in Metro Vancouver · There were 4,220 farm operators in Metro Vancouver in 2011, defined as the...

Farmingin Metro Vancouver

Metro Facts in Focus | Policy Backgrounder

Metro Vancouver is one of the most important food producing areas in British Columbia. Agriculture in this metropolitan region makes a significant contribution to the BC economy, with over $789 million in gross annual farm receipts in 2010 (27% of the BC farm total) on only 1.5% of the province’s agricultural land. The region’s farmers supply over 130 different farm commodities including a wide array of fruits, vegetables, dairy, poultry and other livestock products.

There are multiple benefits associated with farming and agricultural land. Farming in Metro Vancouver provides direct employment for over 8,000 people. In addition, a multiplier effect means that for every million dollar increase in farm sales, 14 new jobs are created in the regional economy. Not only is farmland the foundation of local food security and agricultural economic development, it also provides indispensable non-market ecological services such as wildlife habitat, climate regulation, nutrient and organic matter recycling, water infiltration and flood management.

There is great potential to expand farming in Metro Vancouver, which has some of the best climate and soil conditions for producing food in Canada. However, competition for land constrains expansion of the agricultural industry despite the role farms near urban areas play in providing fresh food and other benefits. The future of farming in this region depends on a secure land base along with the expertise of farmers to meet public demand for high quality food.

Policy Backgrounder #2 describes farming in Metro Vancouver, roles involved in protecting farmland and enhancing farm viability as well as how land is used in the Agricultural Land Reserve (ALR). Getting the facts on the table is the first step in helping to foster an informed discussion about the importance of agriculture in our region, as well as how to optimize the potential for expanding farming. This booklet also provides information about the challenges faced in agriculture and poses questions to consider when looking at long-term solutions to support agriculture viability in the region. Most of the data for this policy backgrounder was sourced from the Metro Vancouver Agriculture Land Use Inventory conducted by the Ministry of Agriculture in 2010-11 and the 2011 Census of Agriculture.

The Metro Vancouver Facts in Focus Series is designed to promote a broad understanding of the key issues and opportunities that frame implementation of the Metro Vancouver 2040: Shaping our Future (Metro 2040), the regional growth strategy. Metro Vancouver is a political body and corporate entity operating under provincial legislation as a ‘regional district’ and ‘greater boards’ that deliver regional services, policy and political leadership on behalf of 24 local authorities. These local authorities comprise 21 municipalities, one electoral area and one treaty First Nation. Timely research and analysis of regional issues is an important service provided by Metro Vancouver.

Farming in a Metropolitan Region

2 Farming in Metro Vancouver

Farming in Metro Vancouver 3

ContentsA. Overview of Farming

in Metro Vancouver ............................ x

B. Protecting Farmland and Enhancing Viability ....................... x

C. Food Production ................................ x

D. Agricultural Land Use ......................... x

E. Challenges to Expanding Farming ...... x

F. Towards Long-Term Solutions ............. x


A. Overview of Farming in Metro VancouverA prosperous agricultural industry relies on a secure land base and skilled farm businesses that adjust to changing market conditions. Metro Vancouver has 60,893 ha (150,467 acres) in the Agricultural Land Reserve (ALR), which makes up 22% of the region’s land base. In 2011, there was also another 1,225 ha (3,027 acres) being farmed outside the ALR.

There were 2,821 farms in the Metro Vancouver region in 2011. This is one of the few places in Canada that showed an increase of over 200 farms over a five year period. Most of the farms are located in Langley Township, Surrey, Maple Ridge, Richmond, Delta and Pitt Meadows and are situated outside the Urban Containment Boundary as defined by Metro Vancouver 2040: Shaping our Future, the regional growth strategy. In this region the expansion of urban farming has been most evident in the City of Vancouver.

