“Our live streaming events in Vancouver, Chilliwack and Quesnel will be a great opportunity to capture some of the action at the Forum for those who could not travel to Duncan, and also to network with a diverse range of stewards and watershed-governance folks from throughout the region,” stated Amy Greenwood.
“We live in a changing world and water needs to be managed and governed in new ways. Watershed governance is one innovative approach. It involves reorganizing our decision-making processes to align with the ecological boundaries of watersheds, instead of political boundaries,” states Oliver Brandes.
“Dialogue is always a precursor to action in a healthy democracy. The challenge is to include a broader cast of characters so that more than just the “usual” suspects are involved in decisions. This forum was designed with the belief that collaborative solutions are within reach, calling on successful stories of change,” stated Oliver Brande.
“Do you or your organization have responsibilities in the planning and management of watersheds or water resources in British Columbia? Would you like to know more about current water-related challenges and opportunities? The guide offers a primer on 10 different types of water and watershed planning processes to manage water supply and demand; protect drinking water quality; and better integrate water, land and watersheds,” states Steve Litke.
“The inclusion of ‘sustainability’ in the title of the proposed new Act reveals a welcome change in the way water could be viewed, However, the Proposal remains unacceptably vague on some key issues,” states Linda Nowlan.
According to Oliver Brandes, his POLIS Water Team has been active throughout the Water Act Modernization (WAM) process, providing research and feedback to the Ministry of Environment at every stage.
“Getting our water rules and management right has the potential to make everyone involved look good,” emphasizes Oliver Brandes. “Water is our most important asset and investing in this ‘natural capital market’ will ensure benefits for all of us now and into the future.”
More than nine in ten respondents support new measures ranging from stricter rules for managing industrial and municipal water use; to water rights based on the needs of communities rather than first rights of access. “These poll results confirm public support for the protection of freshwater resources,” stated Tony Maas.
“Collaborative watershed governance, simply put, is working together to reach shared outcomes and resolving differences among community, private sector and governmental interests, while maintaining or restoring the biophysical and ecosystem resilience of a watershed,” writes Brian Wilkes.
“So, what we mean by shared responsibility is that everyone has a role, and everyone can act…. all levels of government, developers, regulators, bureaucrats, consultants, planners, engineers…. we all have a role,” stated Ray Fung.
