Exchange Fall 2017

EXCHANGE EXCHANGE is is aa quarterly quarterly magazine magazine published published by by the the Local Local Government Government Management Management Association Association (LGMA) (LGMA) of of British British Columbia.

Columbia. It’s It’s about about sharing sharing information, information, exchanging exchanging ideas ideas on on best best practices, practices, enhancing enhancing professional professional development development and and building building networks. networks. Reach Reach us us at at www.lgma.ca. www.lgma.ca.

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FALL 2017

PIONEERING NATURAL PIONEERING N AT UR A L ASSET A S SE T M MANAGEMENT A N A GE M

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N AT UR A L ASSET A S SE T MANAGE MANAGEMENT M A N AGEMEN T TTIPS NATURAL

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L GM A M EMBER SPOTLIGHT LGMA MEMBER S PO T LI

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Mother Nature: Supporting Service Delivery

Comprehensive legal services for municipalities and regional districts throughout British Columbia.

We help to lay the foundation for growth and success in large and small communities across the province by supplying local governments with the legal advice and strategic support required to help them carry out their mandates.

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Update In this Issue President’s Report Executive Director’s Report Case of Interest Members Page Our Town

Professional Development 2 3 4 5 22 24

Tips & Tactics: Creating a Natural Asset Management Program Programs & Events

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5 Case of Interest – Treetopia: The Natural Capital of Trees

Exchange is the magazine for members of the Local Government Management Association of British Columbia.

Exchange is distributed quarterly to over 900 members of the LGMA, as well as Mayors and Regional District Chairs.

Trees provide local governments with an increasingly valuable “natural capital.” Get legal advice on some of the actions you can take to meet your tree management goals.

Mother Nature: Supporting Service Delivery

Exchange is printed on Sappi Flo, an FSC® Certified 10% post-consumer recycled paper at Island Business Print Group.

Local governments are starting to recognize the importance of natural assets to their services, and the consequences when they don’t take care of them.

Learn about the Municipal Natural Asset Initiative and resources available to help.

LGMA Office: Suite 710A 880 Douglas Street Victoria, BC V8W 2B7 Telephone: 250.383.7032 Email: office@lgma.ca Web: www.lgma.ca

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Contact the Editor: Email: editor@lgma.ca

The Town of Gibsons was the first B.C. local government to give natural assets the same status as traditional engineered assets. They are now leading others.

Cover Illustration: JDawnInk/Getty Images

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Gibsons: Pioneering Natural Asset Management

Promoting Professional Management & Leadership Excellence in Local Government

22 Member Spotlight In this edition we gain some insights about Paul Gipps, Chief Administrative Officer for the Fraser Valley Regional District.

IN THIS ISSUE

Local governments are relying on nature for a number of services, but they may not fully understand the scope of the services or the implications if those natural areas are degraded.

s we started talking about the theme for this edition of Exchange – natural asset management – I’m embarrassed to admit that I didn’t really know what it was all about.

Then, as I spoke to some of the key people involved in the Municipal Natural Asset Initiative (MNAI), I was more in a state of shock that something so obvious has been missed for so long. I know how easy it is to take the things we enjoy every day for granted – beautiful forests, amazing mountains, gorgeous lakes and rivers, and stunning oceanfront landscapes. When it comes to nature in B.C., we seem to have it all. But I had never thought about all this amazing nature in the context of services being delivered in a community.

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As I worked on both feature stories in this edition, it became clear that local governments are relying on nature for a number of services, but they may not fully understand the scope of the services or the implications if those natural areas are degraded.

I’m also really impressed that the Town of Gibsons is the pioneer leading this important insight into the value of preserving nature to secure sustainable, resilient services. It all started with the Gibsons aquifer, and now the country is watching and learning from work being done in our province.

It seems like these are just early days in the study of natural assets in the context of the services they provide, but it’s also likely that we may only be skimming the surface right now. In Case of Interest, I found it interesting that researchers who examined tree cover in 10 large cities found that tree canopy provides those communities with an average of $500 million annually in benefits like reducing air pollution, improving water management and lowering the “heat island” effect. Those are significant impacts that in the past may have appeared to be too intangible to measure but are now being quantified in terms that are relatable and can support decisionmaking, such as when planning neighbourhoods or establishing tree protection bylaws.

I suppose it’s not surprising to anyone that Mother Nature is a lot better at handling weather impacts than what we can design and build. But what is more surprising is that the evidence from Gibsons and other MNAI pilot communities shows that it consistently costs less to expand and maintain natural assets than to build and maintain engineered options. So nature is proving to be more resilient and more cost-effective. This is particularly critical as communities across Canada face the challenge of their aging infrastructure, budget constraints to maintain or expand engineered assets, and continued pressure from more severe weather events and related impacts such as the wildfires and floods experienced this summer. Now local and regional governments just need to find out how to leverage these natural advantages in their local communities.

With work being done by Gibsons, MNAI and other researchers, there is a growing set of tools, expanded research, new policy direction and increased awareness about natural assets as part of core service delivery. With more communities joining MNAI pilot projects, there will continue to be more studies, more evidence and more tools to assess and quantify natural assets so that they can be embedded in local and regional asset management planning.

The next time I get asked about natural asset management, I’m glad I’ll know a lot more about what it’s all about and the tremendous potential it offers our communities.

Therese Mickelson, ABC Editor

A Quarterly Publication of the LGMA Exchange – Fall 2017

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PRESIDENT’S REPORT

I encourage you to support and embrace your LGMA Chapters. These Chapters contribute directly to supporting the growth and success of your future team and leaders.

ver the past few years I have questioned whether LGMA members and their organizations are aware of the LGMA Chapters in their area and the educational and networking opportunities they provide to us at a local level. The LGMA has six regional Chapters – North Central, Lower Mainland, Vancouver Island, Thompson Okanagan, West Kootenay Boundary and Rocky Mountain. How many of you and how many of your staff are involved with your LGMA Chapter? I encourage you to look to your Chapters when seeking opportunities to support your succession planning and related training opportunities for your staff. Regional Chapters are a venue for staff who are new or junior in local government to meet their peers, build relationships and vital contacts, and learn about various aspects of local government – all at a reasonable cost to the municipality or regional district.

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I recently attended the Thompson Okanagan Chapter conference in Kamloops, which had the theme “The Evolving Landscape: Cutting through the Complexity of Conflict.” The pre-conference and main event provided a variety of educational offerings, and I want to highlight a couple just to demonstrate the excellent professional development opportunities being offered by Chapters.

