12


COUNTRY LIFE IN BC • JANUARY 2020


Foodlands trust initiative inches forward Not all municipalities are on board with the proposal for the Captial Regional District


by BARBARA JOHNSTONE GRIMMER


VICTORIA – To improve access to agricultural land and increase food production, the Capital Regional District (CRD) has approved a foodlands trust operated in partnership with a non-profit organization. Requests were sent to the


region’s 13 municipalities and three unincorporated areas for input in spring 2019. Nine municipalities representing most of the region’s population have expressed support in principle; three indicated a preliminary interest in providing land and three offered financial support. No decisions have been finalized with regard to property donations. Victoria, View Royal and


Sooke support the foodlands trust both in concept and financially but have no land to contribute. Saanich and Central Saanich will support the


INCREASE CROP YIELDS


LASER LEVELLING LTD.


TRI-WAY FARMS


We service all of Southern BC


IMPROVED DRAINAGE


UNIFORM GERMINATION


UNIFORM IRRIGATION


FAST,


ACCURATE SURVEYING


CALL FOR AN ESTIMATE LARRY


604.209.5523 TROY


604.209.5524


Awarded Best Property Agent in Canada 2019 by Bellevue .


theBestDealsinBC.com Jack Reams P.Ag. Agri-Consulting


v BC Farm Business Advisory Services Consultant v Farm Debt Mediation Consultant v Organic Consultant & Inspector v Meat Labeling Consultant


CONFIDENTIALITY GUARANTEED Phone: 604-858-1715


Fax: 604-858-9815


BC FARM & RANCH REALTY CORP.


Toll free 1-888-852-AGRI


Buying or Selling a Farm or Acreage?


Call BC’s First and Only Real Estate Office committed 100% to Agriculture!


Cell: 604-302-4033 email: marlene.reams@gmail.com


GORD HOUWELING Cell: 604/793-8660


GREG WALTON Cell: 604/864-1610


View over 100 listings of farm properties at www.bcfarmandranch.com Chris


Henderson CPA, CA


Nathalie


Merrill CPA, CMA


Dustin


Stadnyk CPA, CA


Expert farm taxation advice: • Purchase and sale of farms


• Transfer of farms to children • Government subsidy programs • Preparation of farm tax returns • Use of $1,000,000 Capital Gains Exemptions


Approved consultants for Government funding through BC Farm Business Advisory Services Program


ARMSTRONG 250-546-8665 | LUMBY 250-547-2118 | ENDERBY 250-838-7337 TOLL FREE 1-888-818-FARM | www.farmtax.ca


project by potentially contributing land, but not financially. Saanich has possible land parcels under consideration, and Central Saanich will explore using part of Newman Farm with conditions. North Saanich supports


the foodlands trust and is considering options for Sandown, a former horse racetrack. CRD’s initiative is one option for the site but North Saanich does not want to provide financial support. Metchosin, Highlands and Sidney support the foodlands trust in principle but will not provide land or funding. Sidney has indicated that it


requires additional operational and cost information before


considering financial support. Colwood, Esquimalt,


Langford and Oak Bay do not support the CRD foodlands trust. They have no land to contribute and have decided not to support it financially at this time. In a letter to the CRD


board, Oak Bay mayor Kevin Murdoch on behalf of Oak Bay council asked that the CRD continue to explore other options to address regional food security, and in particular “expressed concerns regarding the appropriateness of the proposed tool.”


Some municipalities have suggested that the CRD examine the possibility of re-


purposing or cross-purposing regional parklands, some of which were former farms. Some municipalities also


requested that the CRD consider the needs of existing farmers as well as new farmers.


A meeting of the CRD planning and protective service committee on November 20 reviewed local


government input and recommended that CRD’s board direct staff to confirm the municipal land donations. Once land donations are confirmed, staff will be able to develop a business case for the trust with municipal input. The business case would detail a governance structure and financial projections, helping


municipalities decide whether or not to support the foodlands trust financially. According to the staff


report, project costs include bringing the land into production and support for new farmers including promotion, marketing, equipment leases, buildings and education programs.


North Saanich isn’t winning any horse races as it inches towards the finish line for determining the best use for the Sandown agricultural lands. The municipality is considering two potential farm operators for the long-term operation of the 95-acre property. The Sandown Centre for Regenerative Agriculture and a group of farming and non-farming interests represented by John Upward were shortlisted for the role from five expressions of interest. Another option is inclusion in the


foodlands trust initiative the Capital Regional District is pursuing. Sandown sits in the Agricultural Land


Reserve and was formerly home to a horse racing track. Talks regarding the site’s future began in 2010. The project was introduced to council in 2011 when the owners wanted to rezone the land. North Saanich acquired the land in late 2017. Twelve acres were excluded from the


ALR for a commercial zone. The balance was kept for agriculture. The district put 12 municipally owned acres into the ALR so that there would be no net loss.


Two proponents short-listed for Sandown farm A Canadian Tire store is operating on a


portion of the commercial land. An “agricultural reserve fund” has been established in support of agriculture by retaining half of the municipal taxes on Sandown’s commercial portion. A community consultation process over 2015-2016 resulted in Vision Sandown, which provided a guidance document for North Saanich council in 2018. The document outlines a primary focus on food production with a mix of new and experienced farmers operating under long- term leases. Following restorative work and approval


from the Agricultural Land Commission, requests for expressions of interest were announced. The approval process has inched ahead as council struggles with balancing the desires of the community as expressed in Vision Sandown with the fiscal considerations and the funds available through the Agricultural Reserve Fund. A decision is likely by spring 2020.


—Barbara Johnstone Grimmer


PROFESSIONAL SERVICES


Page 1  |  Page 2  |  Page 3  |  Page 4  |  Page 5  |  Page 6  |  Page 7  |  Page 8  |  Page 9  |  Page 10  |  Page 11  |  Page 12  |  Page 13  |  Page 14  |  Page 15  |  Page 16  |  Page 17  |  Page 18  |  Page 19  |  Page 20  |  Page 21  |  Page 22  |  Page 23  |  Page 24  |  Page 25  |  Page 26  |  Page 27  |  Page 28  |  Page 29  |  Page 30  |  Page 31  |  Page 32  |  Page 33  |  Page 34  |  Page 35  |  Page 36  |  Page 37  |  Page 38  |  Page 39  |  Page 40  |  Page 41  |  Page 42  |  Page 43  |  Page 44  |  Page 45  |  Page 46  |  Page 47  |  Page 48