NDP worries new ALC boss could mean more changes
Posted May 16, 2015 4:02 pm.
Last Updated May 16, 2015 4:06 pm.
This article is more than 5 years old.
VANCOUVER (NEWS1130) – There is a changing of the guard at BC’s Agricultural Land Commission and the NDP is worried about what the move will mean for the protection of our farmland.
“I’m personally devastated,” says NDP Agriculture Critic Lana Popham. She calls former chair Richard Bullock, fired this week by the provincial government, a champion of agriculture, who fought hard against regional panels she feels take away from the commission’s power.
“They will allow certain activities on agriculture land without having an application go through the ALC so we will basically lose track of what’s happening on our agricultural land base. That’s where we’re going.”
Popham worries Bullock was axed because of further changes coming down the pipe later this month that would allow for more non-farming activities on protected land.
She believes the timing of the move is no accident. “The government is going to be making a big announcement in the next couple of weeks with new regulations that will affect Zone Two in the Agricultural Land Reserve and they needed Richard out of the way I think, because I don’t think it’s going to be good news for Agriculture.”
Zone Two covers a huge area of farmland in the Kootenays, the Interior, and the North, where last year, the government loosened lifted non-farming restrictions, including oil and gas work.
Former Saanich Mayor Frank Leonard has taken on the role of interim CEO.
