Panel: Managing Costs and Risks of Water Service Delivery Through Natural Infrastructure: Examples from the Prairies

Join this panel discussion at the 2024 National Water and Wastewater Conference hosted by the Natural Assets Initiative (NAI) and the International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD) to learn how natural infrastructure can help support cost-effective water service delivery and manage climate and other risks to water services.

Focusing on examples from the Prairies Region of Canada, you'll learn how municipalities are starting to account for, value and proactively manage natural assets like wetlands, forests, grasslands and riparian areas to support stormwater management and flood mitigation, to protect drinking water and build resilience to drought. Speakers include municipal staff from the Prairies Region and representatives from NAI and IISD.

Our Speakers

Dimple Roy is the Director of Water Management at the International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD), where she leads global and Canadian water policy research and directs the Natural Infrastructure for Water Solutions (NIWS) initiative. With over 20 years of experience, she specializes in sustainable agriculture, climate adaptation, and natural infrastructure. Dimple has worked internationally, from scaling up natural infrastructure in Canada to analyzing irrigation subsidies in India and advising science networks in the African Great Lakes. Her focus is on improving evidence-based decision-making that incorporates economic, social, and environmental factors in water management.

Roy Brooke is the Executive Director of the Natural Assets Initiative (NAI), a national non-profit. Roy helps local governments and others take action on their natural assets, and recognize the value of nature for risk management and delivering resilient infrastructure services. Roy has worked in Canada, Europe and Africa in urban sustainability, national politics, international development and humanitarian affairs. He served as Director of Sustainability for the City of Victoria from 2011 to 2013, and for the United Nations between 2003 and 2011.

Duane Nicol is the Chief Administrative Officer (CAO) for the City of Selkirk, Manitoba. Prior becoming the CAO (city manager) in May of 2014, Duane was a three-term city councillor from 2002 to 2014, serving 2 years as Deputy Mayor. During that time, he was the driving force behind the establishment of Selkirk's public transit system. Duane has an honours degree in political studies from the University of Manitoba, an honours Business Analyst certificate from Red River College, a Professional Certificate in Asset Management Planning from the IPWEA and a master's degree in public administration from the University of Victoria. Under his leadership, Selkirk has become recognized for its environmental stewardship and progressive, award-winning approach to managing municipal infrastructure. Duane is the Past President of the Manitoba Municipal Administrators, teaches Leadership in Municipal Management at the University of Manitoba, serves as Vice-Chair of Efficiency Manitoba, and is an advocate for asset management and climate action in Manitoba's municipal sector.

Our Moderator

Carl Bodimeade is a Senior Consultant with Hatch Infrastructure, based in Ontario, Canada. He has over 40 years of experience in project management, engineering and planning for a wide range of projects in the water & wastewater, urban infrastructure and brownfield development, and power sectors. Carl is regularly invited to moderate and participate in expert panels on subjects such as infrastructure funding, the value of water, sustainability and urban resiliency. He is currently the Chair of CWWA's Utility Leadership Committee.

Resources:

• State of Play Report for Natural Infrastructure on the Canadian Prairies (IISD)
• Natural Infrastructure and Prairie Prosperity (IISD)
• Guide: Planning with Nature in the Prairies (NAI)
• Guide: Nature is Infrastructure - How to include natural assets in asset management plans (NAI)
• Guide: Developing Levels of Service for Natural Assets (NAI)
• Towards a Collaborative Strategy for Municipal Natural Asset Management: Private Lands (NAI)
• Selkirk 'exemplary example' of a prairie community preparing for changing climate using innovative and natural infrastructure (City of Selkirk)
• City of Selkirk Climate Change Adaptation Strategy (City of Selkirk)
• City of Selkirk Capital Asset Management (City of Selkirk)
• Financing for Natural Infrastructure Projects (IISD)
• Estimate of Natural Infrastructure Public Grant Funding in Canada and in the Canadian Prairies (IISD)
• A Scan of Natural Infrastructure Approaches (IISD)
• Land, Water & Natural Resources Inventory with WMR and Southern Chiefs' Organization (Treaty 1 Territory)
• City of Edmonton Natural Asset Management project
• City of Saskatoon Natural Asset Management project
• IISD's Natural Infrastructure for Water Solutions (NIWS)
• Natural Assets Initiative (NAI)

Thanks to our panel partner:

Funded in part by: