Our outcomes

Here in Canterbury, we work closely with local community groups, mana whenua, businesses, industry sectors, schools, health boards and other organisations and people who – if we work together – can help the region achieve the outcomes we all want.

The outcomes that our work contributes to are aspirational, and we cannot achieve them alone. We undertake our work so that, as Cantabrians:

• we can breathe clear air, play and swim in the rivers, gather mahinga kai, benefit from the productive use of our land, and enjoy Canterbury’s unique biodiversity taonga and landscapes
• we can live, travel, and move goods with ease, within and to/from the region, facilitating work, leisure and tourism
• we have access to the information we need to be resilient in the face of short-term hazards and well-prepared
• for longer-term change to our region’s natural environment we can all help shape the future of Canterbury, leaving a legacy for generations to come.

In Canterbury we have the advantage of a strong, largely agricultural economy. This comes at a price – and a key part of the role of Environment Canterbury, primary industry agencies, and the rural community, is to retain the benefits of this sector while addressing the pressing needs of our freshwaterways and biodiversity.

You can find out about our portfolios and what activities are covered by them or by viewing the 2018-28 Long-Term Plan.

We’ve come a long way from the days when urban and rural industry could discharge waste directly into our rivers and oceans, but we still have work to do.