing and learning process that produced our philosophical foundation. He taught us how pushing the boundaries of our comfort zones achieves breakthroughs.”
History repeats itself with consequences
photo credit: — Magnus Larsson/Flickr. CC BY SA 3.0
“Erik Karlsen was a splendid person and public employee,” stated Mike Harcourt in his 2020 tribute. “Whether it was the Environmental and Land Use Committee Secretariat, the Agricultural Land Commission, or municipal planning and development, he was a quietly skilled leader with huge people skills.”
Erik Karlsen left us with an enduring positive impact on the way we build communities
“Erik Karlsen was a public service entrepreneur. He was tireless at building networks and at mentoring professionals. His amazing collection of friends and associates spoke to his ability to build and maintain relationships,” Dale Wall emphasizes.
“During the time I worked with him he was instrumental in the development of the Georgia Basin Initiative, and in building the base for the protection and restoration of urban waterways. He would later go on to lead the Agricultural Land Commission.”
To Learn More:
Waterbucket eNews stories are structured in three parts: One-Minute Takeaway, Editor’s Perspective and Context for Busy Reader, and the Story Behind the Story. To read the complete 3-party story, download a copy of Living Water Smart in British Columbia: Erik Karlsen, an extraordinary legacy
DOWNLOAD A COPY: https://waterbucket.ca/wcp/wp-content/uploads/sites/6/2025/04/PWSBC_Living-Water-Smart_Eriik-Karlsen-and-ecosystem-approach_2025.pdf