Farming

BC’s Farmers Concerned: Keep Your Hands of the ALR!

By Roy L Hales

Concerns about changes to the Agricultural Land Commission are growing. The Commission was established in 1972 and currently oversees 4.7 million ha of agricultural land, roughly 5% of BC.  A leaked cabinet document, from Agricultural Minister Pat Prim’s office, reveled plans to divide the ALR into northern and southern zones, with the Oil and Gas Commission taking authority over the northern zone.

BC Energy and Mines Minister Bill Bennett claims that farmers are pleading to have less productive lands removed from the ALR.

Lana Popham, the NDP MLA for Saanich South, said the agriculture budget was cut by 25% in 2009 and she expects to see the Agricultural Land Commission stripped of its powers.

During the Feb 24 session, Nelson Creston MLA Michelle Mungall delivered 182 signatures and  128 postcards from her riding “calling on this government to protect BC’s farmland.”

Delta South MLA Vicki Huntington is concerned about the industrialization of her riding.

A 250 hectare parcel of farmland near Deltaport may be transformed into an intermodal rail yard with industrial facilities for packing, unpacking and distributing goods. The developer has not applied to have the land removed from the ALR, but contends that the soil is poor and poorly drained.

Huntingdon said “Tsawwassen First Nation is building a huge mall and industrial park” on another parcel.

Around 53% of Delta, 9,403 ha, is in the the ALR. Almost 3/4 of this is designated “farmed,” though some parcels are not necessarily under cultivation.

“I am concerned in our lifetime we could see Delta’s importance, both agriculturally and environmentally, disappear. I do not believe if that were to happen that we have achieved a social balance that is what we all need and want to see,” Huntington told a reporter from the Delta Optimist.

Ms Huntington was not available for comment, but sent word through a spokesperson that she has no major issue to date with the way her position has been reported.

Governments have tampered with the ALC before but, according to Former NDP Minister of Agriculture Corky Evans, “Nobody up until this moment has said the idea is wrong.”

Listen Corky’s explanation of how the ALR came into being in the  video below.

Listen Corky’s explanation of how the ALR came into being in the  video below.

In an open letter to the Premier, the Real estate Foundation of BC stated, “Ensuring the protection of farmland for the benefit of all British Columbians is a vital element of sustainable, local food systems. This sentiment is also backed by public opinion surveys, where 90% of British Columbians felt government should limit urban development to protect farmers and farmland, and 72% believed it should be difficult or very difficult to remove land from the ALR. Another poll indicated that 95% of British Columbians support the ALR.”

A spokesperson from the Ministry of Agriculture told the ECOreport that:

  • The Core Review is looking at how the ALC and ALR can grow B.C.’s diverse agricultural sector – including helping farmers earn a living and continue producing food on our fertile land.
  • There are some fundamental things that won’t change. This includes the ALC retaining its independence and continuing to preserve land for future generations.
  • Land use decisions within the ALR are up to the Agricultural Land Commission.
  • The ALC looks at many factors when carrying out its mandate and each application has its own distinct set of circumstances and is considered on its own merits.
  • The ALC is an administrative tribunal – arm’s length from government – and government does not interfere in that independent decision-making process.
  • Questions about specific applications or decisions should be addressed to the Agriculture Land Commission.

More than 6,000 people have now signed Integrity BC’s an online petition telling Premier Christy Clark to keep her hands off BC’s Agricultural Land Commission. (You may access this here)

In an open letter to the Premier, Integrity BC stated, “During this year’s provincial election campaign, the BC Liberal party did not campaign on plans to modify or scrap the Agricultural Land Commission. Search the party’s platform for Agricultural Land Commission and the result is clear: “no match found.”

“Your party’s response to a specific question on the Agricultural Land Commission (posed by Metro Vancouver) during the campaign didn’t even hint at the plans now under consideration by your government.

“You have no mandate to make the changes that were detailed in cabinet documents released – not by your government but by the Globe and Mail – and we ask that you immediately withdraw them from consideration.”