July 28, 2010

Stressing the need to clean our beaches and work with natural water cycles, ELC clinic student Paddy O’Reilly asked the Capital Regional District (CRD) today to implement fundamental changes to how we deal with stormwater in the region.

By turning landscape into hardscape with impervious roads, sidewalks, parking lots and roofs, Paddy noted, we have forced water that would naturally seep into the earth to instead sweep across pavement, picking up pollution and speed as it charges through pipes and shoots into our streams.

“Washington State scientists have found that the bulk of toxins going into Puget Sound are from storwmater – 100,000 lbs of toxins a day,” Paddy quoted from the ELC’s report. “Every 24 months, stormwater delivers a volume of oil equal to the Exxon Valdez spill into the Sound.”

Relying on the ELC’s report “Re-inventing Rainwater Management: A strategy to protect health and restore nature in the Capital Region,” Paddy brought forward a series of recommendations to the Joint Meeting hosted by the Core Area Liquid Waste Management Committee with the Environmental Sustainability Committee.

Noting positive local examples, such as Trent Street rain gardens and the Bowker Creek Initiative, Paddy called on the committee to go farther with a comprehensive approach to rain water management in the CRD. She urged the committee to unite the CRD’s 13 municipalities under an overarching Storm Sewer Bylaw, develop policies and law reform that supports low impact development (LID) and fix old infrastructure.

Many of the councillors thanked the ELC for the presentation and called for the committee to come together to deal with stormwater issues. Councillor Vic Derman noted, “There has to be a paradigm shift in how we deal with stormwater management, which is causing huge environmental damage, arguably more than sewage.”

Following the ELC’s presentation, CRD staff presenting an Integrated Watershed Management Progress Report called for a more holistic approach to watershed management.

Councillor Judy Brownoff commented, “We appreciate UVic as a resource, their ability to teach, research and produce amazing reports.”

For more information about how we can deal with stormwater problems, see “Re-inventing Rainwater Management: A strategy to protect health and restore nature in the Capital Region.”



The July 28 presentation included the above 10-min video Where it falls: Re-inventing Rainwater Management produced by the ELC’s Holly Pattison.

"The fact that we unexpectedly discovered a spill during Robert Bridgeman’s interview was really a mixed blessing," says Holly. "Although it was terrible to see such pollution in Douglas Creek, it provided us with a vivid example of what the ELC report is all about."

"I hope this film and the longer version will be useful tools for the public to learn about stormwater pollution and for lawmakers to take action in order to protect the environment."

2011-2012 Articled Students Positions

June 30, 2010

Thank you to everyone who applied for the the ELC shared articles positions, commencing September 2011 and February 2012. Shortlisted applicants will be contacted in the next couple of weeks. For more information on our shared articling program, check out our shared articles flyer.

Conserving the Planet - Without Hurting Low-Income Families

May 17, 2010

Increasing household energy efficiency reduces greenhouse gas emissions. Energy-efficiency programs are now widespread, but they are often designed in a way that excludes low-income households. More...

Cosmetic Pesticides Ban gains momentum

May 14, 2010

Former ELC Clinic student Jonathan Aiyudaurai continues to perform volunteer work on his ELC project more than a year after completing the course. Read Jonathan's comments along with an update on what's happening with the proposed cosmetic pesticides ban for BC.

Review Success Leads to Release of Documents

March 16, 2010

Lower mainland citizens living around Burrard Inlet may soon hear a lot more about their brewing sewage problems. With assistance from ELC student Keyvan Monsef, Ecojustice recently obtained two orders from the Office of the Information and Privacy Commissioner directing the release of important documents from a private prosecution they launched that was subsequently stayed by the Attorney General of Canada. More...

Major Victory for Southern Vancouver Island's Wild Coast

Mar 8, 2010

In response to local government’s March 5 announcement to purchase lands in the Jordan River, Sooke Potholes and Weeks Lake areas, the ELC is grateful to have played a part in one of its most important victories ever. Partnering with The Land Conservancy, the CRD has reached an agreement in principle to purchase 2,350 hectares of land from Western Forest Products for $18.8 million. The lands will be protected for recreation, conservation and watershed protection for generations to come and include over 3.5km of shoreline from the world-famous surfing beach at Jordan River to Sandcut Beach. More...

Re-inventing Rainwater Management

February 24, 2010

A new ELC report aims to solve the problems caused by stormwater in the Capital Region. Acting for the Veins of Life Watershed Society, the comprehensive report, Re-inventing Rainwater Management: Protecting Health and Restoring Nature in the Capital Region, documents the vast damage stormwater causes and then lays out a strategy for solving the problem. More... READ THE REPORT

ELC Student makes Legislative Submission on FOI

February 3, 2010

ELC student Morgan Blakley presented a submission on behalf of the Dogwood Initiative today to the Special Committee to Review the Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act. Read the submission here. More...