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“The experience of the Greater Vancouver region shows how important it is to have a way to bring the right people together at the right time, and in so doing build a network that can make things happen. Looking back, much of what we have collectively accomplished in recent years in the field of rainwater management can be traced back to relationships,” stated Laura Maclean. “We now see a comparable relationship-building process taking shape on Vancouver Island.”

“The Water Balance Model has emerged as the rainwater management tool of choice in making land development decisions that meet the test of being sustainable, affordable and achievable. The Model helps practitioners wrap their minds around how to implement ‘green solutions’. Because the vision of the IGP is to promote changes in land development practices, the Water Balance Model can be described as a means to an end,” stated Ted van der Gulik.

Leadership team representatives met in Calgary on October 31, 2007 to finalize the partnership framework. “Our relationship with the BC partnership has already paid dividends. Over the past three years, members of the BC team have made numerous visits to Alberta to help us raise awareness of the need to change land development practices so that we capture rain where it falls,” stated Alberta’s Liliana Bozic (City of Calgary).

“Beyond the Guidebook will take the Guidebook innovation to the next level of evolution”, stated Kim Stephens. “Now that practitioners are becoming comfortable with what ‘rainfall capture’ means in practice, local governments and the development community are in a position to turn their attention to what is an achievable outcome that makes sense and results in a net environmental benefit.”