Vancouver

Burnaby

Richmond

Delta

Surrey

White Rock

Langley City

Langley Township

Maple RidgePitt MeadowsCoquitlam Port Coquitlam

Port Moody

Anmore

Belcarra

North Vancouver District

North Vancouver City

West Vancouver

New Westminster

5 km0

Agricultural Land Reserve

Urban Containment Boundary

MAP 1: THE AGRICULTURAL LAND RESERVE AND URBAN CONTAINMENT BOUNDARY IN METRO VANCOUVER

The Agricultural Land Reserve (ALR) is a provincial designation that recognizes agriculture as the priority activity. The ALR occupies less than 5% of BC’s landbase, yet protects most of the land with capacity to produce food.

The Urban Containment Boundary delineates the extent of urban devel-opment in Metro Vancouver over the long term. This boundary is essential to supporting cost effective investments in utilities, transportation infrastructure and community services as well as protect-ing agriculture and conservation lands.


Metro Vancouver has mostly small and medium-sized farms; farms near metropolitan centres are generally smaller and this region is no exception. The average farm size in the region is 20 ha or 50 acres (excluding the Vancouver urban farms). This is comparable to the Fraser Valley Regional District and is 1/6th the size of an average BC farm (132 ha or 327 acres).

There were 4,220 farm operators in Metro Vancouver in 2011, defined as the persons (up to three) responsible for the management decisions of a farm operation. This was an increase of 9% over the past ten years.

The aging farmer is a trend seen across North America including in this region. The average age of a farmer in Metro Vancouver is 56 years. Most noteworthy is the low (5%) percentage of farmers under 35 years of age. Experts believe that the next generation of farmers will emerge from urban farming, immigration, and second career professionals.

2011 FARM STATISTICS

Municipality/ First Nation

Total ALR Land Number of Farms

Hectares Acres

Bowen Island 182 450 -

Burnaby 234 578 43

Delta 9,403 23,235 202

Barnston Island 618 1,527 86

Coquitlam 823 2,034 -

Langley Township 23,406 57,836 1,360

Langley City 45 111 -

Maple Ridge 3,787 9,358 231

Pitt Meadows 6,868 16,971 163

Port Coquitlam 599 1,480 -

Richmond 5,176 12,790 211

Surrey 9,291 22,958 490

Tsawwassen First Nation

165 408 -

Vancouver 297 734 35

Metro Vancouver 60,893 150,469 2,821

Fraser Valley 71,685 177,134 2,743

British Columbia 4,623,841 11,425,511 19,759

55+

56% 39%

5%

35-54

<35 years

FARM OPERATOR AGE GROUPS

Provincial RoleThe provincial government plays a leading role in ensuring a safe, secure food supply, protecting agricultural land for food production and ensuring a strong future for farming. As described in BC Agrifoods: A Strategy for Growth, the provincial vision is for an innovative, adaptive, globally competitive agrifoods sector valued by all British Columbians. This strategy aims to increase agrifood revenues from $10.5 to $14 billion a year by 2017 by strengthening domestic markets and expanding international markets.

The province also has unique legislation to protect farmland. The Agricultural Land Reserve (ALR) was established in 1973 to preserve British Columbia’s limited agricultural land base in the face of rapidly expanding urban areas and non-farm developments. The Agricultural Land Commission is entrusted to uphold the integrity of the agricultural land base and to ensure there is a legacy of farmland for future generations through the Agricultural Land Commission Act.

The Metro Vancouver Agriculture Land Use Inventory completed by the BC Ministry of Agriculture in 2010-11 is the most comprehensive

source of information on land use in the ALR ever completed in this region. The inventory reveals that 50% of ALR land is farmed. Of the remaining ALR land that is not farmed, 25% is available and has potential for farming because it is not impacted by significant physical constraints or built areas. The remaining 25% is unavailable to agriculture because of existing incompatible non-farm uses (residential, parks), site conditions (topography, flooding) or cannot be farmed (roads).

Farmed 50%

Not farmed with potential

for farming 25%

Not farmed and unavailable 25%

STATUS OF THE ALR IN METRO VANCOUVER WITH

RESPECT TO FARMING


B. Protecting Farmland and Enhancing Viability


Despite regulation that protects farmland, there is no actual requirement to farm land in the ALR. This means that it can be left idle, however, if a landowner wants to use the land for purposes other than farming, it must be a permitted use defined by the Agricultural Land Reserve Use, Subdivision and Procedure Regulation or it requires approval from the Agricultural Land Commission. From 2006-2013, the Agricultural Land Commission received about 430 applications to change the use of ALR land in Metro Vancouver; most applications were for subdivisions (29%).

