Water Sustainability in Canada’s West

A Workshop for Industry Professionals & Decision Makers

Climate variability, water scarcity, flooding, and the various demands of population and economic growth are influencing developers, infrastructure managers, city officials and provincial planners.  Governments, industries, and community development professionals are responding to the emerging need to plan for and manage risks associated with extreme weather events, flooding, droughts and other climate related stressors on our community infrastructure systems.

This full-day workshop will provide an introduction to the drivers and trends toward low impact and green development and the "state of" municipal and provincial water and water management policy and legislation (rainwater & storm water capture, reuse, water infrastructure management), as they influence the planning and construction of provincial, municipal, and residential infrastructure-related projects.

Workshop Content

Climate Change, Variability, and Adaptation in Canadian Cities

This session will provide context for the day in terms of the state of the political, economic, environmental and social drivers for changes in the way we design infrastructure, plan communities, and conserve water and the landscapes that promote watershed health across Canada.

Legislation, Policies, Guidelines, and Best Practices Review

Understanding risk – whether it is climate variability, long-term growth strategies, or economic uncertainty is an important driver of innovation and adaptation in the industries and institutions that are building solutions for community water management. This session will provide a snapshot of the various risk management approaches to infrastructure planning using ‘green’ infrastructure and other socio-ecological responses to long-term sustainable resource issues.

LEED – Understanding the Trends Towards Sustainable Building & Development

Looking at the requirements of the Canada Green Building Council for LEED credits for water efficient landscaping, innovative wastewater technologies, and water use reduction and the various initiatives that are showcasing these techniques as the “way of doing business” in Alberta and British Columbia.

Low Impact Development Tools & Technologies

This Session will review the various tools and technologies being deployed by communities, developers, and provincial departments to achieve water sustainability in BC, Alberta, and Ontario.

The Sustainability of Watersheds & The Water Balance Model

How the science of watershed health has revealed that the hydrology of river systems is the critical factor in water quality at the watershed management level. Managing inputs – through hydrology modeling and management of storm events with landscape design elements is proving to be the leading best management for watersheds in Canada.

Seminar Leader

Lisa Maria Fox – Lead Water Policy Analyst & Sustainability Consultant

Lisa is the Founder and Executive Director of Sustainability Resources Ltd. Lisa’s degrees in Western Political Philosophy, Sociology, and Political Science underpin her expertise and reputation for excellence in water policy development, sustainability planning and community development initiatives. Lisa is also an established entrepreneur having founded two companies and two not-for profit organizations in her 12 years in Alberta.

A Policy Analyst by training, Lisa has been involved in developing provincial and municipal water, land and sustainable resource management policy in partnership with the Alberta Government and several municipalities across Canada. An experienced Project Manager, Lisa has worked as Lead Project Consultant on initiatives such as: the One Simple Act program for the Alberta Government, Pathways 2 Sustainability, the Alberta Water Toolkit, and several water conservation and municipal sustainability plans for municipalities. Lisa is also a Partner and Sustainability Advisor to the Essencia Project – a “Complete Community” development initiative adjacent to Royal Roads University in Colwood B.C.

Sustainability Resources Ltd. is a not-for-profit organization dedicated to bringing professional and educational resources to communities for sustainable water and land management in Alberta. We provide training and capacity building programs for municipalities, organizations, and industries on water policy, water conservation, and water management.