Urbanarium City Debates
City Debate #20: INVEST OR RETREAT? GRANVILLE ISLAND + SEA LEVEL RISE
20th Edition Celebration at Waterfront Threatre!
North America's most successful public market is at high risk to be underwater by 2100. Do we invest in new infrastructure to keep it above sea level? Or do we retreat?
This event has been approved by the AIBC or 2.5 Core Learning Units.
Pro
INVEST: Heather Deal
Heather began her career as a biologist and entered public service in 2002, serving as a Vancouver Park Board Commissioner and City Councillor. She spent a decade on the Metro Vancouver Board, chaired the Regional Parks Committee, later worked with Decoda Literacy Solutions, and currently chairs the Granville Island Council.
INVEST: Tamsin Lyle
Tamsin is the founding principal engineer of Ebbwater Consulting and a well-known thought leader on flood management and sea level rise in Canada. She is particularly interested in exploring the nexus of science, engineering, policy and planning – disciplines that often work apart when best practice suggests they should work together.
Con
RETREAT: Jeff Cutler
Jeff Cutler, FCSLA, is the founding principal of space2place with nearly three decades of experience leading complex, award-winning public landscapes. With experience in climate adaptation, Jeff advocates for integrated, design-led solutions to sea level rise that prioritize ecological resilience and long-term community health.
RETREAT: Michael Biros
Michael Biros is an expert on flood risk adaptation. As a lecturer and PhD student at UBC SALA, he explores how fear and nostalgia influence flood risk perceptions and infrastructures. He brings 15 years of climate adaptation experience from working in the rapidly disappearing wetlands and communities of coastal Louisiana.