New policy brief: Public consultation and the BC Water Sustainability Act

Members of the Program on Water Governance have just released a new policy brief, which summarizes their analysis of the BC Water Act Modernization consultation process, and identifies key implications for policy-makers and participants. Their findings are described in greater detail in a journal article that is currently under review, and will be made available on the website once published.

Jollymore, A. McFarlane, K. and Harris, L.M. 2016. Whose input counts? Public consultation and the BC Water Sustainability Act. Policy Brief. Vancouver: Program on Water Governance.

The policy brief summarizes the results of an analysis of the large-scale consultation process undertaken for British Columbia’s Water Act Modernization between 2008-2013. Submissions were analysed from the three stages of consultation that informed the development of the Water Sustainability Act (2014), to explore variability in the policy preferences of submitter groups, and compare those preferences with policy outcomes in the Act. The results of this analysis indicate uneven alignment between policy outcomes and the policy preferences of different groups. Submitter perspectives on the consultation process were also analysed, highlighting key ways in which the consultative process could be improved.