Pathway to Urban Water Sustainability in British Columbia: Partnerships, Collaboration, Innovation and Integration
Doing Business Differently
The January 2010 issue of Environmental Science & Engineering Magazine includes an article about the policy framework put in place by the Province of British Columbia 
that enables local governments to commit to doing business differently.
The article states that the program goals for Living Water Smart, BC’s Water Plan and the companion Green Communities Initiative constitute a ‘call to action’ on the part of British Columbians to manage settlement change in balance with ecology.
The article describes how implementation of Living Water Smart and the Green Communities Initiative is being advanced through partnerships, in particular the Water Sustainability Action Plan for British Columbia. One vehicle for program delivery is Convening for Action on Vancouver Island, known by the acronym CAVI.
Convening for Action on Vancouver Island
CAVI has brought together those who plan and regulate land use (local government), those who build (developers), those who provide the legislative framework (the Province), those who advocate conservation of resources (stewardship sector), and those who provide research (university and college). They will also be reaching out to those who grow food (agricultural sector).
“Over the past three years, we have engaged in a conversational process to create a 
picture of what a shared vision for Vancouver Island could look like. We have also drawn attention to the need to balance settlement change in harmony with ecology. Although ecology can exist without habitation by humans, human habitation cannot exist without ecology,” states Eric Bonham, a founding member of the CAVI leadership Team.
“To initiate change so that we do business differently means we set the vision based upon community values, support the vision with information and education, provide practical tools, seek partnerships and engage local decision makers.”
To Learn More
The article was written by Kim Stephens, Program Coordinator for the Water Sustainability Action Plan. The article also draws on the perspectives of:
- Lynn Kriwoken – Director, Ministry of Environment
- Glen Brown – Executive Director, Ministry of Community & Rural Development
- Tim Pringle – Special Programs Director, Real Estate Foundation of BC
To download a copy of the article, click on Pathway to Urban Water Sustainability in British Columbia.
Posted February 2010