CAVI is the acronym for Convening for Action on Vancouver Island. CAVI is a regional pilot program that is being implemented under the umbrella of the Water Sustainability Action Plan for British Columbia. By 2010, the CAVI vision is that Vancouver Island will be well on its way to achieving water sustainability. CAVI was formally launched in September 2006 by means of a consultation workshop held as an adjunct to the Water in the City Conference.

 

Who is CAVI?

The CAVI Partnership comprises  the British Columbia Water & Waste Association, the Real Estate Foundation of British Columbia, the provincial Ministries of Environment and Community Services, and the Green Infrastructure Partnership. 

CAVI is co-funded by the Province and the Real Estate Foundation of British Columbia. The Water Sustainability Committee of the BCWWA is the managing partner and is providing program delivery. To view a Water Bucket story on a recent announcement by the Minister of Environment, please click here.

CAVI is an inclusive partnership. CAVI is reaching out to groups that share a vision for Vancouver Island, with the goal of creating a roundtable of partnerships. For more information, please click on this link to CAVI Announcement .

 

What does CAVI do?

The purpose of CAVI is to provide research and education for practitioners (primarily local government administrators, engineers, planners and elected officials) so that they can plan for sustainable water resources in the context of burgeoning settlement activity.

 

What does CAVI want to do?

Between now and 2010, the CAVI mission is to:

1.  Integrate with other groups
2. Bring together local government and the development community
3. Encourage introduction of a ‘design with nature’ way-of-thinking in local government decision processes
4. Celebrate examples of green infrastructure that achieve ‘design with nature’ outcomes
5. Evolve a framework for water-centric planning that is keyed to accepting and managing risk, learning by doing, and rewarding innovation

For more information about CAVI, contact partnership@watersustainabilitybc.ca  

 

What is the role or involvement of local government with CAVI?

To learn from the experience of other municipalities  in implementing green infrastructure, local government elected officials and/or staff can:

• Showcasing Innovation on Vancouver Island – Attend the three seminar/field tour events that will be held in Nanaimo (September 14), Cowichan Valley (September 28), and Courtenay (October 12). These events are designed to promote networking and sharing of on-the-ground experience.
• Water Balance Model Training Workshop – Attend a hands-on training session that will likely be held in a computer lab at the Cowichan Valley campus of Malaspina College later in 2007. The Water Balance Model is a web-based tool for ‘green design’. The main focus is on source controls for reduction of rainwater runoff volume.
• Green Infrastructure Forum – Attend a ‘learning event’ for elected officials that CAVI is planning to organize in collaboration with AVICC later this year. This event would build on the Creating Our Future Workshop that was held as a shoulder event to the Gaining Ground Summit Conference in June.

 

How do I learn more about CAVI?

For previous stories that provide background information leading up to the Creating Our Future Workshop, please click on these links:

• ‘Convening for Action on Vancouver Island’ Resonates with  Elected Officials at Qualicum Beach Conference
• Working Towards Sustainable Communities: Convening for Action program captures attention at Penticton Conference
• Real Estate Foundation Funds ‘Creating Our Future’ on Vancouver Island
• ‘Convening for Action’ shoulder event at Gaining Ground Summit is designed to inform decision-makers
• ‘Creating Our Future’ Workshop Attracts Vancouver Island Local Governments
• Creating Our Future Message: Celebrate and build on Vancouver Island successes

For previous stories that elaborate on the Creating Our Future Workshop presentations and outcomes, please click on these links:

• ‘Creating Our Future Workshop’ Energizes Vancouver Island Participants
• Victoria Real Estate Board Embraces ‘Green Value’ Vision
• Vancouver Island Local Governments Share Success Stories at ‘Creating Our Future Workshop’
• ‘Convening for Action on Vancouver Island Partnership’ reaches out to First Nations

According to CAVI Chair John Finnie, “If we are to control our destiny and create our future, then we need to challenge our fellow Vancouver Islanders to visualize what they want Vancouver Island to look like in 50 years. We have identified two desired outcomes in Convening for Action. First, we wish to influence Vancouver Island local governments to adopt Design with Nature as the preferred process of approving land development applications. Secondly, we intend to facilitate the move from awareness to action in changing the way that land is developed and water is used on Vancouver Island.”

 

Posted June 2007