BC Women's Infrastructure Network
Thursday, October 27, 2022
12:00–13:15 Pacific Time
Please join us to learn about the major clean-up of waterways across British Columbia resulting from the Atmospheric River Event (ARE) in Fall 2021. Join Laurel Nash, Assistant Deputy Minister for the Ministry of Environment and Climate Change (ENV), and Peter Blahnik, PwC Partner for an insightful fireside chat. They will be sharing their experience on this major civil program led by ENV, including lessons on:
- clean-up on a major scale of debris and sediment in rivers
- finding news ways to work with First Nations and local communities
- operationalizing aspects of the BC Climate Preparedness and Adaptation Plan
It's been a busy year since the ARE. Come learn about the civil program, how ENV is working with Industry and communities, and what comes next as the Province builds climate resilience into how rivers are managed and maintained.
Presenters
Laurel Nash, Assistant Deputy Minister, Environmental Protection Division, Ministry of Environment and Climate Change Strategy
Laurel has worked for the BC provincial government, in the Natural Resources Sector, for over 30 years, including roles in BC Parks, the Ministries of Forests, Energy Mines and Petroleum Resources, Indigenous Relations and Reconciliation and most recently Environment and Climate Change Strategy. She has held senior leadership and statutory roles such roles as the Director of Petroleum Lands and the Chief Gold Commissioner and Chief Negotiator.
Laurel has been an Assistant Deputy Minister since 2014, first in the Strategic Initiatives Division of the Ministry of Indigenous Relations and Reconciliation, and currently as Assistant Deputy Minister of the Environmental Protection Division of Environment and Climate Change Strategy.
Laurel brings strong leadership, innovation and collaboration to this role and looks forward to working with all levels of government, Indigenous Nations, industry and other partners to find opportunities to improve our stewardship in the province.
Laurel grew up in in the Northwest Territories, before coming to B.C., where she earned a Bachelor of Science in Geography from the University of Victoria. She currently lives in Victoria.
Peter Blahnik&, Partner, PwC
Peter is a Partner in the Capital Projects & Infrastructure practice in Vancouver. He specializes in capital project governance, construction readiness, and performance reporting for complex capital projects. He advises clients on topics related to governance, innovation in projects, operating model, complex procurement, project readiness, and commercial disputes. Peter has worked on recent Canadian megaprojects in the following sectors: utilities, transportation, health care, oil & gas, and education. He brings significant experience working with provincial governments, federal governments, first nations, public entities and private sector clients.
Prior to joining PwC, Peter worked for an engineering consulting firm. He holds an MSc. in International Project Leadership from SKEMA Business School, a BComm in Finance from Ryerson University, and has completed the Program on Negotiations for Senior Executives at Harvard University.