Personally, I had never been exposed to such an emotionallycharged session. We were all mentally exhausted by the end, but it was an informative, or maybe even transformative, experience. I highly recommend it if you have an opportunity to attend one of these workshops!

Humor, Wellness and Stress, presented by Carol Boothroyd, was another one of the keynote speakers I enjoyed. Most people recognize that they need to manage their stress. Our healthy life, now and in the future, is dependent on how we manage our stress.

There are good stressors and bad stressors – we need to identify and deal appropriately with each one. We learned it’s important to acknowledge the stressor; it may be finances, relationships, health, children, boredom, neighbours, information overload or work (to name a few). Next, identify the signs related to those situations, such as headaches, high blood pressure, insomnia, fatigue, feeling out of control, lack of concentration and more. Ask yourself the right questions about what can return the balance to your everyday life. Will this matter tomorrow? What’s the worst? Can it be changed? Remove the negative talk in your head and find ways to alleviate it. Use humour. Many studies have shown how the brain reacts to situations and how humour can change your outlook and mental health. Put things into perspective. I had a leader once who would show his team the map of Canada, and then he would take his pen and place it on our community. A very small dot.

Cultural Connections: Reconciliation in Action was presented by Ron George, Raymond Charlie, Dorothy Jack and Michelle Staples from the Cowichan Tribes. They walked us through a story of the first With sessions like these and more, you will discover a lot of 145 years of Canada’s history and into the era of reconciliation. untapped value in your regional LGMA Chapter. I encourage you The Elders told the stories of their lives and how history has to support and embrace your LGMA Chapters. These Chapters impacted their communities and culture. The highs and lows of contribute directly to supporting the growth and success of your the circle presentation stirred up many questions and emotions future team and leaders. I look forward to seeing you at future that most of us cannot relate to, nor do we truly comprehend Chapter events! the circumstances. We laughed, reconsidered our way of thinking, reflected on the past which deepened our understanding, cried and Patti Bridal questioned, “How did this happen and where do we go from here?”

President

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Promoting Professional Management & Leadership Excellence in Local Government

EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR’S REPORT

There seems to now be constant change from political, public and, increasingly, technological forces not seen before. Learning how to navigate this “new normal” will be the leadership challenge of the future.

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ost of you know that I have had an unconventional career path, with many diverse roles in different organizations, including broad policy, governance and management exposure in varying contexts both here in Canada and abroad. In many ways, my professional development and career growth probably reflects more closely the progress Millennials will experience rather than that of my generation – who knew I might be ahead of my time?!

Having just completed another year of MATI Foundations (the 34th!), I was once again struck by how lucky we are as a profession to attract so many bright and accomplished individuals to local government. We had a great MATI Foundations cohort that featured a diverse group of new entrants to local government with varying experiences from business, the private sector, the volunteer sector and other levels of government. There was also a range in demographics, from a few Baby Boomers, to predominately Gen Xers, and some Millennials, much like local government workplaces today. It was a fantastic mix of experiences, ideologies and perspectives – all that makes a MATI experience so wonderful!

The week also highlighted for me the changing nature of our workforce and some of the key leadership, organizational and human resource strategies we’re going to need to anticipate. In my conversations with staff at all levels, it’s clear that today’s work environment is more uncertain and unpredictable than ever. Gone are the days of relatively stable local government “cycles” of planning and budgeting and reporting. While local government has always been a highly political environment, there seems to now be constant change from political, public and, increasingly, technological forces not seen before.

The LGMA is reviewing its programs with some of these leadership, organizational change management and human resource needs in mind as we plan for 2018-19 programming. We’ve just completed a review of our MATI Managing People with our educational partner Capilano University and an outstanding group of faculty and advisors highly attuned to these needs and the changing demographics in our workplaces. We continue to look for key human resource skills training opportunities that can support our members as they grapple with these changes. For example, we are offering a three-day program on labour negotiations in November in Richmond, and we look forward to your ideas on other human resource fundamentals you think we should be addressing.

There is a lot to look forward to as we move into a busy fall with different training and professional development opportunities. At the same time, looking back on this summer and the unprecedented flood and fire season that impacted communities across the province, I suspect many of you gave up your summer vacation to volunteer and support your communities with emergency response and recovery. To those of who were affected by floods and wildfires, our thoughts are with you as you come back into your homes and communities. And a huge shout out and thank you to all the local government staff and emergency personnel who have put in countless hours providing support services, comfort and assistance to evacuees. Thank you for your incredible service.

Nancy Taylor Executive Director

Learning how to navigate this “new normal” will be the leadership challenge of the future, and our biggest asset will be our people. We will all be competing for talent who can thrive on change, with the temperament to respond effectively to unforeseen problems and both adapt and help their teammates adjust to these challenges. The key will be finding employees who fit that profile, are results-oriented and will be satisfied with getting things “just about right” rather than 100 per cent.

A Quarterly Publication of the LGMA Exchange – Fall 2017

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By Jarrett Plonka Dominion GovLaw

CASE of INTEREST

Treetopia: The Natural Capital of Trees

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rees are taken for granted in B.C. Some people view trees as a pretty backdrop, timber, a source of shade or an obstruction. In reality, trees provide an increasingly valuable “natural capital,” whether in forests, parks or a residential neighbourhood.

Trees play a positive role in urban planning. A 2015 study of tree cover in Toronto found that 10 or more trees on a city block reduced rates of heart disease, stroke, obesity and diabetes in residents. In another study, researchers examined tree cover in 10 large cities and found that tree canopy provides those communities with an average of $500 million annually in benefits. This includes reducing air pollution, improving water management and lowering the “heat island” effect.

Notwithstanding these benefits, tree cover is rapidly declining in many communities in B.C. The most common cause appears to be removing trees on private property. Last year, Vancouver estimated that its tree canopy had declined to 18 per cent from 22.5 per cent since 1996. Vancouver’s tree canopy now covers a smaller percentage than Toronto’s canopy!

Another cause was Vancouver’s own tree bylaw, which permitted owners to remove one tree per year regardless of health, size or species.

Although Vancouver recently took steps to modify this portion of the bylaw and implemented a tree-planting program, the City now estimates it will take 40 years to bring the tree canopy back to 1996 levels.

SMARTER TREE HUGGING It may never be trendy to protest for protecting trees in an urban area.

Thus, local governments that want to be effective in protecting trees as a natural capital resource should take the following action:

1. Catalogue your Trees – To set goals, you need to know the existing stock. Local governments can map out tree canopy areas and identify “special” trees within those areas. Those special trees could be old growth, heritage or protected trees.

