LGD: Beyond the Guidebook - Context for Rainwater Management and Green Infrastructure in British Columbia

Circular No. 09:03
ARCS File#: 195-20

 
February 10, 2009
To: All Municipal and Regional District Chief Administrative Officers, Engineers and Planners
 
Re: Beyond the Guidebook - Context for Rainwater Management and Green Infrastructure in British Columbia
 

Beyond the Guidebook reflects a "design with nature" approach to climate change adaptation. Beyond the Guidebook was released in June 2007 as a guidance document to introduce a methodology for correlating green infrastructure effectiveness in protecting stream health through using a pragmatic approach to achieve performance targets based upon rain water balance.
 

The ongoing Beyond the Guidebook provincial initiative builds on the guidance provided in the original Stormwater Planning: A Guidebook for British Columbia. In 2008, Vancouver Island was home of the pilot region for a regional team approach to rainwater management and green infrastructure implementation. Partnerships and the Vancouver Island Learning Lunch Seminar Series enabled capacity building for stakeholders, local municipal staff, developers and consultants.
 

The Water Balance Model for British Columbia is a web-based decision support tool that provides easy access to the Beyond the Guidebook approach and is available at http://bc.waterbalance.ca/. This tool bridges engineering and planning and links the site to the stream and watershed. The Ministry of Community Development is a member of the inter-governmental partnership that develops and maintains the Water Balance Model. The Guidebook and supplementary guidance documents are downloadable from the website.
 

Over time, sustained application of the water balance methodology can help local governments protect and/or restore stream health.
 

Beyond the Guidebook supports and/or complements other provincial initiatives, notably: Living Water Smart, the Green Communities Project and A Guide to Green Choices. Collectively, these initiatives establish expectations that, in turn, will influence the form and function of the built environment in general and green infrastructure on the ground in particular.
 

For more information regarding the Beyond the Guidebook initiative and infrastructure grant programs, please contact the Local Government Infrastructure and Finance Division at 250 387-4060.
 

Original signed by:
 
Glen Brown
Executive Director
Local Government Infrastructure and Finance