Convening for Action on Vancouver Island – Year 4 (2010)
Creating Our Future
Launched in September 2006 in conjunction with the Water in the City Conference, the Convening for Action on Vancouver Island (CAVI) initiative is now entering its fourth year of collaborating with local governments and others under the umbrella of the Water Sustainability Action Plan for British Columbia. The challenge posed by CAVI is this:
- Visualize what we want Vancouver Island to look like in 50 years
Through Living Water Smart, BC’s Water Plan and the Green Communities Initiative, the Province of British Columbia has put in place a policy framework that enables local governments to commit to doing business differently: This is what we want our communities to look like in 50 years, and this is what we will do starting now to ensure it happens.
Leadership in Water Sustainability
The CAVI vision is to move toward water sustainability by implementing green infrastructure policies and practices. CAVI defines green infrastructure in terms of a ‘design with nature’ approach to climate change adaptation.
“On Vancouver Island, local governments are demonstrating what can be accomplished through partnerships and collaboration. Success in moving from awareness to action is ultimately keyed to a ‘regional team approach’ that is founded on the notion of shared responsibility,” states John Finnie, CAVI Chair (and General Manager, Regional and Community Utilities, Regional District of Nanaimo).
“A convergence of interests has created an opportunity for all the players to set their sights on the common good, challenge the old barriers of jurisdictional interests, and make water sustainability real.”
About Shared Responsibility:
To download a copy of the discussion document released by the Water Sustainability Action Plan in December 2009, click on Backgrounder: Shared Responsibility Underpins a Regional Team Approach to Creating Our Future in British Columbia
