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“When I reflect back on what I have learned in my career, I believe that clear thinking is needed more now than ever. Time and time again, I have seen how we create layers of complexity around assumptions. One of my rules of thumb is that, if you take any kind of initiative, drill down and peel back the layers of the onion until you get down to the simple assumption. So often, it tends to be flawed. Ask a different question and you will get a different answer,” stated Kim Stephens.

GreenLink 2010 attracted an international audience and “linked” the best of the best in Sustainable Communities, Finance, Technology and Government. “It was a real pleasure to take part in the Smarter Water Management panel and in particular to hear about the far-sighted and imaginative approach that the BC Government is taking to identifying, managing and educating people about the province’s water management issues. I am sure that this approach will provide lessons for other areas that seek to address their water management needs,” stated moderator Peter Williams.

Living Water Smart comprises 45 commitments, which are grouped into five themes for building greener communities and adapting to a changing climate. “What do you imagine for water, both where you live and in your life? It is a tall order for water management in the 21st century, and how we get there? Living Water Smart outlines three key themes for realizing the vision. If we can show how to get the water part right, then other parts are more likely to follow,” stated Lynn Kriwoken.

“The challenges we face and choices that we make today are going to impact us for a long time. In 2002, ‘Stormwater Planning: A Guidebook for British Columbia’ laid out a plan for doing a better job of developing land. Almost a decade later, Beyond the Guidebook 2010 tells the stories of what people have done, what they are going to do, and how they are going about it. The approach is bottom-up. We need the people on the ground to be willing to do the work, and make the change,” stated Ted van der Gulik.

“We tried something different in the South Okanagan. We had to find the champions rather than writing another guidebook. Conversations helped us identify the issues.  That was the beginning of what we call ‘convening for action’ in British Columbia. Through this process we realized that people don’t want another guidebook. They want to hear the stories of those who are doing it; and they want those who are doing it to come and share those stories. So, we said, it is going to take us five years to find the stories.  And that is what Beyond the Guidebook 2010 is all about,” stated Kim Stephens.

“Walkabouts facilitate conversations and on-the-ground learning. This approach proved especially successful when we hosted the Showcasing Innovation series,” stated Kevin Lagan, City of Courtenay. “Council recognized that a common understanding of challenges and solutions would result in consistent expectations at municipal front counters across Vancouver Island. Council also recognized that hosting the series would have a better payback than selectively sending a few staff to conferences. In the current financial climate, the operative phrase is stay local.”

“Designing with nature captures the essence of climate change adaptation. Adaptation is about responding to the changes that will inevitably occur. Adaptation is at the community level and is therefore about collaboration. Rainwater management is at the heart of designing with nature,” stated John Slater. “When Kim Stephens asked me what does a lighter hydrologic footprint mean to me, I pointed across the street to the new Tim Horton’s. No water that falls on the building or on the parking lot leaves the site.”

“In 2003, we moved into a vacuum as the Water Sustainability Committee. Through collaboration, we built a network in the local government setting. We have demonstrated that the collaborative approach works. Morphing the ‘convening for action’ network into a legal entity is a natural evolution. It means we can raise the bar for doing business differently. It opens new doors and broadens our reach. It enhances our ability to connect with champions in other jurisdictions and sectors who share a vision for British Columbia,” stated Kim Stephens.

In 2002, BC’s Stormwater Planning Guidebook introduced a set of five guiding principles. These are captured by the acronym ADAPT, where the “P” stands for Plan at four scales – regional, watershed, neighbourhood and site.”In integrating actions at four scales, the intended purpose of an Integrated Stormwater Management Plan is to provide a clear picture of how local governments can be proactive in applying land use planning tools to protect property and aquatic habitat, while at the same time accommodating land development and population growth,” stated Peter Law.

The Water Panel comprised Lynn Kriwoken, Ted van der Gulik and Kim Stephens. They described the suite of tools that enable water-centric planning and water smart choices .