Session Four

the implementation gap
chair: John FitzGibbon, professor, school of environmental design and rural development, university of guelph

topic #1: the role of conservation and the need for collaboration between all levels of government 

Panelist: Don Pearson, General Manager, Conservation Ontario

Presentation Overview

Ontario’s culture of water management is sector or issue-based, characterized by a complex array of legislation administered by several ministries and agencies.  This approach is inefficient in terms of the use of public sector human and financial resources and is less effective in terms of stakeholder and resource needs.  Given some of the significant changes including climate change, population growth, aging or stressed built and natural infrastructure, an increasingly complex water agenda, and linkages to other initiatives such as endangered species and green energy, it is necessary to move toward an Integrated Watershed-based approach that addresses both land and water related resources; goes beyond a single sector or issue; and more effectively assess and balance ecological, social and economic interests.

The key characteristics of such an approach include: all resource management issues being considered together; resources being fairly allocated; plans being developed in collaboration and solutions being complementary rather than conflicting or duplicating.  It is a proactive rather than a reactive approach to problem solving, and shares responsibility for plan development and implementation among stakeholders in a collaborative framework – an “institutional ecosystem.”  IWM balances ecological, economic and social interests of the watershed together in an open and transparent process, recognizing and managing the influence they have on each other.

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Topic #2: the implementation gap: from policy to action 

Panelist: Bruce Mitchell, Professor and Associate Provost, Resources, Geography and Environmental Management, University of Waterloo

Presentation Overview

Integrated water resource management (IWRM) is one means to  resolve challenges arising from the ‘silos’ that often characterize water management structures, mechanisms and processes. However, critics argue that IWRM has too frequently not led to effective implementation.

Implementation challenges are endemic in planning and management, and are not unique to IWRM.  Thus, more attention is needed to address the ‘implementation gap’.  In that context, the purpose is to explore how to improve implementation of strategies and plans, and thereby enhance water management.

Water management encounters implementation challenges due to complexities and uncertainties arising from inter-connections among water, land and other resources, surface and ground water, and upstream and downstream areas of basins, as well as the role of water related to economic development and ecosystem integrity.    

The main focus is on 12 considerations that, if handled well, lead to better implementation.  These considerations range from ensuring the future desired condition is identified, having one or more leaders or champions in place, committing up front to monitoring and assessing results, communicating in ‘plain language’, to celebrating accomplishments. 

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