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“Never has storytelling been more important than it is today. And that is because deep knowledge is being lost at an alarming rate. This is the Partnership for Water Sustainability’s ‘mission context’ for showcasing the stories of those who are leading change that enhances community livability,” stated Kim Stephens. “We learn through stories. This is how we pass on our oral history. Storytelling is the way we share intergenerational knowledge, experience and wisdom. This is why each and every edition of Waterbucket eNews is built around a conversational interview.”

Publication of Lead with Civility in a local government election year in BC is timely. “Lead with Civility reframes civility as a core leadership discipline, one that enables leaders to hold the line, make tough decisions and navigate disagreement without tipping into dysfunction or harm. If we want our institutions, our communities, and our democracy to endure, leaders must once again see themselves as what they have also been at their best – gardeners of civic culture, responsible for what grows under their watch, because we live and flourish together,” stated Diane Kalen-Sukra.

“Most folks in local government understand the nature of the asset management problem. But councils have a short-term focus on what can be built during their term. Underground infrastructure or asset management is boring to them. Yet it is so core to the functioning of any government. We are building more new things as demanded by a growing community. The register of municipal assets is becoming more and more valuable. But the revenue from development cost charges and user rates is not enough to cover asset renewal. And so, the infrastructure gap grows,” stated Bill Sims.

“By 2012, we had good reasons for optimism when we looked ahead. A network of champions in local government was in play. The design with nature message was sinking in. The Province had our back. We had political support in five regions. Overcoming inertia seemed just around the corner,” stated Richard Boase. Then what happened? In the moment, the period 2012 through 2017 was defined by “hope and optimism.” After 2017, a series of events changed the trajectory for overcoming inertia such that it is more appropriately characterized as “unfulfilled promise.”

“Blue Ecology came from my experience as a negotiator and mediator, navigating the intersection between resource development and First Nations interests. There is untapped intelligence out there in nature. It is on our doorstep, but we have not tapped into it. And we are tapping it even less because we are so focused on artificial intelligence. My observation is that we are being firehosed about AI as the solution to everything. Having the Indigenous perspective alongside the Western perspective would restore balance and make the world less wobbly,” stated Michael Blackstock.

“Twenty years after inception, BCIT suspended green roof courses until further notice. BCIT green roof programming was an early victim of an ebbing tide. Part of the vision for GRIN is the N for network. We have the tools. We just need political will, and critical mass,” stated Dr. Christine Thuring. Her claim to fame is that she is the first person in North America to obtain a green roof-focused master’s degree! The “story behind the story” of GRIN as told by Christine Thuring is a great story. It links past to present and future and to where GRIN wants to take a re-energized green roof movement.

“You cannot absolutely verify the solution during the short period of time for a charrette. So you are operating on intuition. You are operating on experience. Collective experience and collective intuitive ability to say, this is a good idea. Oh yes, that is a good idea! GOOD is adjudged collaboratively by society. Good versus bad is not an absolute. But perfect is an absolute which depends on mathematics. That is why we should strive for a GOOD SOLUTION rather than a PERFECT SOLUTION. You are operating on intuition. You are operating on experience,” stated Patrick Condon.

Gracelyn and Mike put the word out about the safe space forum idea. By making it by invitation only for local government employees, those attending would then be able to talk about the tough things that needed to be talked about. We wanted it to be a learning session. We did not want it to be a bitch session. We wanted everyone to think through how we contribute and how we add to the solution to help the conversation be productive for everyone involved. We spent time talking about the ground rules and that contributed to people opening up,” stated Gracelyn Day.

When Premier Gordon Campbell penned this lynchpin objective for Living Water Smart, it became the Partnership focus for outreach and peer-based learning. “Look long term. Think about what is best for the future. Not for you, but for those who will follow you. Think about how we can create a better environment that others can live in and benefit from. We get to make our own choices. We get to make our own future. We just have to have the vision to imagine, and the tenacity to pursue it. Collaboration is essential. We also have to bring people together,” he stated.

“In the early 1980s, the Province took the draconian step of legislating the elimination of planning as a function of all regional districts and cancelling all Official Regional Plans. In a defining moment of our history, Metro municipalities pushed back, saying they wanted to continue to have the benefits of the Livable Region Strategic Plan, the knowledge and data the region could provide to help in their work, and the policy dialogue that is at the heart of regional planning. The Livable Region Strategic Plan was approved by the Province in 1996,” stated Ken Cameron.