The 7th Annual Building Sustainable Communities: Innovation Through Collaboration conference is on November 21-24, 2017 at the Delta Grand in Kelowna, BC. Hosted by the Fresh Outlook Foundation (FOF) this highly acclaimed and hugely popular event draws people from all sectors to explore trends in sustainability. This years’ theme is ‘Innovation Through Collaboration’, with sub-themes being climate action, water stewardship, food security, and community capital/infrastructure.

Shannon Gordon and Dan Wilson from the Centre will be taking part. Shannon’s forum is, ‘Mobilizing a More Sustainable Food System in the Squamish-Lillooet Region’. The Whistler Centre for Sustainability is leading a project to advance region-wide initiatives, which create a more sustainable food system in the Squamish-Lillooet region. Building on existing plans and policies, and a scan of best practices and existing gaps, the project will convene key food and agriculture players from across the region. They will share successes that can be scaled up, and identify and secure commitment to implement region-wide needs to improve farm protection, food production, local processing, marketing, etc. Shannon will share more about the process and what’s been learned so far.

Dan Wilson’s forum, ‘Share Aware – Mobilizing Local Government for the ‘Right’ Sharing Economy’ focus’s on to foster shared value concepts. How do we scale up, so that our communities can utilize Sharing Economy strategies to advance sustainability, rather than using up scarce resources or competing with more regulated tax payers? The Sharing Economy aims to unlock the idling capacity found in the untapped social, economic, and environmental value of underutilized assets… but it may not all be one size fits all. Click here to see the preliminary schedule.

Click here to register.