Living Water Smart in Metro Vancouver: Surrey Water Balance Model Forum started dialogue about building greener communities and protecting stream health

Convening for Action in Metro Vancouver

In March 2009, the City of Surrey hosted the Metro Vancouver Water Balance Model Forum. The ‘Surrey Forum’ was undertaken as an outreach opportunity for Living Water Smart and the Green Communities Initiative.

The Forum program was built around the 'HOW question' as it pertains to green infrastructure: HOW will the City of Surrey ensure it gets built right; HOW will a consistent regional approach be achieved in Metro Vancouver.

“The City of Surrey hosted the Water Balance Model Forum because we wanted to start a dialogue between policy-makers and project implementers,” states Vincent Lalonde, the City’s General Manager, Engineering. “We approached the program design from a shared responsibility perspective; we explored how policy and legal tools can help developers, regulators and designers collaborate to ensure responsible outcomes.”

“We wanted the policy people to have an appreciation for what is involved in constructing green infrastructure; and we wanted the implementers to understand what the provincial, regional and local goals are....and what we are trying to achieve in Surrey through the use of policy, approved standards and legal tools," adds Vincent Lalonde.

TO LEARN MORE: To read the complete story posted on the Water Bucket website click on Living Water Smart in Metro Vancouver: Surrey Water Balance Model Forum starts dialogue about building greener communities and protecting stream health

To access the Forum 'homepage' on the Water Bucket website and learn more about the program design, click here.