At Cortex, we have spent eight years developing and operationalizing CREATe—a cumulative regional effects analysis tool. CREATe is collaborative, spatial, value-driven, and scenario-based—designed explicitly to help communities understand the cumulative effects of development and climate change on their values.

CREATe has three phases, each embedded within the regional context for the analysis. In the development phase, we work with clients (usually First Nations or other communities, governments, foundations, or industry) to establish the goal and scope of the CEA. Through a collaborative process, we help the participants articulate key local values, including valued ecosystem components. As needed, we draw in social science experts to help us with this process, which is critical for establishing the foundation for the CEA.

Jason Smith and Glenn Sutherland attended a 1-day short-course & workshop organized by Clean Energy BC. The title was: Transmission Line Experiences and challenges for Clean Energy Projects and Industrial Projects. The target audience was developers of independent power projects (IPPs). A key objective for attending the workshop was to learn about how transmission lines are sited to assist with modeling this component of development.

The day was well structured, starting with general issues (the BC energy grid and future scenarios for energy demand), a brief intro on the electrical physics of hooking up to the grid, and then a series of talks on permitting, design, siting, costs, and maintenance of transmission lines. It was a full day and provided us with a very worthwhile education on the topic.