The provincial government provides an incentive to farm by offering tax exemptions on properties that meet requirements for BC Assessment farm class status. Non-farm landowners can receive this benefit if their land is being used by a farmer that meets the prescribed amount of qualifying agricultural products for sale. The difference in property taxes for a 4 ha (10 acres) parcel with and without farm class status ranges from $3,000-$9,000 per year, depending on the municipality where it is located.

Subdivision

Soil (fill) deposition

Commercial or residential

Transportation & utilities

Exclusion

Recreation & nonprofit

% of Total ALR Applications

Other

0% 5% 10% 15% 20% 25% 30% 35%

5%

9%

16%

17%

18%

29%

6%

TYPES OF ALR APPLICATIONS IN METRO VANCOUVER (2006-2013)

This regional land use plan is a legislated bylaw that defines local government roles in managing population growth by directing development to urban areas. A key policy in Metro 2040 is the Urban Containment Boundary, designed to limit urban sprawl, which helps ensure more efficient use of public funds for utilities, transportation infrastructure and community services.

Regional RoleMetro Vancouver, the regional district, along with member municipalities plays an important role in protecting farmland through implementation of Metro Vancouver 2040: Shaping our Future (Metro 2040), the regional growth strategy.

One of the key goals identified in Metro 2040 is the protection of the supply of agricultural land and promotion of agricultural viability. The regional government is tasked with identifying and pursuing strategies and actions in collaboration with the Province and the Agricultural Land Commission, while municipalities enact policies to support agricultural viability. There are several land use designations in Metro 2040 that support this goal, including an Agricultural designation for farmland of regional significance.

The ALR and the Agricultural designation are mostly aligned in Metro 2040. Ninety percent of the ALR has a Metro 2040 Agricultural designation. The main difference is that most parks and protected areas in the ALR are designated as Conservation and Recreation in Metro 2040. Changes to the Urban Containment Boundary and the Agricultural land use designation require a bylaw passed by a two thirds weighted vote by the Metro Vancouver Board as well as a public hearing.

This regional land use plan is a legislated bylaw that defines local government roles in managing population growth by directing development to urban areas. A key policy in Metro 2040 is the Urban Containment Boundary, designed to limit urban sprawl, which helps ensure more efficient use of public funds for utilities, transportation infrastructure and community services.

Progress on Metro 2040 achieving goals is being reported annually to inform local government decision-making about the status of growth management, transportation, housing, industrial and agricultural land as well as other critical regional land use issues.

DRAFT MeTRo 2040 - AnnuAl RepoRT 2014

SERVICES AND SOLUTIONS FOR

A LIVABLE REGION


A LIVABLE REGION


A LIVABLE REGION


Adopted by theGreater Vancouver Regional District Board

on July 29, 2011Updated to July 26, 2013

www.metrovancouver.org

SUSTAINABLE REGION INITIATIVE... TURNING IDEAS INTO ACTION

Metro Vancouver 2040 Shaping Our Future

Regional Growth StrategyBylaw No.1136, 2010

This regional land use plan is a legislated bylaw that defines local government roles to manage population growth by directing development to urban areas. A key policy in Metro 2040 is the Urban Containment Boundary, designed to limit urban sprawl, which helps ensure more efficient use of public funds for utility and transportation infrastructure as well as community services.

Metro Vancouver’s Regional Food System Strategy describes a collaborative approach to building a sustainable, resilient and healthy food system that contributes to the well-being of all residents and the economic prosperity of the region

while conserving ecological assets. It recognizes the multitude of agencies and organizations that contribute to food security in this region and the important role of public support for local food.

Municipal RoleMunicipal governments are also on the forefront of farmland protection and enhancing agricultural viability. Official Community Plans (OCPs) and land use bylaws address a wide range of issues that can impact agriculture production. In all circumstances, these local government policies must adhere to the Agricultural Land Commission Act as well as the Farm Practices Protection (Right to Farm) Act.

