Policy Options
Published On: August 7th, 2020
Author: Oliver M. Brandes and Rosie Simms
Citation
Brandes, O.M., & Simms, R. (2020, August 7). BC’s opportunity to move toward watershed security. Policy Options.
Abstract
In B.C., the COVID-19 crisis arrived at a time of mounting public and professional alarm about risks to our water and to public health and security. How land and water are used, governed and protected is often at the nexus of the many dire and persistent challenges communities are increasingly facing. Water and healthy, functioning watersheds are the basis for satisfying our most fundamental needs. To support the B.C. government’s interlinked commitments to modernize land use planning, reconciliation, rural economic recovery and climate change response, the POLIS team developed a comprehensive research program that reviews the past, present and future of land and water planning in B.C. In addition to providing direct value to the provincial government, this research offers insights and a potential path for other regions across Canada and around the world looking to plan for a more resilient future.