2. Consult the Public – Once trees as a natural resource have been identified, you should consult the public. In these times of political polarization, urban forestry renewal may be an issue that helps determine broad-based community goals.

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Promoting Professional Management & Leadership Excellence in Local Government

The City of Nanaimo recently commenced prosecuting a property owner for cutting down this healthy 150-year-old Douglas fir after the City denied the request. The maximum fine of $10,000 will be sought.

3. Establish the Policy Objective – Does your local government want to expand the tree canopy, protect existing trees, identify special trees or a combination of the above? The City of West Vancouver’s tree bylaw protects the canopy by assessing fines for the property value after trees are cut to improve the view. Assessing $100,000 or more for an improved view may dramatically deter cutting trees for views.

4. Update Your Tree Bylaw – Many tree bylaws were adopted 30 or 40 years ago. Some are riddled with drafting errors or are out of date with recent case law. Even if a bylaw has no legal problems, it may no longer suit current policy. Vancouver’s tree removal bylaw worked well, but its permissive approach undermined the goal of canopy protection.

5. Get Creative on Enforcement – Increasing fines for tree cutting may feel good, but it is a knee-jerk response to tree management.

Instead, consider a combination of variable fines that apply to special categories of trees, such as old growth or heritage trees.

Also, fines should be a deterrent rather than a nuisance. Many local governments are all too familiar with the property owner who happily pays the ticket fine for cutting trees to improve the view and value of the property. If the fine is seen as the “cost of doing business,” a ticket is pointless. Instead, commence a long form prosecution where municipalities can seek up to $10,000 per tree.

The City of Nanaimo recently commenced a prosecution for the cutting down of one healthy old growth Douglas fir that was 150 years old. The property owner cut down the tree after the City said “no” and while the arborist was getting equipment from his car. A maximum fine amount of $10,000 will be sought for that one tree to underscore the public contempt and interest in that tree.

In conclusion, for your tree management goals to be effective, trees need to be recognized for the natural capital they are. Your local government can show it is not only serious about tree preservation, but tree expansion.

By Therese Mickelson, ABC

Mother Nature: SUPPORTING SERVICE DELIVERY

A Quarterly Publication of the LGMA Exchange – Fall 2017

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What has Mother Nature done for you lately? The answer may surprise you.

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here is growing awareness that natural assets offer more than just eco-tourism opportunities or advantages to support economic development – they can be integral to service delivery and an essential component of a local government’s asset management strategy. The key lies in identifying how local natural assets support services, quantifying their value and determining how to protect and expand those assets.

Most local governments across Canada have been developing asset management programs that involve creating an inventory of their engineered assets and integrating them into financial and engineering planning programs. The Town of Gibsons took it a step further when they recognized that their aquifer was essential to their water services.

They began to examine their other natural assets to assess their impact on services (See Gibsons: Pioneering Natural Asset Management on page 16), and they soon expanded their list to include the value of their foreshore and forest areas. They developed an Eco-Asset Strategy and related policies and updated their Strategic Plan and Official Community Plan to address natural asset management.

As an emerging leader in natural asset management, Gibsons attracted attention, including interest at a provincial government level and from Asset Management BC. Their work led to a workshop initiated by Roy Brooke, a consultant whose practice focuses on sustainable communities and organizations. The other workshop participants included the David Suzuki Foundation (which focuses on conserving the environment and finding solutions that will create a sustainable Canada through science-based research, education and policy work) and the Smart Prosperity Institute (which is a national research network and policy think-tank based at the University of Ottawa). Recognizing the importance of natural asset management, the workshop participants soon formed a partnership to create the Municipal Natural Assets Initiative (MNAI), with Brooke as the Director. The goal of the MNAI is to develop new methodologies and other support for local governments to help them integrate their natural assets into their core asset management and financial processes.

“We need solutions to help close the infrastructure gap that exists in municipalities. Natural assets can play an important role in closing that gap.”

Roy Brooke

“We’ve always used natural assets in a community context throughout human history; however, for the bulk of our history we haven’t recorded or managed these assets in any kind of a deliberate way,” says Brooke. “We now find ourselves in a situation where infrastructure costs are rising, quality is declining, and there are additional pressures as a result of climate change and population growth, so we need solutions to help close the infrastructure gap that exists in municipalities. Natural assets can play an important role in closing that gap, as well as reducing capital and operating expenditures and reducing risk.”

While local government have been making progress towards asset management planning, most of them lack policies and methods to measure natural assets and quantify their value related to service provision. When natural assets are viewed through the lens of the services they support, areas like wetlands, forests, healthy streams and creeks, riparian areas, underground aquifers and foreshores take on new significance. The MNAI is working with the Town of Gibsons and five other cohort communities – the City of Nanaimo, District of West Vancouver and City of Grand Forks in British Columbia, and the Region of Peel and Town of Oakville in Ontario – to test methodologies in stormwater management, review policies and apply research that supports improvements to natural asset management.

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Promoting Professional Management & Leadership Excellence in Local Government

Mother Nature: Supporting Service Delivery Continued from page 7

“We want to refine, replicate and scale up the work done in Gibsons, but it’s not a cookie-cutter approach,” says Brooke. “We hoped we would have a single methodology that would capture all municipal services, but it just wasn’t feasible so we’re starting with stormwater management.”

One of the first steps was to define the scope of what is meant by natural assets. This involved research by the Smart Prosperity Institute to review what is being done elsewhere in Canada and internationally, as well as gaining feedback from the pilot communities and others interested in the work underway.

“It took longer to nail down a definition than we anticipated, and in the end, we split the definition in two because we originally had a very small scope – just the natural assets that were in control of the local government,” says Sara Jane O’Neill, Senior Research Associate, Smart Prosperity Institute. “Based on feedback, we realized that there are a lot of natural assets that still provide services even if the local government doesn’t manage them, and as a result we have defined both municipal natural assets and the Municipal Natural Asset Management approach.”

“Based on feedback, we realized that there are a lot of natural assets that still provide services even if the local government doesn’t manage them.”

Municipal natural assets are the stocks of natural resources or ecosystems that contribute to the provision of one or more services required for the health, well-being, and long-term sustainability of a community and its residents.

The Municipal Natural Asset Management approach views municipal natural assets through an infrastructure asset management lens and generally considers those municipal natural assets that would otherwise need to be provided by a municipality, regional government or other form of local government.