Most of the municipalities with significant amounts of farmland have developed Agricultural Plans with actions to promote farming. In addition, the City of Vancouver has adopted a strategy that puts emphasis on urban farms and food justice.

• Agriculture Protection and Enhancement Strategy (2013 City of Surrey)

• Agricultural Viability Strategy (2012 Township of Langley)

• Agricultural Viability Strategy (2003 City of Richmond)

• Delta Agricultural Plan (2011)

• Maple Ridge Agricultural Plan (2009)

• Pitt Meadows Economic Development Strategy for Agriculture (2011)

• Vancouver Food Strategy (2013)

Role of Other OrganizationsThere are many other organizations that support farming viability in Metro Vancouver. The BC Agriculture Council represents over 14,000 BC farmers and ranchers and close to thirty farm sector associations from all regions of the province. As a strong advocate for farming, the Council aims to continually improve the social, economic and environmental sustainability of agriculture. The BC Association of Farmers Markets is another group that has made great strides in supporting local food producers and their markets.


www.metrovancouver.org

Regional Food System Strategy

FEBRUARY 2011

SUSTAINABLE REGION INITIATIVE... TURNING IDEAS INTO ACTION



The soil and climatic conditions in Metro Vancouver are ideal for producing a wide variety of crops and livestock. The region had 28,792 ha (71,145 acres) of cultivated land (or soil-based farming) in 2011. Almost half was in forage and pasture that is used for livestock production, crop rotation or soil conservation purposes. Berries, primarily blueberries and cranberries, were grown on 29% of the cultivated land, while vegetables occupied 14%. Metro Vancouver farmers supply a significant percentage of the fruits and vegetables produced in BC.

2011 FRUIT AND VEGETABLE

CULTIVATED LAND IN METRO VANCOUVER

Crop Type Cultivated Land % of BC Production

hectares acres

Blueberries 4,929 12,180 58%

Cranberries 2,388 5,901 91%

Raspberries 181 447 10%

Strawberries 182 450 50%

Fruit & Nut Trees 160 395 2%

Potatoes 2030 5,016 70%

Green & wax beans 482 1,191 64%

Other vegetables (48) 255 630 37%

Squash & zucchini 201 497 49%

Pumpkins 200 494 54%

Lettuce 178 440 75%

Carrots 172 425 58%

Green peas 153 378 49%

Chinese cabbage 151 373 95%

Sweet corn 143 353 11%

Cabbage 117 289 43%

Rutabagas & turnips 98 242 84%

Beets 95 235 60%

Spinach 49 121 71%

Broccoli 39 96 12%

Radishes 29 72 67%

Shallots & green onions 29 72 53%

Cucumbers 22 54 21%

Cauliflower 15 37 21%

Tomatoes 6 15 4%

Dry onions 5 12 4%

Brussels sprouts 4 10 1%

Peppers 4 10 3%

Celery 2 5 25%

Vegetables14%

Nursery,tree plantations, 3%

Cereals, 2%Other,1%Turf, vines, nut trees,tree fruits, specialty,

floriculture, <1%

Berries 29%

Forage & pasture49%

CULTIVATED FIELD CROPS IN METRO VANCOUVER

C. FOOD PRODUCTION

Greenhouses extend the growing season for crops that need extra warmth and protection from climate anomalies. Glass and poly greenhouses occupy 467 ha (1,154 acres) or less than 1% of the ALR in the region, yet make an important contribution to the supply of tomatoes, peppers and cucumbers as well as serve export markets. Most of the greenhouses in Metro Vancouver are used for vegetables (59%), while flowers (33%) and other crops (8%) are also produced under cover.

Farms in Metro Vancouver also produce a wide variety of livestock. Although the number of animals can fluctuate over the years, there is a trend toward fewer livestock especially for cattle (dairy) and pigs. While poultry, which includes egg laying hens and meat birds, has the greatest numbers, equine (horses & ponies) has the most livestock activity on the land, occupying 59% of the parcels with animals. The majority of livestock farms are located in Langley Township, Maple Ridge and Surrey.


