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Water has important role in land use planning, says B.C.’s POLIS

Victoria – A new direction paper offers insights and specific actions for a modernized land use and water planning regime in British Columbia.

The paper, written by Oliver M. Brandes, Rosie Simms and Jon O’Riordan with Gwen Bridge, provides an extensive review of past and current land use planning efforts, and draws clear conclusions on the future of water and land management and governance in B.C.

“Towards Watershed Security: The role of water in modernized land use planning in B.C.” responds to the provincial government’s mandate and commitment to modernize land use planning and its linked priorities of reconciliation, rural economic recovery, water security, and climate adaptation.

The paper draws three main conclusions:

• Reconciliation and land use planning cannot be successful without explicit and sustained attention to water.
• Economic recovery and a resilient local economy require certainty and clarity around resource development and investment potential – including what can and cannot be done on the land and in the water – which can be advanced through better land (and water) planning and a credible process.
• To realize success, government and planning partners need capacity, a clear priority, and sustained support for a new planning regime