A Quarterly Publication of the LGMA Exchange – Fall 2017

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Using this definition, the MNAI is working with the cohort communities to complete ecological modelling and economic analysis to capture the value of natural services that support stormwater management. This work is being led by the David Suzuki Foundation under the guidance of Michelle Molnar, an environmental economist.

“We provide a framework to help local governments recognize and incorporate natural stormwater services into their planning,” says Molnar. “There’s a mix of circumstances that make this very important right now. We know there’s worldwide consensus that conservation of eco-systems is essential to providing services we all need to support our well-being, like clean air, fresh water and healthy soil. There’s also a growing need for local governments to increase their community’s resilience to climate change.”

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Brooke notes that stormwater systems are some of the most impacted by climate change, where systems installed 40 to 60 years ago are not capable of handling the increased extent of storm events, where instead of experiencing a major storm every 50 years, that level of storm is hitting communities a couple times a year. There are also more storm surges due to rising sea levels.

“Water seems to be a common denominator as an issue affecting communities, so when we were looking at projects, wetlands and stormwater management become the best and easiest example of a natural asset to work with,” says Brooke. “Traditionally, over the past 50 years, the approach to stormwater management was to sluice it out of urban areas and treat it as a waste product. That approach is now viewed as outdated, and the goal now is to keep the balance of water in the area using a watershed lens.”

MNAI is looking at how to use wetlands and other natural assets to slow the rate water is travelling, store it and release it slowly over time, and help water trickle back down into the water table or into streams. With a healthy, intact wetland, or one that is degraded but can be restored and rehabilitated to make it healthy, a community can reduce local flooding impacts and potentially help to reduce downstream flooding, as well as improve water quality. Instead of sending water straight into a culvert that is full of contaminants that run downstream into fish-bearing streams, the local government uses its natural watershed to send cleaner water down to support those fishing resources.

“If you have more impervious surfaces through development, instead of building big stormwater systems, you could maintain and enhance existing ponds and channels in the forest to handle the stormwater, without the major capital costs of building engineered infrastructure,” says Brooke. “But if you don’t know you have these natural assets and you don’t know the cost of managing them, you can’t determine the best use of these assets. That’s the point of the project – to learn how to manage these assets for more sustainable service delivery.”

Continued on page 10

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Promoting Professional Management & Leadership Excellence in Local Government

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Mother Nature: Supporting Service Delivery Continued from page 9

With these types of challenges combined with the need for improved asset management planning overall, the timing for the pilot projects is ideal for testing viable solutions. Once the scope of the project is determined for each community, the next step involves the ecological modelling and economic analysis.

A team of experts including engineers, hydrologists, geographic information system (GIS) specialists and ecological modellers are working together to gain an understanding of the bio-physical capacity of the asset – the ability of the environment to filter water and regulate the flow of water for stormwater management. As an example, they assess how many cubic meters of water per second can move through a targeted wetland to help assess how the asset could support services. After determining the supply and/or capacity from the available natural assets, the modelling also involves an assessment of the demand for those services. This can include population growth projections or noted changes in demand stemming from climate change.

The team reviewed a number of modelling tools to determine the best option that would also be applicable, affordable and adaptable for use in local government.

“We know that one of the challenges is the capacity within local government, so we wanted to ensure that the guidance framework and modelling tools we select and test can be used and easily incorporated,” says Molnar. “We didn’t want to introduce a model that would be a significant cost barrier or would involve a lot of additional training.”

Michelle Molnar

The team selected the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Storm Water Management Model (SWMM) as it has been well tested, is free to use and is used regularly by engineers in local government when completing modeling for stormwater management plans. The model just needs to be adjusted to incorporate components related to natural assets.

“We’re just wrapping up the modelling section now, and it’s been the most intensive portion of the project as we collect all the data from the pilot projects and pull together the assessments,” says Molnar. “We’re working with the local governments to finish the scenario piece of the modelling to answer questions like how to improve asset health to better adapt to climate change impacts.”

A Quarterly Publication of the LGMA Exchange – Fall 2017

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The report on the initial pilot projects is expected to be released early in 2018.

With the modeling work and analysis of the service needs close to completion, including assessments of the current capacity of the assets and the potential demand in the future, the MNAI projects are also able to complete an economic analysis – the related costs or cost savings.

“The economic analysis tells people that although many of the services from natural assets are not recognized in the market, there are very real, quantifiable costs to communities resulting from ecological degradation. If we have to replace naturally-provided services, there are significant costs involved with building engineered solutions. We can help local governments identify those costs,” says Molnar.

Brooke adds that selling the advantages of incorporating natural assets into service delivery planning and management often comes down to considering costs, both capital and maintenance, and risk analysis.

With the methodology being developed by MNAI, local governments can calculate the cost benefits by assessing what the costs would be to replace the services provided by a natural asset with an engineered alternative.

In Gibsons, preserving and restoring the forest area for stormwater management services have a value of $4 million which would be the cost to construct conveyance pipes and stormwater retention ponds that would be required if they were not using the forested area. In terms of operational costs, the natural asset requires only an investment of approximately $15,000 every three years to remove excess sediment.

“The cost analysis is quite frankly what resonates with people,” says Brooke. “Saying a forest is beautiful is true, but it doesn’t help with the operational costs for services. You need to be able calculate the costs you’re avoiding by leveraging the natural asset along with the operational and maintenance costs to preserve the asset.”

“The other ‘ah ha’ moment is related to sustainability of services,” adds Brooke. “If you’re trying to deliver services in a sustainable way, it doesn’t matter whether it comes from a natural or an engineered asset, it just needs to be reliable and cost-efficient. There’s no capital cost for a natural asset, and the evidence emerging from the pilots is that these natural assets can cost substantially less to support services.”

The other important cost consideration for natural asset management is the risks associated with an undocumented asset.

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Promoting Professional Management & Leadership Excellence in Local Government

Mother Nature: Supporting Service Delivery Continued from page 11

“If you don’t know that your wetlands are conveying a certain percentage of the stormwater, then when that wetland is degraded, all of a sudden you’re on the hook for a new capital outlay,” says Brooke.

“There is already a challenge with maintaining existing infrastructure, let alone a new cost outlay that could have been avoided by maintaining a natural asset. MNAI is also working at a variety of levels to facilitate a supportive and enabling policy and funding environment for municipal natural asset management.”