LIVESTOCK TYPE AND

NUMBERS IN METRO VANCOUVER

Livestock Type Number of Animals

2001 2011

Cattle & calves 31,915 19,786

Sheep & lambs 6,739 4,094

Chicken & hens 4,987,882 4,458,587

Turkeys & other poultry 272,503 373,273

Pigs 4,860 1,524

Equine (horses) 7,399 5,951

Goats 1,721 1,737

Llamas & alpacas 720 659

Bee colonies 2,822 13,902

D. AGRICULTURAL LAND USE


ALR LAND USED FOR FARMING


ALR Land used for Farming

% of Municipal

ALRhectares acres

Langley Township 9,751 24,095 44 %

Delta 6,691 16,534 76 %

Surrey 4,886 12,074 56 %

Pitt Meadows 3,669 9,066 57 %

Richmond 2,797 6,911 59 %

Maple Ridge 942 2,328 26 %

Barnston Island 357 881 58 %

Coquitlam 261 644 33 %

Tsawwassen First Nation 154 379 93 %

Port Coquitlam 123 303 23 %

Burnaby 103 255 46 %

Vancouver 32 80 13 %

Bowen Island 20 49 11 %

Langley City 5 12 12 %

The future of farming in Metro Vancouver depends on a secure agricultural land base and the business acumen of farmers. Understanding how farmland is used is essential to ensuring a viable agricultural industry over the long term.

The Metro Vancouver Agricultural Land Use Inventory describes how land parcels in the ALR are used. Each parcel was evaluated to determine whether it is “used for farming” based on specific criteria. Sometimes the whole property is not farmed because it contains natural areas, but if the main land use is agriculture, the parcel is considered used for farming.

Based on parcel information, 34,147 ha (84,377 acres) of ALR land is used for farming, and another 1,570 ha (3,879 acres) is being farmed outside the ALR. The municipalities with the most ALR land have more land that is used for farming, but there is a range in the percent of municipal ALR land that is farmed (11%-76%).

Almost two thirds of the land used for farming also has residential use on the property, while 24% is just used for farming with no other activities. The remaining 9% is used for farming in conjunction with other activities such as transportation, communications, utilities, park or protected area, commercial, institutional, community, and recreation.

Used for farming & residential 22,757 ha

Used for farming only8,151 haUsed for farming &other activities 3,238 ha

24% 67%

9%

ALR LAND USED FOR FARMING


Sixty five percent of the land that is not used for farming in the ALR has residential activities or no apparent use, while 22% contains a park, reserve, protected area or golf course. The remaining areas not used for farming have other activities such as transportation corridors, communications, utilities, commercial, institutional, community, military, recreation and other uses.

While there is more land area used for farming than not used, the picture changes when the number of parcels in the ALR is considered. Almost 60% of the parcels in the ALR are not used for farming. If the assumption is made that most farmers don’t leave agricultural land idle, this could indicate that there are more non-farm landowners living in the ALR than farmers.

The region’s farmland is heavily parcelized with many small lots rendering it vulnerable to residential and other non-farm uses.

ALR LAND NOT USED FOR FARMING

Land Use Amount of land (ha)

% Not Used for Farming

% of ALR

Residential 11,123 48 18%

No apparent use 3,848 17 6%

Parks/Protected area 3,288 14 5%

Golf course 1,948 8 3%

Other 3,024 13 6%

Total 23,231 100% 38%

Used for farming4,776 number of parcels

Not used for farming7,015 number of parcels

59% 41%

Total 11,791 number of parcels

AMOUNT OF ALR PARCELS USED AND NOT USED FOR FARMING

14 Farming in Metropolitan Vancouver

Vancouver

Burnaby

Richmond

Delta

Surrey

White Rock

Langley City

Langley Township

Maple RidgePitt MeadowsCoquitlam Port Coquitlam

Port Moody

Anmore

Belcarra

North Vancouver District

North Vancouver City

West Vancouver

New Westminster

Used for farming

Not used for farming

0 5 km


STATUS OF THE METRO VANCOUVER AGRICULTURAL LAND RESERVE WITH RESPECT TO FARMING


E. CHALLENGES TO EXPANDING FARMING As a growing metropolitan area with 2.3 million residents (51% of BC’s population), competition for land constrains expansion of the agricultural industry. The population of Metro Vancouver is anticipated to increase by 35,000+ people per year, and while this increases the demand for fresh, local food, it also exacerbates competition for farmland. There are three existing conditions that can limit farming and food production in Metro Vancouver over the long term.

