“Over the last 10 years, the WSC/Partnership has accomplished much. Through a strategic partnership with the Ministry of Environment, we developed the Water Sustainability Action Plan for British Columbia, which provided the framework for our work. Yet, much still remains to be accomplished,” states Raymond Fung.
“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.
“As our economy diversities, our communities grow, and our population expands, we must find ways of working together so that we will balance the inevitable demands of growth with the equally important issue of protecting our coveted and life-sustaining natural environment. We believe that Vancouver Island 2065 is an important step towards increasing awareness as well as inter-regional cooperation,” states George Hanson.
The team of Kirk Stinchcombe, Carolyn Drugge and Richard Boase will speak to the benefits of utilizing rainwater as a resource in the urban environment.
“Ultimately, the goal is to move from simply maintaining infrastructure to a service delivery model, where those services are delivered by the smallest number, the most natural, most energy energy-efficient, and the most reliable municipal assets, that cost the least to operate over the long term,” concludes Emanuel Machado.
The team of Mark Buehrer, Craig Borland and Ron Schwenger will highlight what one needs to know about the design and installation of rainwater harvesting systems in a Living Building context.
“At the Summit, we will announce the launch of ‘Vancouver Island 2065’. Through collaboration, this project will engage local and regional governments with the private and academic sectors, to address long term sustainability issues on Vancouver Island, including such challenges as economic security, water sustainability, agriculture, food and energy security and, through local planning processes, adaptation to climate change,” foreshadows Eric Bonham.
At the “Get Your Mind Into the Gutter Workshop” on December 3, the team of Chris Midgley, Zachary May and Cate Soroczan will connect dots and paint the “big picture” for rainwater harvesting in BC.
“Learn about leading-edge Council stewardship of municipal assets! Our upcoming Strategic Directions workshop will inform and educate about international best practices that support asset management planning. It will also provide practical guidance for long-term financial planning and then communicating the message to those who pay, namely: our taxpayers,” states Wally Wells.
“The workshop program comprise four modules. The content cascades from high level to ground level. First, we set the big picture, with an emphasis on how changes to the BC Plumbing Code support Living Water Smart goals. Then we highlight incentives to utilize rainwater as a resource. After that, we delve into the practical details of implementing rainwater harvesting. We conclude with a town-hall segment on greatest challenges,” states Keesha Rosario.
