Category:

Leading Change

Learning Lunch Seminar Series promotes consistent provincial approach to rainwater management and green infrastructure


“The desired outcome is that a common understanding of challenges and solutions will result in consistent expectations at front counters across Vancouver Island. To that end, the purpose of the seminars is to bring together representatives of planning, engineering, operations, building services, environment and parks departments from various municipalities. When developers and development consultants hear a consistent message about what is expected of them, we believe this will further accelerate doing business differently,” stated Kim Stephens.

Read Article

Do you know where you really are in the shifting paradigms of stormwater management?


Andy Reese examines how our ideas about stormwater have changed since the 1800s. He insightfully looks back at why we pursued stormwater management in ways which unknowingly – at the time – foreclosed opportunities for more sustainable, livable communities. “It is much easier to know what the next paradigm is than to move into the next paradigm,” wrote Andy Reese.

Read Article

Rainwater/Stormwater Management: Build a vision, create a legacy is the “Tenth Paradigm”


“Fundamental change in the scope of rainwater/stormwater planning, development standards, construction and operations will only happen if there is a broad understanding as to why the changes are needed, what they are, and how they can be practically implemented,” wrote Erik Karlsen. “Publicly-supported decision-makers will determine the timing and phasing of change. The ability of consumers and the development community to adapt will then set the pace of change. Success in one area will be transferred to others.”

Read Article

Changing the Way British Columbians Do Business Around Water: What is the Elephant in the Living Room?


The 'elephant in the living room' was created by Banksy, the famed British graffiti artist. The elephant has been made to stand in a makeshift living room, to blend in to its surroundings. In elaborating on the story behind the image, Kate Miller of the Cowichan Valley Regional District told the Learning Lunch Seminar audience that “there is an elephant in our room right now…which is around how do we deal with rainwater management…how do we deal with the larger policy issues…what's the objective.”

Read Article

City of Calgary hosted second in series of rainwater/stormwater events organized by the Canadian Water Network


Held at the City of Calgary Water Centre in October 2007, the 2-day workshop event attracted an audience if 155, and included a field trip component. “The magnitude of the response was overwhelming and took us by surprise. Clearly, there is an appetite on the part of drainage practitioners and others to learn more about rainwater management,” stated Lilliana Bozic.

Read Article

Overcoming Fear and Doubt to Implement Changes in Infrastructure Standards


“During the period 2000-2001, the mantra in British Columbia was ‘overcoming fear and doubt’ in order to move ahead with projects such as the East Clayton Sustainable Community in the City of Surrey, and UniverCity at Simon Fraser University on Burnaby Mountain in the City of Burnaby. In 2000, translating high expectations into practical design guidelines meant revisiting accepted drainage engineering practice,” stated Kim Stephens.

Read Article

Leading Change in Metro Vancouver: New Directions in Urban Watershed Health


The University of British Columbia is leading a national initiative that is intended to create a network of experts that collaborate and share their experiences. Richard Boase of the District of North Vancouver made a defining presentation titled 'New Directions in Urban Watershed Health'. “A key message is that we were doing better 50 years ago when we did not even think about the need for rainwater capture,” he observed.

Read Article

Knowledge Transition Strategy: University of British Columbia Hosts National Conference on Rainwater Management


“The vocabulary of the drainage practitioner is changing, and is being simplified so that there will be a clearer public understanding of source control options for capturing rain where it falls. This change has seen the single function view of traditional ‘stormwater management’ give way to the integrated and comprehensive perspective that is captured by the term ‘rainwater management’,” stated Ted van der Gulik.

Read Article

Regulatory Context for Rainwater Management in Metro Vancouver Region

Rainwater management is a key component of protecting quality of life, property and ecosystems. In the Greater Vancouver Region, a series of building block initiatives have resulted in a change in thinking among drainage practitioners. This change has seen the single function view of 'stormwater management' give way to the integrated and comprehensive perspective that is captured by the term 'rainwater management'.

Read Article