1. Encroachment of non-farm uses on agricultural land

The competition for land in Metro Vancouver means that farmland is often targeted for residential, commercial, industrial or park use. The challenge is to ensure that encroachment does not continue to increase the amount of ALR land that is not farmed and unavailable beyond the current 25%.

Evidence exists that small parcels are less likely to be farmed and therefore further subdivision of parcels in the ALR is not warranted and will only encourage more non-farm use of ALR land. Currently 75% of the parcels less than 2 ha (5 acres) are

not farmed. The average size of parcels not used for farming is 3 ha (7.4 acres), while the average size of parcels used for farming is 7 ha (17 acres).

Agricultural land speculation exists, but to what extent is difficult to determine. The data reveals that 3,848 ha (9,508 acres) of ALR land has no apparent use. There have also been media reports that investors are purchasing options on farm properties in response to the demand for industrial land.

Parcel size (ha)

Num

ber o

f par

cels

in th

e AL

R0

500

1000

1500

2000

2500

3000

>=12864-12832-6416-328-164-82-41-2< 1

Used for farming

Not used for farming

731

796

1529

1565

1226

786

643

680

309 13

937

9 147

65 27 20 4 7

2738

DISTRIBUTION OF PARCEL SIZE USED AND NOT USED FOR FARMING

2. Underutilization of the Agricultural Land Reserve

Twenty five percent of the ALR is not farmed, yet has potential for farming, meaning that there are no major physical constraints to farming the land. Most of this land (86%) is located in the municipalities of Langley Township, Surrey, Maple Ridge and Delta. The challenge is to put more ALR land into food production.

An ALR Landowner Survey conducted in 2012 revealed that there is no sense of urgency among landowners to start farming their land. The key barriers

expressed by landowners to start farming are: 1) overall lack of interest; 2) perceived unsuitability of the land; and 3) financial and operational challenges.

The perception that some ALR land is unsuitable for farming also presents a challenge. Often a financial investment is required to either clear the land or improve drainage to create productive farmland. Even if the soil is deemed unsuitable, the land can be used for greenhouses, mushroom or livestock barns that are profitable ventures for small lot farmers.

The regional inventory revealed that 76% of the ALR land that was identified as not farmed with potential for farming, has natural or semi-natural vegetation cover. Another 19% has anthropogenic-managed vegetation, consisting primarily of landscaping and lawns.

ALR LAND NOT FARMED WITH POTENTIAL FOR FARMING


ALR land with Potential for Farming

Hectares Acres

Langley Township 8,003 19,776

Surrey 2,465 6,091

Maple Ridge 1,458 3,604

Delta 1,166 2,882

Richmond 908 2,245

Pitt Meadows 583 1,440

Barnston Island 196 485

Coquitlam 182 449

Port Coquitlam 151 374

Burnaby 40 99

Bowen Island 20 50

Vancouver 13 32

Langley City 5 12

TOTAL 15,193 37,541


ALR area (ha)

ALR

Cur

rent

land

cov

er

Natural & Semi-naturalvegetation

Anthropogenicmanaged vegetation

Unused forage or pasture

Anthropogenicnon-built or bare

Unmaintained field crops

Natural & semi-naturalvegetated wetlands

Unmaintained greenhouses/crop barns

0 4000

13,590

2,871

676

<1

126

21

15

8000 12000 16000

LAND COVER OF ALR LAND WITH POTENTIAL FOR FARMING


3. Underproduction of existing farmlandThe easiest way to expand farming and food production is to invest in land that is already farmed. However this requires capital investments in agriculture infrastructure such as irrigation, drainage, and farm buildings or greenhouses.

