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Webinar Overview

PIBC’s Climate Action Sub-Committee (CASC) is a Board mandated sub-committee of the Institute’s Policy & Public Affairs Committee. This Sub-Committee is broadly responsible for the oversight, coordination and maintenance of the Institute’s strategic goals and activities related to championing action on climate policy.

Co-Chair and climate action specialist, Clarissa Huffman RPP, MCIP, (Morrison Hershfield) will provide an overview of the Committee’s work to date and discuss how the institute is helping members understand how to take climate change into account in their work.  Discussion will centre around the mandate of CASC, climate change competencies for planners and an overview of PIBC’s Climate Policy. Clarissa’s presentation will set the stage for our featured guest speakers: Jamai Schile RPP, MCIP, (Regional District of Nanaimo) and Robyn Holme (Comox Valley Regional District) who will share their ongoing work on climate resilience in coastal communities. 

With over 300 km of coastline, residents of the regional districts of Nanaimo and Comox Valley face a diverse array of challenges ranging from short-lived and acute marine hazards through to widespread impacts of climate change. To help communities adapt to this changing environment, both regional districts have launched complementary climate adaptation initiatives to better understand flood hazards, assess the risk and potential mitigation options. In addition, creative benefits of regional collaboration and peer learning are emerging from this process that are applicable in communities across British Columbia. Please join us for this important and informative session on advancing climate action policy.

Our Speakers

Clarissa Huffman RPP, MCIP
Project Manager, Morrison Hershfield
Clarissa Huffman, RPP MCIP is a climate change planner and project manager with Morrison Hershfield. She specializes in climate-informed community planning and has experience with low-carbon resilience and nature-based solutions, as well as developing climate risk and vulnerability assessments and climate adaptation plans for local governments. As the co-chair of PIBC's Climate Action Sub-Committee, she works to support planners of all disciplines to better integrate climate competencies into their practice. 

Jamai Schile RPP, MCIP
Senior Planner, Regional District of Nanaimo
As a planning professional, Jamai works with diverse communities across the region to plan for and create sustainable and resilient communities. Jamai has special expertise in growth management, risk-based planning and project management.  She is currently leasing the Regional District of Nanaimo's Regional Growth Strategy update process and the Sea Level Rise and Climate Adaptation Program, recognizing sustainable growth management contributes to reducing the negative impacts of multiple stressors, including development, loss of natural assets and climate change. Prior to this, Jamai worked in the environmental consulting sector in BC and in regional government in Southhampton, England.

Robyn Holme RPP, MCIP
Manager of Long Range Planning & Sustainability, Comox Valley Regional District
Robyn Holme has been a professional planner for 15 years, graduating from Dalhousie University’s Master of Planning program. Robyn has experience in both municipal and regional government. Robyn started her planning career at the City of Calgary focusing on infill development and transit-oriented development. In 2014, Robyn returned home to Vancouver Island, where she has been working in regional planning at the Comox Valley Regional District on projects ranging from coastal flood mitigation and adaptation, climate action and regional growth management. Robyn is passionate about collaborative and innovative approaches to tacking complex regional planning.