LIVING WATER SMART IN BRITISH COLUMBIA: “Without the Agricultural Land Reserve and watercourses, the city of Surrey would feel different. It would not be the place that it is,” stated Rémi Dubé when he reflected on the evolution of rainwater management and green infrastructure over decades
Note to Reader:
Published by the Partnership for Water Sustainability in British Columbia, Waterbucket eNews celebrates the leadership of individuals and organizations who are guided by the Living Water Smart vision. The edition published on November 21, 2023 featured Rémi Dubé of the City of Surrey. In the 2000s, he made significant contributions to the evolution of rainwater management and green infrastructure in British Columbia. A noteworthy contribution is the Fergus Creek watershed plan which was the genesis for Surrey’s Biodiversity Conservation Strategy and Development Cost Charges Bylaw.
Enhancing biodiversity thru green infrastructure solutions
“The story behind the story weaves quotable quotes by Rémi Dubé to paint a picture. My hope is that readers learn from this look back to see ahead storyline,” stated Kim Stephens, Waterbucket eNews Editor and Partnership Executive Director. “This preview is extracted from:
“We will publish this legacy resource early in 2024. The story begins in 1997 with passage of the Fish Protection Act. That is what changed everything.”
Fish Protection Act was a call to action and Surrey led the way in Metro Vancouver
- “Applied research by Richard Horner and Chris May at the University of Washington at the request of Puget Sound local governments gave us a science-based understanding of the correlation between land development and consequences for salmon.”
- “With that foundational understanding as a springboard, in British Columbia we went back to the basics to tackle the root cause of the problems which result when drainage water is intercepted and put into pipes. That was the genesis for the Water Balance Methodology.”
A message of hope
“One of my favourite memories of Rémi Dubé in action was in 2007 when we represented British Columbia on a cross-border panel at a conference in Seattle. There was a despair in Puget Sound. But we had a good news story.”
“Rémi had a message of hope when he explained what Surrey was doing. Our efforts in the Lower Mainland region to integrate rainwater management and land use is what differentiated us from Washington State,” concluded Kim Stephens.
To Learn More:
To read the complete story, download a copy of Living Water Smart in British Columbia: Enhancing biodiversity through green infrastructure solutions in Surrey. The downloadable version includes a Bonus Feature – the complete interview with Rémi Dubé.
