The City of Prince George’s Integrated Stormwater Management Plan (ISMP) made a big splash at the Union of BC Municipalities (UBCM) convention and garnered an honourable mention at its 2022 Community Excellence Awards.
“It’s such an honour to be recognized for our work,” said Kristy Bobbie, the city’s asset manager. “Sustainable stormwater management is important because it benefits our entire community now and into the future.”
City council supported the ISMP’s award application under the “Excellence in Sustainability” category at its June 13, 2022, meeting. Submissions were judged on their long-term sustainability focus and how they incorporated “cultural, social, economic, and environmental issues in planning, policy, practice.”
The plan stood out among a crowded field of competitors at UBCM that included more than a dozen submissions from other municipalities. The City of Kamloops’ investments in climate action ultimately won the award for sustainability.
The ISMP is a strategic plan that prioritizes stormwater infrastructure renewal and helps the city adapt to climate change. It factors land use, infrastructure, and environmental preservation to guide community growth without negatively impacting long and short-term watershed and waterway health. Actions outlined in the ISMP connect to the myPG Integrated Community Sustainability Plan’s Social Health and Well-being, Environmental Leadership and Climate Action, Economic Growth and Development, and City Government and Infrastructure pillars.
“We want a plan to meet our community’s current needs without compromising future generations,” said Bobbie. “The ISMP helps us achieve this.”
The City consulted and informed residents through social media and the City’s website about the stormwater management plan in 2021. A survey, interactive story map, and posts on the City’s Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram channels were part of an educational outreach campaign.