Who We Are

The Toolkit provides BC communities with the latest news, best practices and practical advice to help them reduce greenhouse gas emissions and implement their Climate Action Charter commitments. The Toolkit also provides guidance and resources to support local governments to take a more integrated approach to planning that will lead to more resilient, complete, compact and livable communities

Our Partnership

The Toolkit content is developed in collaboration by the Joint-UBCM-Provincial Green Communities Committee (GCC) and Smart Planning for Communities, a program of the Fraser Basin Council.  Ideas and contributions for Toolkit content is provided by a wide range of partners including BC local governments, provincial ministries and agencies, selected NGO’s as well as the Toolkit partners. 

Green Communities Committee

The Green communities Committee is a Joint Provincial-UBCM committee established under the Climate Action Charter to support local governments in taking action on climate change.The Green Communities Committee (GCC) is made up of two Toolkit partners; 

1. The Province of BC’s Ministry of Community, Sport and Cultural Development; and
2. The Union of British Columbia Municipalities (UBCM).

The GCC’s intent is to provide climate action support to local governments. The Committee was established in 2007 after BC local governments, UBCM and the Province signed the BC Climate Action Charter. The Climate Action Charter reflects the shared commitment of the Province, UBCM and local governments’ signatories to take action on climate change. Three GCC Working Groups were formed to provide practical ideas and advice on climate change actions to further support local governments 

For further information or to contact the GCC please send a message here. 

Ministry of Community, Sport and Cultural Development 

(Intergovernmental Relations and Planning Branch)

The Intergovernmental Relations and Planning Branch (IRPB) of the Ministry of Community, Sport and Cultural Development (MCSCD) works to further relations between local governments in British Columbia, support community planning, advise on regional growth strategies, assist rural communities and offer dispute resolution.

IRPB provides advice and assists local governments and provincial agencies on municipal and regional planning. In addition to having expertise in land-use planning legislation and process in British Columbia, many IRPB staff are engaged in work directly connected to climate change mitigation and adaptation. IRPB staff are available to provide guidance, advice and answer questions related to local government planning matters. To connect with the IRBP staff member responsible for your region call (250) 387-4037 or visit: http://www.cscd.gov.bc.ca/lgd/.

Smart Planning for Communities, a program of the Fraser Basin Council 

Smart Planning for Communities is the third Toolkit partner. Smart Planning for Communities is a collaborative initiative, managed by the Fraser Basin Council, offering the services of skilled Sustainability Facilitators to communities across BC to help address their long-term sustainability challenges. The initiative was developed in response to the call for “Integrated Community Sustainability Planning” (ICSP) in the 2005 Federal/ Provincial/ UBCM Gas Tax Agreement.

The Smart Planning for Communities team became a Toolkit partner in the spring of 2009. They continue to build on the expert advice of the GCC and its Working Groups of this website. Contact any member of the team for further information. 

• Maureen LeBourdais Senior Manager, Cariboo-Chilcotin Office: Williams Lake
  T: 250 392-1400 E: mlebourdais[a]fraserbasin.bc.ca
   
• Stacy Barter Vancouver Island Office: Victoria
  T: 250 889-0179 | E: stacy[at]bchealthycommunities.ca 
   
• Joan Chess MCIP, Northern Interior Facilitator: Prince George
  T: 250 612-0282 E: jchess[at]fraserbasin.bc.ca  
   
• Jennifer Nichols, BC Climate Action Toolkit Content Manager
  T: 250 589-0223 E: jnichols[at]fraserbasin.bc.ca
   
• Peter Ostergaard MCIP, Province-Wide Energy Specialist: Victoria
  T: 250 888-3030 E: postergaard[at]fraserbasin.bc.ca
   
• Donnella Sellars Program Coordinator, Cariboo-Chilcotin Office: Williams Lake
  T: 250 392-1400 E: dsellars[at]fraserbasin.bc.ca
   
• Erin Vieira  Thompson Region Facilitator, Thompson Regional Office: Kamloops
  T: 250 314-9660 | E: evieira[at]fraserbasin.bc.ca

Or visit the Smart Planning for Communities website for sustainability planning resources: www.smartplanningbc.ca