High Ground 2022: Civic Governance Forum

In this opening plenary, we’ll come together to learn about Land Back, and what equitable access to territories and resources looks like, particularly when it comes to territory, natural resources, wildlife, climate, and ecosystems. We’ll hear from different First Nations communities in British Columbia about how we got here, where we’re at, and where we’re headed and what progressive local leaders can do to make meaningful connections.

Two fast paced ten-minute spotlights on the latest trends and issues in our communities and the inspirational steps being taken to find do-able solutions.

Spotlights:

1. Addressing stigma and increasing safety through collaborative community development: the Living in Community model (Halena Seiferling)
2. Suburban Solutions: Suburbs are high cost and high carbon. They are also home to the biggest untapped solutions to affordability and climate action. (Alex Boston)

Two fast paced ten-minute spotlights on the latest trends and issues in our communities and the inspirational steps being taken to find do-able solutions.

Spotlights:

1. Living Wage: A solution for workers and employers during these unstable times (Anastasia French)
2. The Case for Mass Timber Construction (Gaetan Royer)

Temitope Onifade was in Glasgow, Scotland in 2021 at the UN Climate Change Conference (COP26) and will update us on what we need to know to transition to a low carbon economy globally. We’ll then hear from Liz McDowell who will let us know about what’s going on across the Province of British Columbia and then from Anjali Appadurai, who will provide insights on how local communities can support provincial, federal, and global efforts and initiatives.

In partnership with the Institute for Public Education BC

All of us come to Public Education with idealism – with values and principles we want to implement so that every child can be as successful as possible in reaching their potential.  But often we get caught up in day-to-day bureaucracy and short-term tasks.  Our hopes and dreams get forgotten or obscured or take second place.  Additionally, the context in which we do our work is changing all of the time – the unmarked graves of Indigenous children are found in their hundreds, the pandemic creates dramatic new needs, racism and inequality become more prevalent. This workshop aims to explore and clarify our common values – our hopes and dreams for public education – and to find ways to make them real in challenging times.

This plenary brings together a range of voices to share perspectives on how we can keep our communities safe, including equity in policing, shifting some responsibilities away from police — namely sexual assault reporting and responses to mental health crises, and the intersection with housing, mental health, participatory budgeting, and policy It also includes an introduction to some of the work and pilot projects going on and plans in the pipeline.

Extreme weather, like heat waves and floods, and COVID-19 have had direct and devastating impact on older residents in our communities, especially last summer when the volume of sudden deaths came in such a short period of time. What can local governments do to prevent these crises and to respond to them with frontline resources and in a timely way?

Two fast paced ten-minute spotlights on the latest trends and issues in our communities and the inspirational steps being taken to find do-able solutions.

Spotlights:

1. Most Livable City? Wide Gaps in Life Expectancy and Multiple Causes of Mortality across Neighbourhoods in Metro Vancouver (Jessica Yu and Michael Brauer)
2. 3D Printed Houses (Andrew Nielsen)

Moderated by: Gaetan Royer

We’ve asked Naheed Nenshi, the former Mayor Calgary, to reflect on this year’s theme: “Seeking Higher Ground: Leading Through Instability” and to consider what progressive governance looks like with ongoing, long-term, and urgent emergency conditions on many fronts. How can local electeds do this work in proactive and responsive ways that advance progressive visions and action in their communities? 

With multiple emergencies on our doorstep – the Emergency Measures Act, toxic drugs, COVID 19, and climate — we are bearing witness to growing and deepening polarization and radicalization across Canada and in our local communities. This plenary explores how we got here, what this tell us about the moment we’re now in, and what are different types of engagement and preventive strategies that local governments can use to navigate difficult conversations across the political spectrum.

This workshop explores the impact of cooperative enterprises in addressing the linked challenges of economic inclusion and a transition to a greener economy. By aggregating the capacities of communities, co-ops address local needs, keep capital local, and reduce the barriers to access for needed goods and services. The model is also being applied in the generation of renewable energy and is creating employment opportunities in green industries. While democratic ownership and governance brings is own challenges, co-ops are resilient enterprises capable of evolving to meet the changing needs of their member owners.

Four First Nations communities (Cowichan Tribes, Lil’wat Nation, the ʔaq̓am of the Ktunaxa, and the Seabird Island Band) have all ratified education agreements with the federal government. This means the First Nations communities will take control of their childrens’ education on their lands and develop school courses, set graduation requirements and certify teachers. An estimated dozen other BC First Nations are currently in discussions for their own agreements and arrangements and many more are expected to follow. This breakout workshop sets out to bring together a range of voices to share different perspectives on how we got to where we’re at, why the moment is now, and what tomorrow holds for First Nation communities and municipalities and school boards across the Province of British Columbia

Two fast paced ten-minute spotlights on the latest trends and issues in our communities and the inspirational steps being taken to find do-able solutions.

Spotlights:

1. Circular Economy – What is it? Why does it matter? and how it can help us (Charley Beresford)
2. How to Build an Anti-Racist Education System (Markiel Simpson)

Moderated by: Gaetan Royer

In this conversation, Minister of Jobs, Economic Recovery and Innovation Ravi Kahlon will share highlights of the government’s economic plan and how it intersects with local government across the Province.