MNAI and other partners are encouraging the federal and provincial governments to ensure that major infrastructure funding programs include resources directed at natural asset management and restoration. There are now some funding classes available through federal grant programs that include natural assets such as the Investing in Canada program. This includes $9.2 billion nationally for green infrastructure, and MNAI and others have recommended measures to ensure this goes towards the best possible projects. As another example, those involved with municipal natural asset management recognize there is still a gap on the financial reporting of these natural assets as the Public Sector Accounting Board (PSAB) does not formally recognize natural assets as tangible capital assets.

“If one local government is managing its natural assets, but the adjacent local governments are not taking the same steps, it could mean the work will be ineffective.”

This means local governments doing financial reporting cannot report on the value of these natural assets or the services associated with them except as footnotes. However, this does not affect most of the operational work related to financial planning for natural assets.

Nevertheless, MNAI and other stakeholders hope to work with PSAB to address this barrier.

Because natural asset management is still in its early stages with only some insights into how to manage these resources, research will continue to be an important component of the MNAI.

A Quarterly Publication of the LGMA Exchange – Fall 2017

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The next research projects will involve analyzing the role of private land owners in managing natural assets, the current barriers and opportunities that exist in federal government policies, as well as professional standards such as the planning profession.

“Natural asset management is not something that can be done in a silo – not even within a local government,” says O’Neill. “If one Sarah Jane O’Neill local government is managing its natural assets, but the adjacent local governments are not taking the same steps, it could mean the work will be ineffective.”

The research involves taking a step back to look at natural assets from an overall watershed management approach and how adjacent municipalities can work together to manage the asset so it offers mutual benefits. There are also added issues when there is an asset like a stream that is owned jointly by a local government, private landowner, working farm, regional district, provincial government and other stakeholders.

“Examples of broad watershed management for natural assets are few and far between,” says O’Neill.

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Promoting Professional Management & Leadership Excellence in Local Government

“But we need this, because if we don’t figure this out, we won’t be as effective with management of natural assets.”

O’Neill notes that they are taking this challenge in steps by working with the pilot communities to learn more about the barriers local governments are facing, and by looking for ways to refine the modelling and software that work to identify, inventory and assess their natural asset locally. Then the next step is to start planning and eventually work outward to develop a broad watershed plan, using examples like the Still Creek Watershed, which is jointly shared by Vancouver, Burnaby and other stakeholders who have come together in a joint watershed plan to protect the creek.

“It’s complicated, but we’re making progress, and having practical examples that can be examined and replicated makes all the difference,” adds O’Neill.

The research work also involves reviewing policies that support natural asset management. Because municipal natural assets are part of asset management planning, many policies and procedures that are already in place provide a framework that can be adapted to address natural assets.

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Mother Nature: Supporting Service Delivery Continued from page 13

“Local governments already have a lot of the tools they need to do a better job of managing their natural assets, and the results are showing that it is a costeffective, economical decision with a lot more benefits than we’ve realized.�

There are also other tools in local government’s toolbox that can be leveraged, including official community plans and local environmental plans that can provide a vision for the local government to ensure that natural assets are being managed in a way that protects them for the future and to guide development. Bylaws such as tree-cutting restrictions or policies to purchase sensitive lands are also integral to supporting natural asset management. “The research piece that we pull together will highlight that local governments already have a lot of the tools they need to do a better job of managing their natural assets, and the results are also showing that it is a cost-effective, economical decision with a lot more benefits than we’ve realized,� says O’Neill.

MNAI is also looking ahead to next steps with its program and recently announced that, following a competitive process, four local governments have been identified as candidates for the next round of MNAI projects, subject to funding: • • • •

City of Courtenay, B.C. City of Oshawa, ON Western Valley Regional Service Commission, N.B. District of Sparwood, B.C.

A fifth candidate is also pending. The next step is securing funding.

MNAI has applied for funding and expects to hear back by mid-tolate November. This funding would allow for a January 2018 start date if successful.

Wherever you’re building communities, we’re there.

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This next phase would double the number of projects to 10 and expand MNAI to three provinces with both municipal and regional government participants.

“We’re looking for communities of different sizes, facing different problems, so we can expand the process, and we hope to start this new cohort in 2018,” says Molnar. “We are also working on the next model and framework to test as we know local governments rely on nature for more than just stormwater management.”

When selecting communities to work with, local governments with a multi-disciplinary team in place and established plans and processes for asset management are well-positioned to take on a natural asset management project.

“If you’re in a community experiencing flooding problems or you have a large development decision to consider and there are natural assets in the vicinity that could support stormwater management or other services with reduced costs, you might want to consider how these natural assets support community services,” says Molnar.

A lot of the work on these projects involves tasks and expertise that are already being done as part of good asset management and sustainable service delivery. As well, there are support tools that are either in place or coming online through the work being done by MNAI. With recent new funding in place, the MNAI will be expanding the methodologies being developed to add new services beyond stormwater management, including options such as dealing with drought, the heat island effect due to limited trees and green spaces and rising sea level.

In addition to their work with the cohort communities, outreach and engagement with local governments will continue to be an essential component of the work being done through the MNAI. They will continue to share their experiences at conferences and through webinar presentations to help create a community of interest around natural asset management.

Brooke offers straightforward advice to local governments considering their natural assets as part of service delivery.

“Don’t be intimidated by this,” says Brooke. “It’s not rocket science, and while the evidence is young, look at the results like the cost-savings and what other municipalities have already managed to achieve by doing this. Get on the phone with the people on the ground doing the work – it’s vital to share information between local governments.”

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November 21st to 24th in Kelowna

Something for everyone!

• FORUM THEMES: Climate Action, Water Stewardship, Food Systems/Security, Community Capital/Infrastructure • WORKSHOP TOPICS: Ecological Economics, Community Engagement, SustainAbility for Young Adults & Professionals • BREAKOUT SUBJECTS: Climate Change & Community Health, Leadership & Governance, Active Transportation, Local Prosperity, Collaborative Change, Sustainable Development, Ecological Imperatives, and the Sharing Economy

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Gibsons: Pioneering Natural Asset Management The Town of Gibsons was a pioneer in recognizing the value of natural assets. Above, vegetated areas and underlying soils in Upper Gibsons absorb rainwater and reduce the impact on local creeks.

By Therese Mickelson, ABC

It seems that the pioneering spirit is alive and well in the Town of Gibsons, but instead of discovering new territory, they are exploring nature in new ways with the support and encouragement of their community. In 2014, the Town of Gibsons became the first local government in North America to give natural assets the same status as traditional engineered infrastructure as part of its asset management program. Now others in Canada and countries around the world are watching and learning from the Town’s leadership in natural asset management.