According to the Agriculture Water Demand Model for Metro Vancouver, the irrigated area on agricultural land is estimated to be 13,070 ha (32,296 acres), including 1,170 ha (2,891 acres) in golf courses. An additional 20,951 ha (51,770 acres) could be irrigated in the future to increase the food production capacity. The availability of water will determine the amount and types of crops that can be grown in the future.

For example, irrigation is used on 97% of specialty crops, 85% of berries and 72% of the vegetable fields. In contrast, only 20% of forage and pasture and 6% of grain/cereal crops are irrigated.

One of the challenges to increasing investments on farmland is related to security of land tenure. In 2011, farmers in Metro Vancouver leased 9,799 ha (24,213 acres) of land. Short-term leases or informal rental agreements offer little security or incentives for farmers to invest in drainage and irrigation infrastructure. A landowner is able to receive lower property taxes when a lease is submitted to BC Assessment as long as the farmer meets requirements for farm class status. One positive example is the Tsawwassen First Nation (TFN) which in 2013 provided 25 year leases on 159 ha (60%) of the TFN’s ALR to local farm families.

LEASES REPORT TO BC ASSESSMENT IN 2012*

Municipality Number of Leases

Hectares Acres

Langley Township 495 2,790 6,894

Delta 171 2,701 6,674

Richmond 266 1,527 3,772

Surrey 223 1,512 3,737

Pitt Meadows 104 573 1,417

Maple Ridge 72 324 800

Barnston Island 15 249 616

Port Coquitlam 20 88 218

Langley City 1 16 40

Burnaby 12 13 31

Coquitlam 3 5 12

New Westminster 1 0.8 2

Vancouver 1 0.4 1

TOTAL 1,384 9,799 24,214

* refers only to properties farmed by a lessee

18 Farming in Metropolitan Vancouver

E. TOWARDS LONG TERM SOLUTIONS Metro 2040: Shaping our Future reflects a regional commitment to protecting agricultural land and promoting agricultural viability. Determining how to collectively encourage farming and food production on agricultural land when non-farm uses continue to expand in the ALR remains a major challenge for governments. This section identifies five issues that could contribute to long-term solutions and asks questions to inspire dialogue about appropriate policy options.

Issue #1: Farmland Speculation


The most effective way to protect agricultural land is to use it for farming. This has become increasingly difficult because farmers, especially new or young farmers, have limited ability to access agricultural land due to non-farm use and land speculation.

Country estates, residential and commercial amenities build on agricultural land make purchasing a farm property more expensive. Similarly, the perception that agricultural land will eventually be converted to other uses can fuel farmland speculation.

1. How can the Urban Containment Boundary and other government policies be strengthened to help minimize further speculation on agricultural land?

2. How can ALR landowners be encouraged to maintain the food production capacity of agricultural land?

3. What property tax mechanisms are most effective at discouraging non-farm use and ALR land speculation?

Farming in Metropolitan Vancouver 19

Without capital investments in farm infrastructure, it is challenging to build a farm enterprise or improve the productivity of land. Leased farmland is becoming one of the few ways to start or expand a farm business, yet most leases do not encourage investments in irrigation, drainage or farm buildings because of the lack of secure land tenure. Leases enable landowners to obtain property tax exemptions through farm class status but are not required to be registered on title or have a term longer than one year.

1. How can the requirements for BC Assessment farm class status be improved to encourage more investments in farm infrastructure?

2. What type of policies or incentives can facilitate long-term leases that enable farmers to invest in rented land?

3. How can ancillary uses that are integral to farm operations be encouraged without allowing non-farm commercial enterprises to dominate ALR parcels?


Issue #2: Farm Infrastructure Investments


Issue #3: Marketing of Local Food

Successful farming depends on many factors, but one of the most important drivers is the public demand for food produced by local farmers. Developing markets for local food and celebrating the food culture in Metro Vancouver can have positive long-term impacts on the viability of farming as well as improve the quality-of-life for residents. Equally important is increasing the availability of local food in grocery stores which can enable the expansion of commercial farms.

