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Legacy Record

LIVING WATER SMART IN BRITISH COLUMBJA: Environment Deputy Minister lauds work of the Partnership for Water Sustainability in BC – “The Partnership’s efforts to bring together five regional districts has been particularly successful,” stated Wes Shoemaker


“The work of the Partnership is supporting the Province’s Living Water Smart vision and Green Communities initiative,” wrote Wes Shoemaker. “Other partnership capacity-building tools and resources developed by the Partnership, such as the Water Balance Model for BC and Water Conservation Calculator, are helping to build community resilience and align well with the goals of both the Water Sustainability Act and the Climate Leadership Plan.”

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CONTEXT FOR 2015 DROUGHT: What Happens on the Land Matters!


For British Columbians, 2015 was the year of the great drought, dwindling snow packs, melting glaciers, beleaguered salmon runs and a costly forest fire season, followed by windstorms and heavy rains. “2015 ranks with 2003 as a defining teachable year. Lessons learned will inform how local governments move forward with a ‘water balance’ approach to rainwater management, protection of watershed function and land servicing,” observes Kim Stephens.

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TRANSFORMING OUR WORLD: The 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development – these are universal goals and targets which involve the entire world, developed and developing countries alike (September 2015)


In September 2015, the General Assembly of the United Nations passed Transforming Our World: The 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. “This promises to be the most comprehensive and inclusive effort to positively change the world in all of human history. This may well be the most important thing we have ever done for ourselves and for our planet. It is nothing less than a charter for people and the planet for the 21st century,” stated Bob Sandford.

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CBC POLL: 2015 Drought is British Columbia’s “Top Story of the Year”


“The ‘new normal’ in British Columbia is drought and flooding. The summer dry season has extended on both ends and communities can no longer count on a predictable snowpack and reliable rain to maintain a healthy water balance in their watersheds. This is putting water supply systems and ecosystems under extreme stress,” says Kim Stephens. “What you do on the land or how you treat the land has direct implications and consequences for water use.”

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LIVING WATER SMART IN BRITISH COLUMBIA: Five regional districts endorse inter-regional education program to “Integrate Natural Systems Thinking Into Asset Management”


“The Inter-Regional Education Initiative, known by the acronym IREI, is closely linked to CAVI – Convening for Action on Vancouver Island. The Comox Valley CAVI team facilitates collaboration at the regional level, and IREI connects the regions for inter-regional collaboration and cross-pollination of ideas, policies and approaches for rainwater management and more recently, asset management,” said Kris La Rose.

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LEADING CHANGE IN BC: Environmental Protection and the Built Environment – Develop with Care 2014


“When we first conceived of creating a document which would collate all aspects of environmental issues around urban/rural land development, we had no inkling that the document would be recognized world-wide, nor that it would be embraced so thoroughly by so many different disciplines,” states Marlene Caskey. Now retired from government, she was the project lead for both the original 2006 and 2012 update versions.

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“Proposed BC Water Commission would improve water services at very little additional cost,” says the OBWB’s Nelson Jatel


“The proposed new commission creates the necessary link between good water-use data and water management, a significant improvement to the current process of managing BC’s precious water resource,” stated Nelson Jatel. “The business case proposes a new commission that would manage water and build on the made-in-BC Water Use Reporting software developed in the Okanagan and piloted in the Okanagan.”

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“Water Sustainability Act for British Columbia” — New legislation sets stage for considering water in land use decisions


“Over the past four years government has engaged widely with British Columbians. We have used this input to create legislation that provides greater certainty for water users, improves environmental protection, and better responds to local and regional needs. The Water Sustainability Act recognizes that groundwater and surface water are interconnected and addresses the need to manage them together,” stated Mary Polak.

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“Living Water Smart, British Columbia’s Water Plan” provides backdrop for Workshop on Rainwater Harvesting


“Living Water Smart is about adaptation – that is, collectively what we need to do…to adapt…to prepare for climate change. How we will get there is all about collaboration – that’s my code for silo jumping. We must get out of our silos and broaden our perspectives. Learn from others, share with others – that is when we grow,” states Lynn Kriwoken.

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Okanagan Water Stewardship Council wins first-ever “Water Stewardship Award for British Columbia”


“While the B.C. government continues to act on ‘Living Water Smart’ – which is our vision and plan for keeping our water healthy and secure for the future – what the Province does is only part of the solution. Local and regional groups like the Okanagan Water Stewardship Council are stepping up and demonstrating leadership throughout the province,” stated Environment Minister Terry Lake.

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