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3. Introduction to the Models – What They Represent and Why They Were Chosen
If sustainability is the goal, then governance is one of the essential means for getting there. This paper is limited to reviewing the role and functioning of the Greater Vancouver Regional District, the Fraser Basin Council, and the National Round Table on the Environment and the Economy as examples of non-traditional consensus-based governance.
The first case – The Greater Vancouver Regional District (GVRD) represents a model of a regional federation that grew out of a functional association. It involves 21 municipalities and one local electoral area of widely varying sizes and character in a relatively sensitive bio-region. Greater Vancouver is home to many First Nations and is one of the most ethnically diverse regions in North America.7 Greater Vancouver is on the leading edge of regional planning for sustainability. It was awarded the Dubai Award for Best practices in the Built Environment for its Livable Region Strategic Plan, and the Grand Prize in the International Gas Union Competition for cities PLUS, its 100 year plan for urban sustainability. It is regularly ranked among the most livable cities in the world.8 The GVRD will be examined as a model of regional federation. An analysis of TransLink, the transportation associate of the GVRD is included in Appendix C because of its lessons about public participation in decision making.
The second model – The Fraser Basin Council, was chosen because of its unique role and purpose of protecting a watershed that encompasses 238,000 km 2, with many distinct regions and a range of social and economic conditions. Without any legislative powers to enforce its will, the FBC operates by consensus and influence. It has successfully done so for several years and has become a model of success in facilitating multi-sectoral partnerships to tackle sustainability issues. Its State of the Basin Reports and indicators are considered state-of-the-art. The Council will be examined as a model of a multi-stakeholder body created to steward common global goods and ensure the sustainability of a large bio-region.
The third model – The National Round Table on the Environment and the Economy (NRTEE) – was created in order to influence decision-making processes of governments, and private and civil society sectors. It has evolved from a model based on direct participation by all three sectors to one performing an advisory function in relation to the federal government. Its credibility and influence have come from the objectivity and relevance of its research and the extent of its engagement processes. The NRTEE will be considered in the context of other round tables in Canada. Its experience may resonate with that of similar National Sustainability Councils that were set up around the time of the Earth Summit in 1992.
Special emphasis will be placed on how well the models assist key sectors to achieve consensus on moving forward on sustainability initiatives and build the capacity of each partner.