The Planning Institute of British Columbia’s 2008 Conference and Annual General Meeting were held in Prince George, June 10th to 13th, 2008. The 2008 PIBC Conference also marked the 50th anniversary of the incorporation of the Planning Institute of British Columbia. The conference was held at the University of Northern British Columbia and various facilities in downtown Prince George.

Thank you to everyone who participated in this year’s conference!

And thank you to all our Sponsors, Volunteers, Presenters, and the Organizing team for making the 2008 Conference a success! Thank You!

See you at next year’s conference – the 2009 BC Land Summit!

2008 PROGRAM DOCUMENTS:

This year's annual conference took place: June 10th to 13th, 2008. For your information, you can download program & schedule information here:

Schedule-at-a-Glance (PDF)
Conference Sessions-at-a-Glance-Wednesday June 11th (PDF)
Conference Sessions-at-a-Glance-Thursday June 12th (PDF)
Conference Sessions-at-a-Glance-Friday June 13th (PDF)

Or download the complete Conference Program:
2008 PIBC Conference Program (PDF)

PLANNING FOR CLIMATE CHANGE: ACKNOWLEDGING THE PAST, PREPARING FOR THE FUTURE

The 2008 Conference examined the critical and timely issues of Climate Change and its relationship to the planning profession, and the practice of planning through the following three sub-themes:

1. Form and Function
2. In Transition
3. First Nations

PROGRAM PROCEEDINGS & PARTICIPANTS:

The Organizing Committee is in the process of compiling proceedings from this year’s conference and will be making them available online here in the near future. Check back for more details.

You can download a copy of the Conference Participants List here:
2008 PIBC Conference Participants List (PDF)

KEYNOTE SPEAKERS:

STEPHEN LEWIS

The Organizing Committee of the 2008 PIBC Conference and Annual General Meeting was very pleased to host Stephen Lewis as the main Keynote Speaker at this year’s Conference.

Formerly the Special Envoy to UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan, Stephen Lewis is Co-Director of AIDS-Free World, a new international AIDS advocacy organization. Mr. Lewis is also a Professor in Global Health, Faculty of Social Sciences at McMaster University in Hamilton, Ontario. He is also a Senior Advisor to the Mailman School of Public Health at Columbia University in New York.  

Stephen Lewis’ work with the United Nations spanned more than two decades. He was the UN Secretary-General’s Special Envoy for HIV/AIDS in Africa from June 2001 until the end of 2006. From 1995 to 1999, Mr. Lewis was Deputy Executive Director of UNICEF at the organization’s global headquarters in New York. From 1984 through 1988, Stephen Lewis was Canada’s Ambassador to the United Nations.

In a provocative and engaging address, Stephen Lewis provided a unique global perspective on Climate Change to an audience of nearly 700 attendees on Wednesday June 11th, 2008 at the Civic Centre Auditorium in Prince George.

CLIMATE CHANGE WORKSHOP:

The 2008 Conference was pleased to offer a Climate Change Workshop on Thursday, June 12th at UNBC. The Workshop focused on evaluating the City of Prince George’s climate change adaptation model and getting the delegates to produce a new working model that addresses current issues. This Workshop brought together experts in a variety of fields and delegates to discuss climate change and its affects on planning in a city environment. The goal was to present a new Climate Change adaptation model created from the Workshop to the City of Prince George for implementation.

MOBILE WORKSHOP FIELD TRIPS:

On Wednesday, June 11th, 2008 conference delegates had the opportunity to participate in one of a variety of Mobile Workshop Field Trips which included:

Wells and Barkerville: 
(This Field Trip was discontinued)

Urban Revitalization – Downtown and Social Planning:
Discussed urban revitalization from both a built environment and a social planning perspective.

Riverfronts: Water and Ice:
Discussed planning and engineering challenges along riverfront areas while touring the affected flood areas along the Fraser and Nechako Rivers.

New Neighbourhoods and First Nations Planning:
How to balance large land use development, adjacent land uses and environmental constraints.

Industrial Planning:
How to do effective planning in areas where there is an urban/industrial mix.

Get Wasted:
Showcased recent initiatives in waste management at the municipal, industrial and park planning levels. Tour concluded with a tour of the Pacific Western Brewery.

SPECIAL EVENTS:

Special Events that took place at this year’s conference included:

1. Morning Run/Walk/Yoga
2. Tuesday Golf Tournament
3. Opening Reception (Wine & Cheese) at the Two Rivers Art Gallery
4. Peter Bloodoff Dedication and Reception at UNBC
5. Thursday Night Gala Dinner & Awards – Celebrating 50 years of Planning
6. Tour of UNBC campus
7. Reception following Stephen Lewis Keynote Presentation

GOLF TOURNAMENT

The 2008 PIBC Conference kicked off with a Golf Tournament at the Aberdeen Glen Golf Course and Estates on Tuesday, June 10th.

The Aberdeen Glen Golf Club has been twice nominated as the B.C.P.G.A. facility of the year and we encourage you to come see why for yourself. You can find out more information about the golf course at their website: http://www.aberdeenglen.ca

Congratulations to all the golfers who participated!

CONTACT INFORMATION:

For any questions or inquiries about the 2008 PIBC Conference, please contact the Organizing Committee:
Email: pibc2008@gmail.com