Like other communities across Canada, the Town began developing and assessing its capital assets inventory to be consistent with the Public Sector Accounting Board (PSAB) 3150 requirements. At the same time, the Town was completing a study on its aquifer as the community’s primary source of water. The original focus was on usage, but with the implications of drought, they expanded the study to gain an understanding of the quantity and quality of the water available through the aquifer as part of managing the asset going forward.

“When we presented the results of the two-year aquifer mapping study, the community meeting was standing-room only and they clapped at the end. That told us we struck a chord. It showed that the community wanted us to do more to look after this precious asset,” says Emanuel Machado, Chief Administrative Office for the Town of Gibsons.

“So we really stumbled upon what we realized was a significant gap in our asset planning and realized that these natural assets should be part of our work in asset management.”

Like any good pioneer, the Town’s asset management team members recognized quickly that they were breaking new ground on something important for their future, and they began to look at what other natural assets they were relying on for services.

Their search didn’t take long as they soon came across stormwater management assets like the creek and woodlands, as well waterfront protection from the foreshore. When they realized the inherent value of these key natural assets and the risks of losing them, they began to explore how to officially incorporate nature – or eco-assets – into their asset management planning. The Town developed an Eco-Asset Strategy to guide its steps in this new vision to manage and protect all the assets that provide service in the community.

“We looked at assets that we were relying on for service,” says Machado. “We have a lot of other assets that don’t provide a direct municipal service, which doesn’t mean they are not important, but they are not part of the project’s scope at this time.”

The Town’s Eco-Asset Strategy is currently focused on the Gibsons aquifer for provision of water service, a number of creeks and woodlands that assist with stormwater management, and the Gibsons foreshore, which provides a vital seawall to protect the waterfront from storm surges and rising sea levels.

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The Strategy is guided by four main objectives related to natural and engineered assets: 1. Managing risk by ensuring that Gibsons has a clear understanding of what services they receive from natural assets, such as flood prevention, provision of drinking water and rain water management, and what it would Emanuel Machado cost to replace the natural asset with an engineered alternative if the assets were degraded or destroyed; 2. Saving costs by managing natural assets in a way that will provide services at lower cost and in perpetuity; 3. Maintaining healthy ecosystems as a result of sound asset management strategies; and 4. Managing the asset to provide services for future development without degrading the ecological condition of the asset.

The Strategy highlights the importance of the Gibsons aquifer, creeks, foreshore and other natural assets in providing vital services that the Town would otherwise have to provide through engineered solutions. These assets can, in theory, last indefinitely and they never depreciate in value. Natural assets can also typically be maintained at a fraction of the cost of an engineered alternative.

Recognizing that nature is providing services is one step, but quantifying the level and value of those services to manage them with other capital assets involves more assessment. The Town staff worked with the David Suzuki Foundation (DSF) to look at how nature was providing services and compared each natural asset to an engineered alternative. As they piloted an approach to evaluate the comparative value and other benefits of applying natural assets, they created a tool that relies on how the natural asset is functioning. The tool involves a formula to assess the value of the service, including costs of improving nature versus replacing it with engineered solutions. The DSF-developed model results served as a basis for Council’s decision to include natural assets into the long-term financial plan, including the Development Cost Charges (DCC) Bylaw. “One of our ultimate goals is to create a framework for cities to manage their natural assets, and valuation tools like the one we used are an essential component of that toolbox,� says Machado.

The value proposition became particularly clear when assessing the capacity and level of service provided by the aquifer, as well as what the costs would be to build an engineered asset if the aquifer became degraded. The Town’s studies found that the Gibsons aquifer provides sufficient water storage to supply approximately 70 per cent of the projected population of Gibsons for the foreseeable future (Waterline 2013) with no capital costs. Operating costs are limited to $30,000 per year for monitoring, which is a fraction of the cost of operating engineered water supply infrastructure.

Continued on page 18

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Gibsons: Pioneering Natural Asset Management Continued from page 17

The assessment has led to additional preventative maintenance and the development of an integrated, multi-disciplinary team to ensure appropriate management of the aquifer.

Similar savings and resiliency benefits were identified when assessing the value of natural assets in supporting stormwater management.

By applying their evaluation criteria and assessing the value of the woodlands in the area, Gibsons increased their understanding of the stormwater service being provided by a series of ponds in the Town’s White Tower Park.

“When we compared the cost of engineered options to the cost to improve nature, we discovered nature was more cost-effective over both the short and long term.”

Approximately $15,000 is spent every three years for dredging sedimentation, and there was a one-time $45,000 cost for assessing and modelling the services being provided by this natural asset.

It would cost an estimated $3.5 to $4 million to provide these same stormwater management services through engineered assets.

This means that Upper Gibsons has less engineered drainage infrastructure than if the creeks did not exist. If these creeks and ponds ceased to perform their current functions, flooding would result and either development in Upper Gibsons would need to slow or stop, or engineered infrastructure would need to be constructed and maintained, again, at a cost. Engineered asset replacement for the woodland would, in almost any scenario, be far more expensive than simply keeping the woodland healthy. After assessing the replacement cost value of this natural asset, the Town chose to apply design requirements and place new housing developments in locations that would protect the White Tower Park ponds.

“We’re a growing community, and a lot of our growth will happen in Upper Gibsons, so to support that growth, we will need additional infrastructure,” says Machado. “When we compared the cost of engineered options to the cost to improve nature as an alternative, we discovered nature was more cost-effective over both the short and long term, and we’d only have to invest in building it up once, rather than having to replace it after 20 or 30 years.”

The foreshore of Lower Gibsons is the other key component of the natural assets being incorporated into the Town’s Asset Management Plan. There is a lot of commerce in Lower Gibsons, and with rising sea levels and more storm surges, the area is at risk. The foreshore is currently an essential buffer to protect the waterfront. Studies show that if the foreshore becomes degraded, it will require engineered infrastructure involving costs that far exceed what is required to keep the foreshore in good health.

A foreshore condition assessment, completed in August 2014 by an engineering firm, provided a basis for a long-term master plan for the redevelopment of the foreshore to ensure the shoreline, associated infrastructure and adjoining development are properly protected from an anticipated sea-level rise of about one metre around the Town of Gibsons by the year 2100. This analysis also provided a basis for long-term stewardship and for formally deeming the foreshore to be an asset within the Town management framework.

