I t appears the well-worn “build it and they will come” mantra could easily apply to an upcoming bylaw recently blessed by Vancouver’s City Council—at least metaphorically speaking. In July of last year, city coun- cillors unanimously passed a motion that will require the mandatory installation of green roofs—or portions of—on all new commercial, industrial and institutional buildings. The sweeping policy change also applies to new multi-family residential developments. Although many individuals have been involved with the initiative over the last few months, the original proposal came from councillor Adriane Carr. A seven- year vet on council, Carr says, “Although the advantages of green roofs had been on my mind for a while, the impetus was a staff report that outlined some of the difficulties facing the city now and in the future—much of it attributable to climate change. The report was very direct about the increases in rainwater we were experi- encing and corresponding winter run-off. Our existing storm sewer infrastructure 14 l ROOFINGBC l SPRING 2019 COVER B