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“Climate change is emerging as a driver for rainwater harvesting in the urban regions of British Columbia, partly because of the need to mitigate risk.In Metro Vancouver, for example, a declining snowpack means less water is available to replenish lake storage reservoirs during the high-demand summer season. The need to offset this loss provides an incentive to capture rain where it falls on roof surfaces,” explained Kim Stephens.

“The Water Conservation Calculator is a decision support tool for water purveyors and small local governments. The web-based calculator can assist in presenting a conservation case to Council and other decision makers. The calculator has evolved from a spreadsheet-tool that the Ministry first pilot-tested with a number of local governments in 2006,” stated Liam Edwards.

The Liquid Waste Management Plan (LWMP) is a core component of the Metro Vancouver Sustainability Framework. “When the Greater Vancouver Sewerage & Drainage District Board met in March 2009, it approved realigning the goals, strategies and actions in the updated LWMP to keep current with senior government policies and positions, as well as ensure that Metro Vancouver’s and senior governments’ environmental and fiscal objectives and actions are mutually supportive and successful,” stated Board Chair Lois Jackson.

How do we align our efforts at three scales – provincial, regional and local – to do business differently, prepare communities for change, and choose to be water smart? The foregoing challenge statement provided context for advancing a ‘regional team approach’ at the Penticton Forum. “The Province’s Living Water Smart and Green Communities initiatives provide a framework and direction for convening for action in the Okanagan, on Vancouver Island and in Metro Vancouver,” stated Glen Brown.

The Surrey Forum is a first step in advancing a regional team approach to rainwater management and green infrastructure that will align local actions in Metro Vancouver with provincial goals as stated in Living Water Smart, BC’s Water Plan. “We are adapting the experience gained and the lessons learned from the Vancouver Island pilot program. We envision that the Surrey Forum will be a transformational event and a catalyst for action ,” stated Raymond Fung.

“When we met with elected representatives in July 2008 to present our assessment of the Metro Vancouver’s strategy document, we endorsed the proposed Goals, Strategies and Action Strategies…and with suggestions to make it stronger. At that time we also challenged Metro Vancouver to provide visionary leadership, focusing on protecting the marine environmetn and recovering resources from our waste. In meeting with REAC we wanted to challenge them to show leadership as well,” stated Christianne Wilhelmson.

“This long awaited Plan is the latest stage in a history of efforts to reform BC‟s water laws over the past 15 years. This comment from the UBC Program on Water Governance is an initial reaction to the Plan, and points out crucial issues that deserve more in-depth exploration through a thorough public consultation,” stated Linda Nowlan. In her June 2008 commentary, she pointed out crucial issues that deserve more in-depth exploration through a thorough public consultation.

“The Green Communities Initiative encompasses plans and strategies that provide direction as to where the Province of British Columbia wants to go in terms of adapting to climate change and reducing impact on the environment,” stated Dale Wall, Deputy Minister.

At the first in the 2008 Comox Valley Learning Lunch Seminar Series, held in September 2008, Catriona Weidman Development elaborated on the Province’s guiding philosophy for doing business differently. Grant programs will leverage change through a combination of eligibility and assessment criteria. “We all work with rules. What we really want to do is change some of the rules, to create the kind of communities that we desire. We are using infrastructure funding to encourage the right type of projects,” stated Catriona Weidman.

The purpose of the Collaborative Watershed Governance Initiative is to establish and implement a framework for collaborative watershed governance in BC. The result would be a shift toward ecosystem managementi in BC based on watersheds, using advanced governance arrangements and more local decision-making.