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“When we did the business case, we found that you’re quite likely to end up with a natural option,” says Machado. “Restoring our foreshore area is half the cost of building an engineered option.”

Now that the Town has documented its dependence on natural assets, it has a more comprehensive and realistic view of the risks associated with all of its assets – natural and engineered – to help guide decision-making and planning. Their approach to managing these assets as part of a focused strategy has also impacted other areas of the organization, including community, strategic and subdivision planning, along with spin-off benefits from the Town’s team approach to developing solutions.

“We’re seeing improvements in how we operate systems as a team rather than just operating within individual departments – call it human resource improvements,” says Machado. “Our financial costs to maintain assets are expected to be lower than with engineered infrastructure, and our natural assets are showing more resilience compared to relying on engineered assets built in the 1960s that are struggling to accommodate changed weather patterns. There are also environmental benefits as we conserve, restore and expand natural areas.”

Continued on page 20

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Natural assets assist with stormwater management by slowing the rate that water travels, storing it, and releasing it slowly over time.

Gibsons: Pioneering Natural Asset Management Continued from page 19 Local governments traditionally used culverts to management stormwater runoff, but this approach would lead to contaminants being introduced into fish-bearing streams. Gibsons and other communities are now seeing the value of using the natural filtering attributes of their watersheds to send cleaner water downstream.

With evaluation tools in place and definitive progress in quantifying the value of the assets and services being provided, the Gibsons team is now looking at documenting their experience and exploring how to help other communities. Two key areas for next steps are guides to support financial planning and community planning. The Town is also hoping to develop an operational manual for each type of asset with general approaches to assess and manage the asset.

“We’re in the process of preparing a guidance document for financial planning of natural assets, capturing the lessons we’ve learned so far on the financial cost and benefits of supporting these assets,” says Machado. “It helps to separate the financial reporting requirements from financial planning of capital programs and operating budgets.

On the financial planning side, it’s an easy fit for Council to say they are going to invest in natural assets as it’s simply a policy decision, not a financial requirement.

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The PSAB financial reporting requirements, however, are not yet well-aligned to support natural asset considerations.”

In addition to the work being done locally, Gibsons is also a founding partner in the Municipal Natural Assets Initiative (See Mother Nature: Supporting Service Delivery). As the pioneer in incorporating natural assets into asset management planning, the Town is providing advice and sharing its experiences and tools to support the pilot projects underway.

“We are really a living lab to test the policies and approaches in this area,” says Machado. “Until now there’s been nowhere to go for a how-to guide. Although we are starting small, we are building a community of practice and Gibsons is happy to be a part of it.”

Machado emphasizes that local governments already have many of the tools they need to move forward with assessing and incorporating their natural assets into their planning and management practices.

The key is to get started (See Tips & Tactics below).

“I can’t image there is a community anywhere in Canada that doesn’t rely in some way on nature for services.”

“I can’t imagine there is a community anywhere in Canada that doesn’t rely in some way on nature for services.”

“I think the business case sells the project,” adds Machado. “If you’re debating the merits of making a philosophical policy decision about recognizing the value of nature, our research is showing it’s the responsible thing to do. Before spending a lot of money on engineered solutions, you may find there are equal or better service options available from natural assets and at a lower cost.”

“Don’t wait for perfect and to have every policy and tool in place before you get started on this,” says Machado.

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tips & tactics Creating a Natural Asset Management Strategy For communities interested in starting a strategy for managing natural assets, the following are some recommended steps: 1. As a starting point, consider an asset management policy, bylaw or financial statement that directs the municipality to consider the role of natural assets within an asset management strategy.

Resources: • Municipal Natural Assets Initiative (MNAI) website: http:// institute.smartprosperity.ca/initiatives/municipal-natural-assetsinitiative • MNAI Facebook page: www.facebook.com/municipalnaturalassets

2. Determine what natural assets you own or rely on for core services through a basic inventory.

• Town of Gibsons’ Eco-Asset Strategy: www.gibsons.ca/eco-assets

3. Estimate the asset’s worth both in terms of the services it provides and the substitutions costs (i.e. the costs if it had to be replaced with an engineered alternative).

• Adaptation to Climate Change Team: Still Creek – A Case Study of Transboundary Municipal Ecosystem Governance: http://act-adapt.org/still-creek-a-case-study-of-transboundarymunicipal-ecosystem-governance/

4. Determine the asset condition - even basic information can support better and more integrated decision-making.

5. Determine which assets are highest priority through a basic risk analysis and develop plans to manage them.

6. Tap into the expertise of the growing network of local governments and organizations involved in municipal natural asset management for support and assistance.

• Town of Aurora Economic Value of Natural Assets: www.aurora.ca/Live/Documents/AURORA%20-%20ECRA%20 CAP%20ASSETS.pdf • David Suzuki Foundation: Natural Capital Policy Review: www.davidsuzuki.org/publications/reports/2011/natural-capitalpolicy-review-a-review-of-policy-options-to-protect-enhance-and-/

Many thanks to the partners involved in the Municipal Natural Assets Initiative for their advice and recommended resources.

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Our Members in the Spotlight

Trained as a journeyman carpenter, found his way from the construction industry to local government because he wanted to make a difference, started as a building inspector in Terrace and then took on progressively more senior roles before becoming the CAO for the Fraser Valley Regional District Long-standing local government supporter, serving on the Board of the Building Officials’ Association of BC and CivicInfo BC, safeguarding local government interests through the new Building Regulatory System changes and helping build the LGMA Human Resources Toolkit Outstanding MATI Advanced Communications mentor and faculty member for many LGMA training programs, passionate about local government service and a gifted advisor and mentor for staff from across B.C. Exemplary leader, empowering his team to leverage their strengths and committed to supporting their development through learning opportunities that enhance both their professional and personal lives Raised in Kemano where he developed a love of hunting and fishing

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A licensed private pilot who enjoys any opportunity to fly, and a fierce competitor who enjoys a lively game of badminton or hockey Along with his wife Erika, he is the father of a blended family of six kids and two grandkids whom he enjoys spending time with at home on beautiful Cultus Lake

