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“The Ministry of Environmentlooks forward to aligning efforts with the Partnership to further advance implementation of the Beyond the Guidebook initiative; and provide communities with the tools and knowledge to protect and/or restore watershed health. The Ministry’s renewed emphasis on the rainwater management component of Liquid Waste Management Plans has created an opportunity to demonstrate how to integrate regulatory compliance and collaboration,” wrote Cairine MacDonald, Deputy Minister of Environment, in a letter to the Partnership (September 2012.

“The CAVI vision is based upon a model of collaboration among the various sectors of society on Vancouver Island, including business, industry, government, academia and community. The vision has emerged from the challenging mantra ‘what do we want Vancouver Island to look like in 50 years’ as first articulated at the Water in the City conference in 2006 and is founded upon the underlying principle of long-term water sustainability. How we get there relies on a change in mind-set. The CAVI role is to facilitate that change. This is mission possible,” stated Eric Bonham.

CAVI is an inclusive partnership, reaching out to audiences that share a vision of achieving water sustainability on Vancouver Island. CAVI is a grassroots, collective partnership committed to achieving settlement change in balance with ecology, beginning with water-centric planning. The CAVI vision is that by 2010, Vancouver Island will be well on its way to achieving water sustainability. CAVI provides leadership, coordination, research and education for practitioners.

“In 2005, a number of initiatives on Vancouver Island had a sustainability theme. It was a matter of seeking out partnerships to reinforce the common theme of sustainability based upon an island wide communications information exchange network. We did a survey. It was clear that there was widespread interest in holding a workshop that would provide an opportunity for the exchange of information, and to explore the possibility of establishing a communications network for the Vancouver Island region. This resulted in Meeting of the Minds workshops in consecutive years. The rest is history,” stated Graeme Bethell.

“From individual interviews with leaders in the water and wastewater industry throughout the island, it was clear that there was widespread interest in holding a workshop that would provide an opportunity for the exchange of information, and to explore the possibility of establishing a communications network for the Vancouver Island region. There are also similarities between the Convening for Action in the South Okanagan initiative and the Meeting of the Minds project on Vancouver Island, hence there is much to be gained through collaboration,” stated Eric Bonham.

“Within a year, that initial meeting at Meeting of the Minds forum evolved into a movement. We set a goal that Vancouver Island would be well on its way to water sustainability by 2010. For the past decade, CAVI has successfully promoted the message of water sustainability by engaging governments, developers and the community in water-centric thinking, planning and development activities. We exceeded our own expectations. Water sustainability became a common thread in discussions and decisions about land development, water use and water conservation,” stated John Finnie.

“The Partnership is the hub for a ‘convening for action’ network in the local government setting. We are positioned to facilitate alignment of regional and local actions with provincial goals. We have a focus on community and regional planning systems. We bring together local governments, regulators, the stewardship community and business to address shared issues with consistent, workable solutions. The guiding philosophy is ‘design with nature’. An over-arching goal is to influence uptake of strategies that will integrate decisions about use and conservation of land with water and watershed sustainability outcomes,” stated Tim Pringle.

“Back in 2008, we knew that the key to moving forward was thinking beyond our boundaries, and making a real commitment to communicate, cooperate, coordinate and collaborate. Fast forward to October 2011. Our focus is on action so that we can implement strategies and practices at a watershed scale. The Comox Valley is the provincial pilot for demonstrating the benefits of a regional team approach,” stated Derek Richmond. The handing of the baton from John Finnie to Derek Richmond was done at the “CAVI Forum within the Summit” at the 2011 State of the Island Economic Summit in Nanaimo.

“CAVI started on its path in 2005, with a gathering of people who recognized the importance of water sustainability in just about everything we do, whether it be do-to-day living or economic development. By 2006 that initial gathering had evolved into Convening for Acting on Vancouver Island: Leadership for Water Sustainability. CAVI envisions development carried out in a manner that harmonizes the footprint within the watershed to achieve water sustainability as an integral component of land development. We have done well and have exceeded our program expectations,” reflected John Finnie.

“In 2005, the Action Plan partners launched a ‘made in BC’ process known as Convening for Action. When we gather, it is for a purpose. There must be an action item or an outcome. Beyond the Guidebook 2010 is the telling of the stories of how change is being implemented on the ground by local governments and community partners. The CAVI story in particular demonstrates how the practitioner culture is changing on Vancouver Island as an outcome of collaboration, partnerships and alignment. CAVI showcases how to develop outcome-oriented urban watershed plans,” stated Kim Stephens.