Meeting of the Minds

The “Meeting of the Minds” workshop was held in Parksville on September 15 and 16, 2005. This event was the result of a Vancouver Island contact survey initiated by the BC Water & Waste Association (BCWWA) during the period 2003-2004. The objective in convening for action was to build a communications network to address the issues facing the water and wastewater industry within the Vancouver Island region. To download the Summary Report on the workshop, please click here.

To ensure that a broad range of interests were represented at the workshop, invitations were sent to representatives from the provincial government, including the Ministry of Health, Ministry of Environment and the Ministry of Community Services, federal government, regional districts, municipalities, elected officials, First Nations, non-government organizations (NGOs), Coastal Water Suppliers Association, consultants, business sector BCWWA and the Environmental Operators Certification Program (EOCP).  In total 35 participated in the workshop. A professional facilitator was appointed to guide the process.

According to Eric Bonham, BCWWA Director and organizer of the event, “It was the consensus of those participating in the workshop that the Vancouver Island 'Meeting of the Minds' exercise was a productive one and that the process should be continued. It was agreed that the group was the start of a 'network' for Vancouver Island and that the overall process might be replicated in other regions throughout the Province. A planning group was self initiated to set up the next meeting and determine follow up required, based upon the findings of the Parksville workshop.”