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SPC NewsSmart Planning for Communities thanks the Real Estate Foundation of BC for continuing their support!by Sonja Mulabdic, posted on October 15, 2013 Smart Planning for Communities is pleased to announce that it recently received funding from the Real Estate Foundation of BC. In spring 2013, the Smart Planning for Communities (SPC) team finalized its new three-year strategic business plan for 2013-2016 called Smart Planning in Action. Thanks to the renewed funding from the Real Estate Foundation of BC (REFBC), SPC will be able to pursue the goals in the new business plan. The plan builds on the five years of SPC’s work in assisting BC communities with Integrated Community Sustainability Planning (ICSP) processes, building capacity, providing access to resources, promoting connections between small, rural and First Nation communities, and creating links amongst policy, practice, research and funding efforts. Reflecting our program’s new focus on moving towards implementation, Smart Planning in Action provides guidance for our team when working with rural, remote and First Nations communities to help them achieve and measure on-the-ground integrated sustainability practises. Our key priorities for the upcoming three years are building capacity of rural and small town BC, addressing critical planning gaps, encouraging collaboration between First Nations and Local Governments, enhancing access to resources and information, measuring sustainability progress of BC communities, and conducting further research to address knowledge gaps. Smart Planning in Action is based on multi-party funding, including government and foundations. In the summer of 2013, the REFBC approved its funding thus supporting SPC’s continued involvement in serving BC communities. REFBC’s generous contribution will allow our team to guide BC communities’ transition towards the implementation phase of their sustainability planning processes, while continuing to provide support and services as before. "Smart Planning for Communities is a strong fit with the Real Estate Foundation's goal to advance sustainable land use in British Columbia," said Jack Wong, Foundation CEO. "The province-wide program has done an exceptional job of identifying community planning needs and offering education and advice to meet those needs. We are pleased to support SPC as it moves into the implementation phase and continues to contribute to more resilient BC communities." Smart Planning for Communities (SPC) is a program of the Fraser Basin Council, a non-profit society that works to advance sustainability across the Province. The SPC program was launched in 2008 in response to the 2005 Gas Tax Act requirement for Integrated Community Sustainability Planning (ICSP) at the local level. The program integrates all aspects of sustainability—economic, social, cultural and environmental—in implementing its mandate to help BC communities move towards sustainable future through planning and collaboration. |