Comox Valley Regional Board reaffirms support for inter-regional collaboration within Georgia Basin
Note to Reader:
Launched in 2012, the Georgia Basin Inter-Regional Education Initiative (IREI) provides local governments on the east coast of Vancouver Island with a mechanism to collaborate, share outcomes and cross-pollinate experience with each other and with local governments in the Metro Vancouver region.
When the Comox Valley Regional Board met on March 24th 2015, it supported a request from the Partnership for Water Sustainability in BC for endorsement of continued participation by the Comox Valley Regional District in the IREI.
Towards a Watershed Health Legacy
In his Staff Report to the Board of Directors, Kris La Rose (Manager of Liquid Waste Planning) wrote that:
“
The Partnership for Water Sustainability in British Columbia has requested resolutions from the Capital, Metro Van, Nanaimo and Comox Valley Regional District Boards endorsing and supporting continued participation by regional districts and their members in the rainwater management and water sustainability inter-regional educational initiative.”
“Staff are recommending that the CVRD continue to support the initiative and staff participation in the learning opportunities that will be developed.”
“The IREI is closely linked to CAVI – Convening for Action on Vancouver Island. The Comox Valley CAVI team includes representation from all four local governments, the Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure, PWSBC, the environmental stewardship sector, and the forestry sector. CV-CAVI facilitates collaboration at the regional level, and IREI connects the regions for inter-regional collaboration and cross-pollination of ideas, policies and approaches for rainwater management and more recently, asset management.”
To Learn More:
To download a copy of the Staff Report that provided the basis for the Board Resolution reaffirming continued participation, click on Georgia Basin Inter-Regional Education Initiative.
Context for Collaboration
The Partnership for Water Sustainability’s history of collaboration with the Comox Valley Regional District provided context for the Board Resolution:
Comox Valley Regional Board Resolution
Motion – “THAT the board recognize the value and benefits of inter‐regional collaboration for progress on rainwater management and, therefore endorse and support continued participation by the CVRD in the Georgia Basin inter‐regional education initiative.”
To Learn More:
To download a copy of the Board Minutes for March 2015, click here. Each motion was moved by Director Bob Wells (City of Cumberland) and seconded by Director Gwyneth Sproule (Village of Cumberland).
Background on Implementation of Inter-Regional Program
Kim Stephens, Partnership Executive Director, reports that: “When Living Water Smart, BC’s Water Plan was released in June 2008, Vancouver Island was selected as the provincial demonstration region for a Regional Team Approach that would showcase how to achieve this Living Water Smart target:
By 2012, all land and water managers will know what makes a stream healthy, and therefore be able to help land and water users factor in new approaches to securing stream health and the full range of stream benefits – reference p 43, Living Water Smart
“The five regions participating in the IREI view the Watershed Health Goal through complementary lenses. Together, these form a complete picture. The IREI is the integrator mechanism. Local government capacity is built through inter-regional working sessions, cross-fertilization of experience, and deliverables (documentation of process and outcomes).”
To Learn More:
To download a copy of the Backgrounder that informed the decision by the Comox Valley Regional Board, click on Background on Program Implementation for ‘Georgia Basin Inter-Regional Educational Initiative’
