byPeter Mitham

Premier David Eby is under fire for prejudicing the outcome of the province’s consultation on relaxing the rules around processing activities within the Agricultural Land Reserve (ALR). Addressing the Greater Vancouver Board of Trade on October 13, Eby promised to change the rules requiring food processors located within the ALR to source 50% of their ingredients locally if re-elected.

With the Surrey-Langley SkyTrain line turbocharging development of the Fraser Hwy corridor and surrounding agricultural lands, the BC NDP today announced it is naming the new line after former Premier Dave Barrett, whose government created the Agricultural Land Reserve to protect farmland. The announcment comes in advance of this Friday’s deadline for submitting feedback on a proposal to open the ALR to processors using as little as 5% local ingredients.

A new global trade environment erupted last week after weeks of threats, but BC agriculture sector continues to look for solutions despite the real risk of a significant financial hit. Volatile financial markets have raised the spectre of higher borrowing costs, reinforcing a sense of caution that has slowed property investment.