Integrated community sustainability planning

Most rural areas of British Columbia have population and employment growth rates that are a small fraction of the rates occurring in the urban and fringe areas of the Lower Mainland, southern and south-eastern Vancouver Island, and the Okanagan. [...] However, in the early stages, it became apparent that including First Nations governments would add large numbers of individual governments, as well as the inter-jurisdictional complexity, which would exceed the capacity of the staff and the timeframe for the research project. [...] To rephrase the question in a more detailed way, if BC’s regional districts are to be successful in ICS Planning and their rural communities and landscapes are to become sustainable, then o What are the elements of a successful process for rural areas and communities, for example data and information, public awareness and participation? [...] The anticipated outcomes of the research project are information and practical advice for BC’s regional districts concerning: o the elements of a successful process for their rural areas, including engaging with neighbouring First Nations and the regional district’s member municipalities o the tools and actions – a ‘sustainability strategy tool kit’ – available to regional districts for implementa [...] The request to distribute the invitations to participate was sent by e-mail to the regional associations of the Union of BC Municipalities: the North Central Local Government Association, Southern Interior Local Government Association, Association of Kootenay Boundary Local Governments; or directly to the regional districts, as was the case for Vancouver Island and the Fraser Valley.