SPPGA is pleased to introduce Meggin Messenger as a visiting Policy Practitioner Fellow from September 2022 to April 2023. Meggin is a Registered Professional Forester with an undergraduate degree in Forestry and a master’s degree in Public Administration. She is an Executive Director in the BC Public Service and has led work on land use, resource stewardship, community development, climate change and sustainability.
We sat down with Meggin to ask her some questions about her policy career, and her aspirations during her time as a SPPGA practitioner fellow.
What has been a meaningful moment in your career that underscores the need for good public policy?
It is hard to pick! Community readiness is a good one. Several years ago, rural BC communities were not ready for the punctuated large-scale, camp-style developments often associated with projects such as LNG facilities. As communities tried to get ready, there appeared to be policy gaps that could result in communities being adversely impacted. An updated framework was needed. Responding effectively required the consideration of layered questions about water, sewer, emergency response, housing, transportation, health, social and other services. How services are usually ramped up and delivered needed to be compared against this unprecedented economic development model. The policy work teased apart complex interactions and created novel approaches for communities, service providers and industries. The new framework included a process for identifying needs, impacts and gaps and determining mitigation options. Developing policy responses as part of a multi-party process resulted in communities, service providers and provincial staff improving their understanding of the challenges, tools and resources related to the whole community services system. The work has been a useful foundation for community readiness and resilience in general because being ready for one kind of change (e.g. huge economic development) means you are better prepared for other significant changes too.
What are you most looking forward to engaging in as an SPPGA Policy Practitioner Fellow?
The thing I look forward to most is having the time to explore policy ideas that I have not been able to tackle in my day-to-day work context. The SPPGA opportunity to collaborate with staff and students and the broader community to develop new ideas and tools is very compelling!