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MEMBERS PAGE MEMBER MOVEMENT Angila Bains, Legislative Manager / Municipal Clerk, District of Saanich (formerly Manager, Information Services Legislation, Capital Regional District) Chris Barlow, Chief Administrative Officer, City of Castlegar (formerly Director of Transportation & Civic Works, City of Castlegar) Justin Beadle, Gatley-Beadle Management Consulting (formerly Chief Administrative Officer, Village of Alert Bay) Carolyn Bidwell, Chief Financial Officer, District of Ucluelet (formerly Director of Finance, District of Houston) Michael Bolch, Chief Administrative Officer, North Cedar Improvement District (formerly Manager of Engineering Services, Yellowhead County, Alberta) Mark Boysen, Chief Administrative Officer, District of Ucluelet (formerly Manager, Corporate Engineering Services, City of Victoria) Paul Carver, Chief Administrative Officer, Village of Port Alice (formerly Director of Operations, District of Vanderhoof) Shawn Dahlen, Deputy Chief Administrative Officer, Peace River Regional District (formerly Director of Infrastructure, City of Dawson Creek) Russell Dyson, Chief Administrative Officer, Comox Valley Regional District (formerly Chief Administrative Officer, AlberniClayoquot Regional District) Clive Freundlich, Director of Finance, Town of Comox (formerly Municipal Finance Accounting Solutions) Michael Higgins, General Manager of Community Services, Regional District of Fraser-Fort George (formerly Emergency Services Coordinator, RD of Fraser-Fort George)

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Douglas Holmes, Chief Administrative Officer, AlberniClayoquot Regional District (formerly DH Consulting)

Lindsey Welzbacher, Manager of Human Resources, City of Kimberley (formerly Guest Services, Kimberley Alpine Resort)

Carl Johannsen, Director of Planning & Development Services, City of White Rock (formerly Manager of Community Planning, City of Coquitlam)

Kelley Williams, Economic Development Officer, District of Fort St. James (formerly Chief Administrative Officer, Village of McBride)

Darren Kiedyk, Chief Administrative Officer, City of Langford (formerly Chief Administrative Officer/Chief Finance Officer, Village of Sayward) Courtney Kirk, Chief Administrative Officer, Central Coast Regional District Cheryl Martens, Chief Administrative Officer, Village of McBride (formerly Administrative Officer Biggar, Saskatchewan) Maria Mazzotta, Corporate Officer, City of Kamloops (formerly Corporate Officer, District of Logan Lake) Sheila McCutcheon, Chief Financial Officer, District of Vanderhoof (formerly Chief Financial Officer, Village of Cache Creek) Jeanette McDougall, Chief Administrative Officer, Village of Alert Bay (formerly Deputy Corporate Officer, District of Tumbler Ridge) Kate Mulligan, Economic Development Officer, District of Squamish (formerly Manager of Global Marketing, Communications, Programs and Initiatives, Destination Canada) Carolyn Mushata, Corporate Officer, District of Sooke (formerly Manager of Legislative Services, City of Langley) Monika Schittek, Chief Administrative Officer, Village of Clinton (formerly Contract Administrator, Sechelt First Nation)

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MEMBERS PAGE OUR TOWN: VILLAGE OF SALMO “There is a place, a place where all roads lead to but not many know. A place of extraordinary people and extraordinary beauty. A place people are proud to make home.” It is with these words that Walt Disney’s voice artist Andy Geller (e.g. Finding Nemo, The Sixth Sense) introduces the Village of Salmo in a short film produced last fall on our community called Where all Roads Lead.

The film showcases our story, told by the people of Salmo, as part of a community asset mapping and planning process called Sustainable Salmo. It showcases the community priorities, assets, values and vision as identified in a public survey and Salmo lifestyle photo contest. The film focuses on the identified community assets and values, from clean air and water, access to nature and sense of community to peace and quiet, lifestyle and affordability.

When you visit Salmo, B.C., you quickly discover that we are a community that works together to create a place where families, friends and visitors are welcomed and supported. The close working relationship between the Village of Salmo and its citizens is evident in the multiple community initiatives that have been achieved and/or are underway.

A prime example is the storybook-beautiful, timber-frame 6th Street Pedestrian Bridge built by the community, entirely through grants, donations and volunteers. The 110-foot bridge is covered and lit, and safely connects one half of the community with the other, encouraging active transportation and the use of walking trails. Other examples include the new playground, campground and ballfield improvements in the central community park and the partnership with Heritage Hub Inc. to establish an arts and cultural corner complete with Village Art Windows and Village Art & Culture Garden.

Council and the Village staff are also working with the community to support responsive, community-focused development and activities such as our Salmo Farmers Market and Age-Friendly Salmo initiative. We engage our community in promoting responsible management and safety initiatives, such as WaterSmart Salmo, BearSmart Salmo and FireSmart Salmo. And most recently, the Salmo Bloom community beautification campaign resulted in numerous municipallydriven improvements as well as neighbours nominating neighbours for Communities in Bloom awards. Just this month, we were recognized as a “Climate Leader” by the BC Green Committee.

Folks used to poke fun at our small rural hub community. The Urban Dictionary has us mockingly defined as a place so backwards that we consider formal wear to be a red and black plaid lumberjacket – namely, the “Salmo Dinner Jacket.” We took that and made it into our own fashion statement. The Official Salmo Dinner Jacket is now available in the Village Office and is selling by the hundreds after major national and international news networks began telling the story of our retail success.

Salmo may have started as a mining and logging community, but it’s now a hub for recreation activities and other attractions for all ages and interests.

Outdoor enthusiasts can tackle the local BMX track or explore the Salmo Ski Hill trail network. There is the majestic Springboard Park, featuring the remains of Salmo’s early logging heritage, along with fishing at Erie Lake, a nine-hole public golf course, outdoor swimming pool, curling rink, museum and recreation centre.

The timber-frame 6th Street Pedestrian Bridge (above), built through grants, donations and volunteers, is a prime example of the close working relationship between the Village of Salmo and its citizens.

The community commissioned a short film (left) as part of a community mapping and planning process called Sustainable Salmo.

In the winter, Salmo Ski Hill offers varied terrain, and is famous for its great night skiing on fully-lit runs. Salmo also hits the world record books as home to the world’s largest penny and the world’s oldest phone booth.

A wildly popular tourist attraction is the Shambhala Music Festival, which is an annual electronic music extravaganza held at the Salmo River Ranch. The festival rocks for three days and two nights, offering a mix of music and art in nature. The event began in 1998 and with over 15,000 people in attendance, has grown to become the largest, and one of the longest-running, electronic music events in Canada.

There’s no question that Salmo offers all the amenities and attractions that appeal to residents of all ages, but at its heart, it’s the people who live here that make the community great. If you haven’t visited Salmo in a while, drop by and see what you’ve been missing. We are, after all, the place where all roads lead.

– Diane Kalen-Sukra, Chief Administrative Officer

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