Project Updates


POLIS in the Field

December 17th, 2019

From field trips, to on-site workshops, to meetings at the B.C. Legislature, the POLIS team was busy this fall.

Pooling Shared Information and Knowledge Governance

New Watershed Governance Dispatch Released by POLIS Water Sustainability Project

December 13th, 2019

Released today, the latest publication in POLIS’ Watershed Governance Dispatch series focuses on pooling shared information and knowledge governance. It highlights examples from across B.C. that demonstrate the characteristics of effective knowledge creation and sharing in action.

“Developing systems to pool, store, manage, and make decisions about data and information is critical to watershed governance,” said Rosie Simms, Research Lead and Project Manager at the POLIS Water Sustainability Project, University of Victoria. ..

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A Watershed Security Fund for British Columbia

Position Paper from POLIS Water Sustainability Project, First Nations Fisheries Council, BC Wildlife Federation, and BC Freshwater Legacy Initiative

November 27th, 2019

Released today, this position paper describes a genuine opportunity for the provincial government to create an enduring legacy for freshwater in B.C. It was produced through collaboration between the POLIS Water Sustainability Project, First Nations Fisheries Council, BC Wildlife Federation, and BC Freshwater Legacy Initiative.

Fourth-Annual B.C. Water Leaders-Funders Workshop in Nicola Valley

Deepening connections with Indigenous Water Champions

November 18th, 2019

On October 16th and 17th, the fourth annual British Columbia Water Leaders-Funders workshop was held in Merritt, B.C. The workshop built on strategic collaborations to advance freshwater protection in the province.

POLIS Takes to the Sky

November 7th, 2019

POLIS' Oliver M. Brandes was in B.C.'s Skeena watershed to discuss priorities and opportunities for the Skeena in the context of freshwater sustainability.

POLIS Team at Provincial Legislature

Meetings discuss development of a B.C. Watershed Security Fund

October 31st, 2019

POLIS' Rosie Simms was at the B.C. Legislature in October 2019 for a series of meetings regarding the development of a B.C. Watershed Security Fund.

Water Sustainability Plans in British Columbia: Potential, Options, and Essential Content

New research from POLIS Water Sustainability Project and Environmental Law Centre

October 22nd, 2019

A new Innovation Brief from the University of Victoria’s POLIS Water Sustainability Project and Environmental Law Centre investigates the myriad possibilities associated with Water Sustainability Plans, enabled by British Columbia’s new Water Sustainability Act, to address the water challenges ahead and embed sustainability in B.C.

Cowichan River Water Law Field Trip

A unique learning opportunity for enhancing dialogue and deepening connections

October 8th, 2019

Over 30 people came together to participate in a water law field trip hosted by the the University of Victoria's POLIS Water Sustainability Project, Faculty of Law, and Centre for Global Studies in partnership with the Cowichan Watershed Board. Keen to explore local issues and applied law and governance, participants learned from experiences in Vancouver Island's Cowichan watershed.

A Letter from Natasha Overduin

September 30th, 2019

After over five years as a key player at the POLIS Water Sustainability Project, long-time team member Natasha Overduin is leaving POLIS as she transitions to the next chapter in her professional career. Here is a farewell letter from Natasha.

It’s Time to Modernize the Columbia River Treaty

POLIS contributing to ongoing discussion

September 30th, 2019

The Columbia River Treaty (CRT) came into force between Canada and the United States in 1964 with a narrow scope focused on flood control and hydropower production. Fifty-five years later, times have changed. New thinking is needed to ensure a sustainable future for this important river. The POLIS team has been contributing to the ongoing discussion around how to modernize the CRT and achieve a world-class, basin-wide governance approach that can encompass a wide range of issues and players.