1. What are the most important avenues to pursue to increase marketing opportunities for local food?

2. Under what circumstances should value-added farm businesses be encouraged on ALR land?

3. What are the best ways to foster broad-based public support and consumer loyalty for local food and agriculture?


Issue #4: Ecosystem Services Provided by Farmland While there is much enthusiasm to expand food production in Metro Vancouver, it is also important to recognize and maintain the benefits the public derives from ecological services provided by farmland. Nutrient and organic matter recycling, wildlife habitat, carbon sequestration, climate regulation, water infiltration and flood management are just a few examples. These public benefits are often not considered in land use decisions because they are provided for free and are not captured in the marketplace or in accounting systems.

1. What types of ecological services provided by farmland are most valuable to communities?

2. How can society support farm stewardship practices that maintain and encourage these ecological services?

Issue #5: Adaptation to Climate ChangeIn the context of a changing climate, it is important to consider adaptation strategies for agriculture. While farmers are accustomed to adjusting their practices through difficult conditions, the impacts of climate change may exceed anything previously experienced. The BC Agriculture and Food Climate Action Initiative has started to address this issue, yet further actions to build resilience and capacity to produce food in a changing climate are needed.

1. What are the critical actions to help ensure that agriculture can adapt to climate change?

2. How can initiatives to assist farmers adapt to climate change be incorporated into existing programs?


References2011 Census of Agriculture, Statistics Canada.

2012 British Columbia Assessment.

Agricultural Economic Development Initiatives for the Metro Vancouver Region, From the Ground Up, August 2013.

Agriculture Water Demand Model: Report for the Metro Vancouver Regional District, BC Ministry of Agriculture, Pacific Agri-Food Research Centre and RHF Systems Ltd., March 2013.

ALR Landowner Survey, Ipsos Reid, January 31, 2013.

An Estimate of Public Amenity Benefits and Ecological Goods provided by Farmland in Metro Vancouver, BC Ministry of Agriculture, Simon Fraser University Public Policy Program and the Fraser Basin Council, 2009.

BC Agriculture Climate Change Action Plan 2010-2013. BC Agriculture and Food Climate Action Initiative. BC’s Food Self-Reliance, BC Ministry of Agriculture, 2006.

BC Agrifoods: A Strategy for Growth. Province of British Columbia, 2012.

Metro Vancouver 2040: Shaping our Future, Regional Growth Strategy Bylaw No. 1136 adopted by the Greater Vancouver Regional District Board on July 29, 2011.

Metro Vancouver Regional Report (Agricultural Land Use Inventory, Summer 2010 & 2011), Strengthening Farming Program, BC Ministry of Agriculture, March 6, 2014.

Profile of Metro Vancouver’s agri-food industry, Metro Vancouver, February 2013.

Property Tax Scenarios for Agricultural and Industrial Land in the Metro Vancouver Region, Colliers International, February 7, 2014.

Review of the Agricultural Land Commission for Future Generations: Moving Forward: A Strategic Vision of the Agricultural Land Commission. Richard Bullock, Chair Provincial Agricultural Land Commission, November 26, 2010.


Metro Vancouver

Village of Anmore

Village of Belcarra

Bowen Island Municipality

City of Burnaby

City of Coquitlam

Corporation of Delta

Electoral Area A

City of Langley

Township of Langley

Village of Lions Bay

District of Maple Ridge

City of New Westminster

City of North Vancouver

District of North Vancouver

City of Pitt Meadows

City of Port Coquitlam

City of Port Moody

City of Richmond

City of Surrey

Tsawwassen First Nation

City of Vancouver

District of West Vancouver

City of White Rock

City of Abbotsford (park purposes only)

Metro Vancouver4330 Kingsway

Burnaby, BC V5H 4G8

in Metro Vancouver · There were 4,220 farm operators in Metro Vancouver in 2011, defined as the...

Documents

Transcript of in Metro Vancouver · There were 4,220 farm operators in Metro Vancouver in 2011, defined as the...