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From 2008 onwards, Glenn Westendorp was an enthusiastic player in the CAVI-Convening for Action on Vancouver Island initiative as a member of the CAVI-Comox Valley Regional Team. In 2019, he retired from local government as Superintendent of Public Works with the Town of Comox. Upon retirement, and to recognize his sustained commitment to the Living Water Smart vision, the Partnership for Water Sustainability honoured Glenn Westendorp with Lifetime Member status for his help in demonstrating the benefits of the ‘regional team approach’ in the Comox Valley.

A historic milestone in reconciliation and intergovernmental relations has taken place in the Comox Valley. A First Nation, a municipality and an environmental non-profit have signed an MOU to collaboratively purchase, restore and manage a key property in the heart of their community. “It is a huge win for everyone involved in bringing Kus-kus-sum forward, and for the Comox Valley as a whole,” said Ronna-Rae Leonard. “The project team knocked on my door when I took office and I am pleased that the province is providing this funding for such a complex and inspirational initiative.”

“It is not mere coincidence that two-thirds of the population of British Columbia occupies lands bordering its great inland sea, the Strait of Georgia, and connected waterways collectively known as the North Salish Sea,” wrote Howard Macdonald Stewart. “If this precious sea is to be passed to future generations with any semblance of its inherent richness and diversity intact, then it will need to be effectively managed and vigorously defended. The first step is to understand the complex story of the region.”

Galvanized by what they learned during the Nanaimo 2018 Symposium, a diverse group of stewardship groups took their first coordinated action before leaving the symposium when they formed a creekshed coalition. Eighteen months later, in October 2019, the group took the Mayor and members of Council on a creekshed walkabout so that they would see firsthand the nature of the issues of concern. “The saying from the hiking community is: If you want to go fast, go alone. If you want to go far, go together,” stated Paul Chapman when he provided the context for collaboration.

Losing access to water has serious economic impacts for farms and businesses. Every effort should be made to prevent this scenario. Instead, a more proactive and collaborative water management system needs to be developed for overdrawn watersheds like the Koksilah, to protect aquatic life, manage conflict between water users, prioritize water uses, and recognize Aboriginal rights and title. This can only be accomplished through water planning,” stated Tanis Gower.

Town of Comox experience demonstrates that ‘Ecological Services are Core Municipal Services, not an Add-On’. Mayor Russ Arnott elaborates: “The ecological services within Brooklyn Creek are integral components of the Town’s core services of rainwater management, parks and fish habitat protection. Once the Town switched to viewing ecological services as core municipal services, we then asked ourselves: how can we do things better? The Draft Anderton Corridor Neighbourhood Concept Plan is the result.”

“For more than a decade, the Town has been on an amazing journey. The Partnership for Water Sustainability in British Columbia tells the Town’s story in the latest in our Watershed Case Profile Series,” stated Kim Stephens. “In this document, we recognize the passion, commitment and perseverance over many years on the part of Town of Comox local government staff and volunteers in the Brooklyn Creek Watershed Society to improve where they live. Working together, they are making a difference.”

The time, effort and energy it takes to change the standard of engineering practice is substantial, as the Town’s journey clearly shows. Implementing effective water balance management requires a systems approach on all levels. Ripple effects are cascading. “Changing engineering standards is a journey in itself. To ensure success, the Town will need to adopt the design standards, update existing subdivision servicing specifications, establish a number of bylaws, and implement a cost recovery program,” stated Shelley Ashfield.

In 2008, the four Comox Valley local governments volunteered to be a ‘demonstration application’ for exploration of a regional team approach to ‘designing with nature’, guided by the watershed health target in Living Water Smart, British Columbia’s Water Plan. “It does not matter how far away you live or build from a creek, lake, bog or the ocean – you are in a watershed,” stated Judith Walker. “The four local governments in the Comox Valley are striving for consistent application of outcome-oriented actions.”

“We are just seeing the tip of the iceberg as far as where water is going to be going over the coming years. We have to start turning this situation around NOW. Not in 5 years. Not in 10 years. It needs to start today. We need to start making things better,” stated Mayor Ed Mayne. “Operation of the Englishman River Water Service is guided by the mission statement which reads: An environmentally sensitive use of water to improve fish habitat and domestic water supply. At a time when the climate is changing, it is a delicate balancing act to achieve both outcomes when summers are getting longer and much drier.”