Water – Choosing Sustainability for Life & Livelihoods
Under the umbrella of the Water Sustainability Action Plan for British Columbia, the mission of the Green Infrastructure Partnership is to facilitate implementation of infrastructure practices and regulation province-wide that embody a design with nature way-of-thinking and acting. Because everything is connected, the way we develop land determines how water is used, and how water runs off the land.
In May 2005, the Green Infrastructure Partnership organized a Consultation Workshop with local governments in the Greater Vancouver region. The workshop set in motion a chain of events. One outcome was a decision to have one-on-one conversations with an ‘ad hoc mayors focus group' that has representation from three regions. Key findings are presented in the August 2006 progress report titled Convening for Action in British Columbia: Water – Choosing Sustainability for Life and Livelihoods. For more on this story, please click here.
Convening for Action Regional Pilots:
The kickoff event for the launch of Convening for Action in British Columbia was the February 2005 ‘Okanagan Conference' that was held in Kelowna. The education-based Convening for Action initiative has evolved from organizing events to delivering a program through collaboration and partnerships. Pilots are underway in three regions.
- Convening for Action in the South Okanagan: Water for Life and Livelihoods
- Celebrating Green Infrastructure in the Greater Vancouver Region: Showcasing Innovation Series
- Convening for Action on Vancouver Island: Moving Towards Water-Centric Sustainability
Pressures on land and water resources generated by demand for residential properties reflect rapid population growth in all three regions, with many residents becoming uneasy about the rate of change. Communities are seeking ways to address the resulting challenges.Over the past year, the pilots have been initiated one at a time.
Posted August 2006